Help...poorly dog won't eat

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Inchy

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Over the last week my dog went off her food - she's a flat coat retriever so normally lives for food! On monday she had a scan and they found a mass on her spleen. So monday afternoon she had a splenectomy to remove her spleen and a huge tumor. The tumor is malignant but the vet is hopeful that she got it all. Harri is now home and feeling very sorry for herself, but she is very thin, weak and anaemic due to not eating. The vet has said she can go back to a normal diet but she won't eat....

we've tried her usual tinned food and biscuits, different types of tinned food and biscuits but no luck....

However she will eat small amounts of chicken! I know this isn't enough on its own so have been adding some cooked carrots and boiled rice...

What else is suitable to feed to a poorly dog????

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. x
 
Is she normally on a dried food that can have water added? If so, try adding warm water to it as it brings out the aromas instantly making it more appealing to the dog
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I hope she is feeling better soon, it must have been very worrying.
 
We have some Nature Diet in the cupboard especially for when Otto is feeling off colour. He adores it! It smells lovely (for dog food anyway!) and is soft and easy to eat.
Comes in trays and can be heated up and served warm, which may entice her even more.

I think it is basically what you are feeding now (Chicken, Veg and Rice) but obviously nutritionally balanced.
 
Thank goodness she came through that, our old girl didn't make it, almost a year ago, exactly the same thing
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I think the idea is something plain so chicken and rice is ideal, maybe some of the vetty people or those with more experience than I will be able to help more.

Fingers crossed she will make a good recovery.
 
Hacking_hack, sorry to hear about your girl! Harri had us really worried - and still worried as the chances of it coming back are quite high...

The vet said chicken and rice on its own isn't nutritionally balanced enough...we're going to have a look into 'natures diet' and see if she'll eat that!

she's going to be an expensive dog to feed if she insists on eating chicken everyday! Although she did eat some of my salmon last night - perhaps she just feels she deserves the best whilst she's recouperating!
 
CALA has advised me to use veg oil on dry food to build up condition on my boy (very hard to keep condition on) so I don't know whether that would help?

My old girl was ten, inchy, and probably a bit too large for such a big op (spoilt, and helped hide her condition until it was too late) but like I say, I do sincerely hope your dog is out of the woods.
 
When my girlie started to go down hill she wouldnt eat. The vet suggested warming up her food. We managed to get her to eat thick soups warmed up or canned stewed beef, chicken was also another she would readily eat. Lots of small meals throughout the day. Hope she is better soon
 
Scrambled egg
Tuna
Macaroni cheese
I had to be quite clever with old dog--tempting her with anything she would eat even raw mince
Even when she was really struggling she would play with a marrow bone for a while
 
If she will eat naturediet then that is a good food
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I order it online in bulk sometimes from zooplus (quick delivery)

Also possibly try Natures harvest - which is similar.

You could try adding olive oil to the chicken to give her more calories? Other good thing for putting on weight is tinned sardines in oil - but feed them with some rice or something otherwise it will exit quickly out the other end
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Agree chicken alone wouldn't be balanced - but will be fine for a week or until you find other stuff she will eat. What about other cooked meats? plus you can vary the veggies - not just carrots (so long as it isn't onion or leek).. like chuck in some green stuff or tomatoes? The sardines will be good for Omega 3's too..
 
First of all fingers crossed for your girlie. My ridgeback, Matty, had exactly the same thing 2 years ago last October. She nearly died as the tumour had burst and she was bleeding internally. She was sent home to us after 4 days at the vets because she hates it there and wasn't doing too well.
She was weak and anaemic and wouldn't eat either. The only thing I could get down her was Pedigree Rodeo treats!! She will come good eventually just keep offering her tasty goodies. It will take a while, her insides have taken a battering and she is feeiling proper poorly. Lots of TLC and you'll get there. Keep us posted.
 
My 10 year old bitch had liver problems last year and went off her food, the only thing she would eat was Natures Harvest and Naturediet, I would definitely recommend trying them on your girl. Hope she picks up soon.
 
You could get some tins of hills a/d tins from your vet. Specially designed for sick and recovering dogs and cats. Very palatable and highly nutritious in small amounts.

Hope your girl gets well soon.
 
QR

tried canin sensitive tinned food (which is apparently similar to hills)- turned her nose up at it!

She has just had a small bowl of chicken, brown rice, carrots, peas and gravy with a splash of veg oil - and eaten the lot
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Rung up the local pet shop and they stock natures diet so will get some of that to try tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help...will keep you posted!

x
 
[ QUOTE ]
First of all fingers crossed for your girlie. My ridgeback, Matty, had exactly the same thing 2 years ago last October. She nearly died as the tumour had burst and she was bleeding internally. She was sent home to us after 4 days at the vets because she hates it there and wasn't doing too well.
She was weak and anaemic and wouldn't eat either. The only thing I could get down her was Pedigree Rodeo treats!! She will come good eventually just keep offering her tasty goodies. It will take a while, her insides have taken a battering and she is feeiling proper poorly. Lots of TLC and you'll get there. Keep us posted.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL Mattilda, that reminded me of my greyhound Ellen - she got a localised intensive infection in her hind leg, was in the vets for two weeks, and ended up having the leg amputated. But she wouldnt eat either - not even for me - except for Pedigree Smackos
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The vet nurses were lovely and spent ages coaxing her with cat food, various types of meat etc - her appetite picked up in the end, and she was as good as new
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It would really help your girl to give her a good probiotic. A probiotic will increase her appetite, help her to get the most out of her food and will balance her gut after the surgery. Get a really good quality one, like Protexin, and double dose her for a couple of weeks. It can do her no harm but a LOT of good.
 
I make cups of hot Bovril to put over the food - always seems to tempt them probably the beefy smell! Is made from beef again not a veggie extract - it was originally developed to feed to hospitalised patients to help build them up post surgery. Figured if it was good enough for us humans it was good enough for poorly dogs - also works out relatively cheap too!
 
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