Please help - me again - if my old boy won't eat Royal Canin what else can I try? Desperate.

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

The vet said today that his liver is knackered. He's put him on a hepatic diet but he won't touch the bloody stuff. He's eaten a mouthful and left it. He's had a mouthful of ham and a lick of some pate and that's more than he's eaten in the last few days. He had an anti-sickness injection this morning to keep it down.

The vet said if he's not eating by Saturday then we have to think about what's best for him because he hasn't eaten in days.

He's drinking still, so we've put a supplement in his water and mixed some of the wet food in it. He's not keen but he has had some.

What else can I try? The vet said if he eats the special diet it will support his liver and he'll be fine for a bit longer. He just needs to bloody eat!

Hills do one as well, I don't know about anyone else...

Have you tried warming it up to body temperature? That sometimes helps.

No I hadnt, will give it a try, thanks.

He's only eleven, was hoping he'd go a bit longer than that.

Was going to suggest Hills too. Our dog needs the hypo allergenic stuff, and Hills is the only one he seems to like. Also, warming it up a bit definitely helps.....makes it smell a bit more though (hate the smell of dog food!)
I hope it works for you

Thanks so much. Am desperate. The vet sys if he'll only eat he'll be fine for a bit longer.

I'm wondering if his not eating is his way of saying he's had enough and it's time to go.

Oh god.

:( sorry he's still not eating.

What did your vet say about other foods?

Well he just said he needs the stuff that will help his liver. He said he can get on perfectly well if he eats that from now on. He just won't eat. It's like he's given up. I don't know what else to do. He seems ok, he'll potter outside for a wee, but then he comes inside and struggles about and lays down and then struggles to get up again.

I'm prolonging the inevitable aren't I?

Well when I say struggles I just mean that he's old and a bit arthritic and slow, I don't mean that we're watching him deteriorate.

I never advocate internet advice in these , but I am a vet and hepatic food doesn't fix anything, just helps dogs with liver issues to cope better. Eating anything is better than eating nothing at this stage.

If faced with calling it a day, you have nothing to lose by trying anything he's likely to eat - warm hotdog, chicken, liver. But sometimes these dogs are just too ill. You'll know when enough is enough. I'm so sorry you're going through this.

I don't think animals decide to stop eating...they just don't eat because they don't feel well.

There's nothing wrong with keeping going trying to get him to eat at this point.

Another recommendation for heating in the microwave (remember hot spots) but I'd also try adding some water to make it easier to swallow. Good luck.

Thanks all. That's a good point, anything is better than nothing. He did seem to like the pate until I mixed it with the hepatic stuff. I'll try again in the morning.

I'm supposed to be helping out at school tomorrow. I think I'll have to apologise and give it a miss. I can't leave him at home on his own all day. He might not have many days left.

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3666145

My username is pulliptears on that thread. That was the home cooked diet I used for my Scottie when he was diagnosed with liver disease. (Can't copy and paste the ingredients for some reason)
After being initially given a prognosis of a week he improved and had nine good months before we lost him. Our vet was so amazed she took a copy of the diet and still uses some aspects of it now.

It's not cheap, it's hard work and it's not guaranteed at all but it encompasses foods that are known to help liver function. Jacks actually improved for a while when he was on it, though ultimately there isn't a cure.

I know what you are going through,I fought tooth and nail to help Jack, he ate better than we did but he was worth it.

Thanks for that Percy, I can try some of those tomorrow. Do you have to mix the vitamins in with food or water or both?

I gave him vitamin tablets separately in case he left the food so I knew he was getting them. I'd wrap them in Turkey or anything tasty I could get (I recall eating out in pizza hut once and asking for the crusts to be boxed for the dog )
I came to the conclusion I had nothing to lose by trying. He was spoiled rotten those last nine months.

I've been in that place you are now and my heart goes out to you. Fingers crossed tomorrow he wolf's down his breakfast and starts to pick up.

So far today we've tried pate again, scrambled egg, the dietry food again, fish poached in milk and he just sniffs and looks away. He just doesn't want to eat. We've got some stuff to mix in his water but he keeps ignoring it.

