Dog not eating properly for weeks - vet booked but….

[CoffeeWithHer]

Hi all

Our dog is booked in for the vets next week but just wanted to get a heads up of what might be the issue.

She has always enjoyed her food but has a sensitive stomach so for the past few years she has had kibble from Tails with random meat thrown in and obviously bones / treats.

She started turning her nose up at her food about 6 weeks ago to the point she has now stopped eating. I contacted Tails and they did a new mix to see if that would help. She wouldn’t eat that either. The weather hasn’t helped but she was like this for a few weeks but she has got so skinny really quickly.

I’ve been in the pet shop, kept to all their advice and bought a weeks worth of raw food - I’ve tried it for 5 days and she just looks at it and walks away. Different dog foods I know she likes - also no. Normally I’d say fine, don’t eat it then…and know that she’ll eat the next day or later in the evening but she must be starving. She is drinking as normal.

My DH just has a steak and she ate some of that but I can’t give her a steak every day 🫠

She will have to be put under at the vets as she is so scared when she gets there and gets so stressed. I have to give her pills to make her docile just for her yearly jabs but the vet can’t examine her, even docile and muzzled. So at least this way they can do her bloods and give her a proper check.

She is 7 and never been ill. She is a rescue / mutt so cross breed but approx a collie size.

Any insight would be really helpful! Thank you x

You’re absolutely right, it’s a shock and I was fine at the vets and then had proper sobs when I got home looking at her little face. We were reaching nearly 48 hours of not eating again (where she had been put under she was still very drowsy 2-3 days later) when she finally took some steak. I’m crying begging her to eat the steak - And it’s was a catch22 - she isn’t allowed it anymore but the only thing we could coax her with. The vet advised just feed her anything if she won’t take the first (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th offerings) and in the end I’m back at the vets getting the pills that will jump start her appetite.

We didn’t need them in the end as my Nan came over and wasn’t an emotional mess and got her to start eating. Then my parents came over with a pork chop the next day 😁

The pork and turkey will be better for her but I really need to get rice and veg in her by the end of the week so this is my goal.

And I’ve just noticed my error in my post- she is actually stage 2 (not stage 1!) - the vet said it will just get progressively worse and diet is the only way to help but won’t stop the inevitable eventually. She is only 7 and a mutt so not the usual candidate - Vet said it’s probably genetic.

She seems a tiny bit brighter this morning and I even got a tail wag last night when I had been out for a few hours.

Turkey steak for dinner today which she ate, little bits at the time with me hand feeding but she is now looking more interested.

Took her for a ‘walk’ at 9pm when it was much cooler for 10 mins - this was the first day in a week that she sat up when I touched her lead.

So I guess I will just have to wait for the 3 months and see where we’re at.

I’ve been given some advice about drops / supplements / food so I’ll keep you posted x

X

@Bloozie WOW! You’ve been incredible x

My dog is a carnivore though and though and used to spit the veg out whenever it was in her food. Carrots always got pushed over to the other side 😁 I know I’m going to be puréeing the veg and making a sauce with it (it’s like going back to toddler time!)

You've given me hope and I’m so glad he is doing well x