Picky eater

[Roman]

Oh and you don't want to forget the oil. I use canola as the experts say it's best for dogs to promote essential fatty acids.

Salmon Oil is good too. It's sold at some Pet Shops.

 

[acommondisaster]

Thanks everyone for the empathy and advice. I'm calling the vet (again) in the morning to get some suggestions. She's off dog food completely and I've given up trying to find one she likes. She's been eating baked skinless chicken (that I rubbed with canola oil) and green beans and a scrambled egg with cheese fairly well, but turning her nose up at everything else I've tried (carrots, potatoes, turkey, pasta, rice). The one thing I've noticed is that she is smelling everything thoroughly before she'll eat it. We've tried moving her dish, using paper plates, people plates, praising her while she's eating and hand feeding her.

The thing is she's BEGGING for food, but will only eat what appeals to her.

She's still losing weight and is now starting to look downright skinny. In August she was a chubby waddling doggy. She remains her happy cuddly self and I'm not noticiing any changes in her except for this eating thing.

 

[Roman]

I hope that you get some answers from the Vet today. My new Pup was diagnosed last week with a parasite called Giardia. She is just now getting better after nine days of hell. I know that you mentioned that your pup is loosing weight, and that she had some tests at the vet's Office. Did they check for Giardia? It is a very hard parasite to be detected in most cases, and tests can come out being negative, when it's really positive. This parasite can be caught by the Host by drinking Pond water, or by the pup coming in to contact with the feces of another infected animal, like at the Dog Park. It can cause anorexia, weight loss, and diarrhea. Some dogs that have it, show no signs, but from what I've read, this parasite is particularly hard on the very young, and the very old dogs. You might want to ask the Vet to put her on the Giardia Protocol, even IF she tests negative. What could it hurt? If you think this might be a possibility with your friend, PM me, and I will give you any information you'd like. My Vet put her on Flagyl, but I read that it's only 70% effective, so I asked fro Drontal Plus, which has made a world of difference. Good luck today!

 

[acommondisaster]

I hope that you get some answers from the Vet today. My new Pup was diagnosed last week with a parasite called Giardia. She is just now getting better after nine days of hell. I know that you mentioned that your pup is loosing weight, and that she had some tests at the vet's Office. Did they check for Giardia? It is a very hard parasite to be detected in most cases, and tests can come out being negative, when it's really positive. This parasite can be caught by the Host by drinking Pond water, or by the pup coming in to contact with the feces of another infected animal, like at the Dog Park. It can cause anorexia, weight loss, and diarrhea. Some dogs that have it, show no signs, but from what I've read, this parasite is particularly hard on the very young, and the very old dogs. You might want to ask the Vet to put her on the Giardia Protocol, even IF she tests negative. What could it hurt? If you think this might be a possibility with your friend, PM me, and I will give you any information you'd like. My Vet put her on Flagyl, but I read that it's only 70% effective, so I asked fro Drontal Plus, which has made a world of difference. Good luck today!

I picked up Giardia in the Soviet Union and NAS Pax treated it with - Flagyl - so I had a little laugh when I read your post. That's some nasty stuff - I was like one living breathing poo machine until I got fixed up. The people in Moscow are immune to the little aoemba and I got it from brushing my teeth with the tap water there. Lesson learned!

My doggie doesn't have those sort of symptoms. Just won't eat. She'll eat bread (sometimes) but not if it has butter on it. She'll eat chicken, but not straight out of the fridge. I've started buying babyfood meat and rubbing alittle on her lips. That seems to get her started and she'll eat the jar (but they're tiny).

Last set of blood work came back normal. I think we'll have an ultrasound done to see if anything's going on, like a tumor on her liver (from what I'm reading on the web) or something. It's going to have to wait a few weeks, as I called the place in Annapolis that does the ultra sound and it's going to be a minimum of $600 - and we just don't have that all at once, this close to Christmas. Especially after all the vet bills. I just have to keep praying that she'll eat enough to sustain herself. She'd lost another 3 pounds this month - a lot of weight for a small dog.