His temperature was back to normal this morning and he's not guzzling water like he was. His symptoms are improving but we just can't get him to eat.

I really hope we haven't missed anything. The vet initially diagnosed Cushings before he did a scan. I hope they haven't missed anything else.

Saying that, if it's lymphoma that's caused his liver to scar up and harden, he might well have one in his stomach too. When he was being sick the food was coming back undigested. The vet looked worried at that. Perhaps he's got it in his stomach and physically can't take the food down.

I wish I could spoil him rotten but he won't take anything. I don't know what else to do. We're going to lose him aren't we?

He might be just having a dip, with Jack every day was different. I'd days where I was convinced I was losing him and then the next morning he'd be bounding about guzzling his food and back to normal.

They suspected cushings with him (he was a Scottie and it's not that unusual in the breed). I hoped it was because it can be controlled but sadly he had something called copper storage syndrome.

Keep plodding on, tomorrow is another day. All you can do is take everything as it comes and hope for a better day. I'm sending you a very un mumsnetty hug. Keep strong xx

Thank you so much. Your kind words are so appreciated.

You can always pm me for a chat if you need to.
When I first got Jack home post op we had three or four days of food refusal. I mashed tuna, scrambled eggs, cooked sausages. Nothing. Then dh came in with a crap Turkey sandwich (Tesco processed crap) and he was on his knee sharing it like a little black blur across the lounge.

I'm off to bed now, but crossing everything for you that he's feeling a bit better tomorrow.

I had the same thing with my cat OP when she was diagnosed with kidney problems. She hated the special diet stuff - I think it's very bland - and wouldn't eat, when she did it upset her stomach.

I ended up just giving her her usual food as I felt it was better for her to eat that than not eat anything and she went on for some considerable time, actually surprised my vet with how long she lived.

Have you tried him with a good quality wet food - you mention wet food in you op but I wasn't sure if you meant the special diet food - it might smell a bit more interesting. If you warm it very slightly in the microwave oven it might bring out the flavour a bit as well so he gets the smell to tempt him.

So hard when a beloved pet is so ill.

My old dog liked chappie (v cheap tinned dog food from supermarkets) when he was at his frailest.

I was going to say Webbox. So soft and easy to eat. The farts are a bit... Interesting... But at this point perhaps it might be kinder to find something your dog would like, rather than some miracle cure food. I find it a bit unhealthy that your vet seems to be saying that some very expensive kibble will fix your dog. Bit irresponsible iyswim? My much loved white gsd went to 13. But really, her quality of life was over a year earlier, when she went deaf and lame.

So so difficult :(

I bought some wet food called Forthglade. It's a natural wholesome type stuff. I mixed some with a little warm water and he just turned away as though it made him nauseous. Now he's lying out on the lawn. Dh says his tummy area is really hot. He seems to be happier out there.

I just don't know what to do. I don't want to leave him if he's suffering but I don't want to have him put to sleep if there's a chance he might recover.

We're supposed to be helping with DFil's pheasant shoot on Monday. Dh is supposed to be running the beaters and I'm taking out elevens's and then I'm supposed to stay and help. There'll be lots of people we know there. All with their dogs. And our dog won't be there.

I don't want to go and neither does dh. If this is our boys last few days we want to be at home with him.

It does sounds as if he's just not interested if you've tried so many things.

So sorry to hear this.

In your shoes I think I'd stay at home with him too.

He's having trouble walking tonight and his breathing sounds more laboured.

Dh has gone to bed. He's been in tears most of the day. I feel like I've cried enough. I feel quite calm at the moment.

We tried to have a quiet moment with him this afternoon but the bloody dc's kept bickering and ruined it. They're only 5 and 7, they don't have the bond with him that we do and they don't really understand. A friend has offered to have them tomorrow for a couple of hours so that should give us some time alone with him.

You know how they say you know when it's time? I think it's coming.

IME you definitely know when the time is right. Sending lots of hugs and hoping your night goes ok x