Senior dog off food

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anon1997

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Please, please no blunt comments here - I am aware what direction this is going and it’s already hurtful enough but seeking some advice.

Over the weekend my senior dog (16) has been completely off food, not that she’s not looking for it, but anything we give her she turns her nose up at it. We really have tried everything you can think of, cooked fish/chicken/steak, raw food, tinned fish etc.

The issue is she’s looking to eat, she wants to eat, she’s eating treats and other than being tired (which she is at 16 anyway, especially not eating enough food) she is completely normal. As mentioned she is really eating treats ravenously, so I don’t think she isn’t hungry and I don’t want to refrain her from having them as it’s the only thing she wants.

I understand not eating isn’t completely normal, but at this point we aren’t ready to give up on her as long as she’s still taking herself to the toilet, coming for little walks and wagging her tail when she sees us.

Her teeth will be bad at this age, however is she is fine chomping a sausage treat (very eagerly) and we can’t do anything about it now as she is not to go under anaesthetic.

She absolutely hates the vets and shakes like a leaf, we did take her 2 weeks ago and the vet discussed keeping her comfortable for the rest of her life and not putting her under any unnecessary stress as she has lived a good life.

Does anyone have any advice other than the obvious that she has begun her natural decline? Please be kind this is already hurting us as a family..
 
I would ask your vet for advise over the phone if they saw her a few weeks ago, is she normally fed kibble? If so I would look at feeding her something soft and easy to eat, could be teeth, could be something else. How is she in herself?
 
HopOnTrot said:
I would ask your vet for advise over the phone if they saw her a few weeks ago, is she normally fed kibble? If so I would look at feeding her something soft and easy to eat, could be teeth, could be something else. How is she in herself?
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Great advice.

As an aside, I now always pre-soak Daisy's kibble.
 
Definitely soak kibble if that is what she normally has, or feed soft food like scrambled egg ?

My older girl started turning her nose up at food on a regular basis, after lots of tests she was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. Her pancreatic enzymes are not high, but a very low fat diet has got her back eating regularly. I swapped her onto Different Dog home cooked food, not remotely cheap, but she loves it and several of the recipes are 10% or lower in fat. Maybe worth trying something like Omeprazole to see if her lack of appetite is gastric related.
 
My old bitch kidney care dry food had an appetiser included in it as dogs with kidney disease often go off their food due to suffering from nausea. I wonder if it is possible for vets to prescribe something like that or what it is and whether it can be bought?
 
I understand why you don't want to go to the vets but I really think you at least need to speak to them. My little dog with kidney disease also developed pancreatitis and wouldn't eat a thing. He ended up hospitalised which I appreciate you wouldn't want for your girl, but they can give you medication which will stimulate her appetite.
 
Amymay Again said:
How's she doing @anon1997
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Thank you for asking, we managed to find her something she has been keen to eat (JR meat pate from the pet shop) and she managed to eat twice yesterday. She has also eaten numerous times today (little and often) the same food. She has perked up after eating and has been interested in things she was turning her nose up at before, ie she’s eaten a bit of fish finger tonight and some chicken today, in between her meals. I know this doesn’t mean she isnt poorly, but I just wanted to see her eat to have some strength. She seems perky in herself and because she is still taking herself to the toilet, drinking and looking for food I don’t feel she’s ready to give up her fight yet. Thank you to those of you who have suggested things.
 
anon1997 said:
Please, please no blunt comments here - I am aware what direction this is going and it’s already hurtful enough but seeking some advice.

Over the weekend my senior dog (16) has been completely off food, not that she’s not looking for it, but anything we give her she turns her nose up at it. We really have tried everything you can think of, cooked fish/chicken/steak, raw food, tinned fish etc.

The issue is she’s looking to eat, she wants to eat, she’s eating treats and other than being tired (which she is at 16 anyway, especially not eating enough food) she is completely normal. As mentioned she is really eating treats ravenously, so I don’t think she isn’t hungry and I don’t want to refrain her from having them as it’s the only thing she wants.

I understand not eating isn’t completely normal, but at this point we aren’t ready to give up on her as long as she’s still taking herself to the toilet, coming for little walks and wagging her tail when she sees us.

Her teeth will be bad at this age, however is she is fine chomping a sausage treat (very eagerly) and we can’t do anything about it now as she is not to go under anaesthetic.

She absolutely hates the vets and shakes like a leaf, we did take her 2 weeks ago and the vet discussed keeping her comfortable for the rest of her life and not putting her under any unnecessary stress as she has lived a good life.

Does anyone have any advice other than the obvious that she has begun her natural decline? Please be kind this is already hurting us as a family..
Click to expand...
If its her teeth and she has a dental infection, pain relief and antibiotics to control infection/dental abscess could massively improve her day to day quality of life, even if she cant have an anaesthetic. Its usually worth getting an elderly dog with inappeatance health checked at the Vet. Its not always going to end in euthanasia. There quite a lot can be done to manage the chronic health condition's that old animals suffer from medically. Agree with a lot of the comments here. bland soft food, raised dishes and other little day to day changes that take into account poor mobility can also help the older creatures. Its all about making each day enjoyable enough to make it worth continuing for
 
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