 

[MarieB]

I hope that you get some answers from the Vet today. My new Pup was diagnosed last week with a parasite called Giardia. She is just now getting better after nine days of hell. I know that you mentioned that your pup is loosing weight, and that she had some tests at the vet's Office. Did they check for Giardia? It is a very hard parasite to be detected in most cases, and tests can come out being negative, when it's really positive. This parasite can be caught by the Host by drinking Pond water, or by the pup coming in to contact with the feces of another infected animal, like at the Dog Park. It can cause anorexia, weight loss, and diarrhea. Some dogs that have it, show no signs, but from what I've read, this parasite is particularly hard on the very young, and the very old dogs. You might want to ask the Vet to put her on the Giardia Protocol, even IF she tests negative. What could it hurt? If you think this might be a possibility with your friend, PM me, and I will give you any information you'd like. My Vet put her on Flagyl, but I read that it's only 70% effective, so I asked fro Drontal Plus, which has made a world of difference. Good luck today!

My dog got that from drinking from the bird bath

 

[Roman]

My dog got that from drinking from the bird bath

I think my girl got it from eating raw Deer Meat. I will never do that again. I took a stool specimen in yesterday, to see if the Giardia is gone, and the Vet just called to tell me it tested negative for Giardia, but positive for Coccidia. I might have spelled that wrong, but how in the hell do they catch that? I guess I will have to google it. She said that both of my dogs have to be treated, so I'll get the medicine for them later. So far, these little things have cost almost $500.00, not including the NEW medications.

 

[MarieB]

I think my girl got it from eating raw Deer Meat. I will never do that again. I took a stool specimen in yesterday, to see if the Giardia is gone, and the Vet just called to tell me it tested negative for Giardia, but positive for Coccidia. I might have spelled that wrong, but how in the hell do they catch that? I guess I will have to google it. She said that both of my dogs have to be treated, so I'll get the medicine for them later. So far, these little things have cost almost $500.00, not including the NEW medications.

I just looked it up, and that can also infect humans which means regular pharmacies might carry the same meds, though it could be a different type in dogs. Don't be afraid to price shop the medication or ask the vet for a script. My vet here was really understanding about that and always offered to give me a prescription so I could get medication at Wal Mart or another pharmacy. (or even online if you feel it's something you can wait a few days for). I've had vets elsewhere who flat out refused to do so.

 

[Roman]

I just looked it up, and that can also infect humans which means regular pharmacies might carry the same meds, though it could be a different type in dogs. Don't be afraid to price shop the medication or ask the vet for a script. My vet here was really understanding about that and always offered to give me a prescription so I could get medication at Wal Mart or another pharmacy. (or even online if you feel it's something you can wait a few days for). I've had vets elsewhere who flat out refused to do so.

I had to beg my regular vet for the prednisone to reduce the inflamation in her rectum. She was incontinent because of that, and then when I did some research on the Flagyl for the actual Giardia, it said that Flagyl was only 70% effective with serious cases, and that Drontal Plus should be added. I had to beg for that too. The Drontal Plus did the trick, thank God, because changing diapers on a dog is NOT easy. The Calvert Well Pet Clinic has been great with this, so I will continue with them. They are much cheaper, but the Dr has been very helpful.

 

[acommondisaster]

Considering how dangerous anorexia is for dogs, I'm really surprised the vet has yet to prescribe an appetite stimulant. I don't know how I can stress more emphatically that she's pretty much eating every other day, and most of the time it takes quite a bit of coaxing.

Hope your dog's all better soon - I can't imagine dealing with doggie diapers.

 

[Roman]

Considering how dangerous anorexia is for dogs, I'm really surprised the vet has yet to prescribe an appetite stimulant. I don't know how I can stress more emphatically that she's pretty much eating every other day, and most of the time it takes quite a bit of coaxing.

Hope your dog's all better soon - I can't imagine dealing with doggie diapers.

I wonder if they even have an appetite stimulant for dogs? Something is going on with your little friend, and I hope it's nothing serious. Maybe the Ultra Sound is now in order. Please keep us posted. I'm sorry I stole your thread for a minute there, and thank you for the well wishes. Same to you! Check your PM.

 

[Roman]

They DO have a prescription appetite stimulant for dogs. It's once a day dosing, a small tablet, and it's also used for anti-nausea. You'll have to get it from your Vet, or see if they can write an RX just in case it's too expensive there. MarieB gave me that idea in post # 47.

 

[ICit]

They DO have a prescription appetite stimulant for dogs. It's once a day dosing, a small tablet, and it's also used for anti-nausea. You'll have to get it from your Vet, or see if they can write an RX just in case it's too expensive there. MarieB gave me that idea in post # 47.

there are few rx for this.

 

[Roman]

there are few rx for this.

That's good to know. Thanks