Elderly dog with pancreatic issues.

[Thorntins]

My poor old girl is almost 16 and for two years we’ve been careful with her diet due to pancreatitis.

The past few days has seen her completely off her food and drink with initial vomiting but now just loose, bloody poo.

I just cannot get her to eat, she will run and hide if you offer her food, she’s not drinking a lot either.

vet has given her pain, nausea meds and antibiotics but I’m having a terrible job just trying to get them into her. She’s tired (naturally) and just dozing most of the time. She seems calm and not in lots of pain.

Im breaking my heart as I’m desperately hoping she’ll set but as time goes on it’s looking as though she’ll just starve herself until it’s too late - typical Jack russel and stubborn.

How do you know when it’s time to call it a day? The thought of doing it too soon breaks me. What if she picks up and we get longer with her? How will we know?

Dogs are very good at hiding the pain they’re in. I’m afraid it looks like it’s time to say goodbye OP. So sorry 💐

Oh I'm sorry, my dog had pancreatitis, we managed for around 3 years but with old age problems we eventually had to make the decision to let him go.
I have no advice really accept for something I have read, better a day to soon than a day to late.
I believe this helped me as I didn't want to hang on to him only then see him suffer.
Sending you a hug as its a heartbreaking place to be in x

I had this with one of my Border Collies. He had no illness to speak of beyond old age but his appetite had decreased significantly over a period of a few weeks. The vet gave him a couple of courses of antibiotics which perked him up for a few days in each case but then he went back to not eating very much. He wasn't in pain or unhappy and would eat human food - (I was desperate to get him to eat anything in the end) - but his interest in each new food type waned after a couple of days. Like you, I hoped he'd settle and reset back to normal but unfortunately that didn't happen with my dog. He became thinner and weaker and slept a lot. I realised it was time to let him go.

I hope your dog resets and goes back to normal but eating little or nothing is not a good sign if its for longer than a few days. Perhaps, you could ask your vet for his/her opinion and take it from there. Good luck.

Hugs. I think she's had enough if she's stopped eating and drinking. Its time.
Thinking of you.

Little update, our cat came in earlier crying for food and the dog perked up when she heard that. I offered her some wetted food and she licked / ate a bit from my fingers. She then followed me out the kitchen and asked for one of her treats. Ate that and now back in her bed snoozing, only bothering to sit up when someone leaves the room or when I’ve brought some toast in (she didn’t want any).

How on earth should we know when to make the call? I was phoning the vet at 9am, I just don’t know what to do now.

If I were you, I’d see what happens once the food is digested. If the dog is sick or has diarrhoea again I’d definitely still consider pts. Better to do it too soon rather than too late.

Our dog had liver cancer and deteriorated rapidly (also had pancreatitis). This was just before the Easter weekend 4 years ago. I felt awful that we had to have her pts earlier than planned but the costs of emergency vet cover over the bank holiday was scary. She was very unpredictable, having small fits and just generally lethargic. She would look at us and I could just see how tired and ill she was. It broke our heart but it was the right thing to do as her prognosis was only living a few more weeks at best anyway.

You know your dog best, I think when it’s time to say goodbye you will have a gut feeling about it. Sending hugs x

Thanks. One minute I look at her and think yes, she looks worn out and flat then she perks up and she’s drinking and eating a little. She’s had a bit more at lunch. Not been sick or had a bowel movement yet. It’s a waiting game now I suppose

I hope your dog is responding well @Thorntins

Sadly I have just had to say goodbye to my 12 year old cocker spaniel who was behaving very similar to how @AcquadiP described their dog. The only way I could get meds in her was by melting some cheddar (suggested by someone in here) for 15 seconds and wrapping it around the pill as she refused the low fat pate, and then the Philadelphia. She would eat some foods and then the next minute wouldn't touch it at all. She lost so much weight, slept 90% of the day and no longer really wanted to go for walks. She wasn't in pain but she wasn't happy any more.