Question about my old dog

[farmgirl]

Hi. I hope you don't mind me just jumping in with a question.

I have an old dog that I inherited about a year ago. He's a husky/collie mix about 10 years old. He belonged to my neighbors until the lady passed away and the gentleman had to go to a nursing home.

They fed him a lot of rich table food and a little bit of cheap dog food. When I got him, I started feeding him the good stuff. My husband actually buys it because he's the one who goes to town every day - but I'm pretty sure it's the IAMS adult formula - or maybe it's Eukanuba. We just buy a huge bag and pore it into the big plastic bin and throw the bag away so I can't remember! Anyway - I remember originally researching it to see if it was good or not, and it was good . . .

So. He was really fat when we got him, and he started losing weight on the good food, which I thought was great. He doesn't really like it, so he just eats a little bit. But now it's been a year and he still hasn't learned to like it. He's becoming too thin. His hip bones are sticking out.

I thought he was just on a hunger strike and he'd realize it was 'eat the nutritious stuff or starve', and start eating it, but it seems he'd rather starve. We have tried a couple of different brands of the good stuff, but he turns his nose up at it.

He'll never turn his nose up at table food, but I haven't wanted to give it to him very often. Lately I've been caving in a little - in the interest of keeping him alive!

Is there anything healthy I can do to improve the flavor of his food without resorting to table scraps? I've heard old dogs can be stubborn but gee whiz.

[Karen]

First I'd get him checked out by a vet, to be sure there's not an underlying medical issue at stake. Then maybe, if you are just feeding kibble, try mixing in a little canned food, see if that makes it more appealing to him, as it'll ceratinly smell different.

[farmgirl]

First I'd get him checked out by a vet, to be sure there's not an underlying medical issue at stake. Then maybe, if you are just feeding kibble, try mixing in a little canned food, see if that makes it more appealing to him, as it'll ceratinly smell different.

He has to go in for his shots soon, anyway. I wish I could remember exactly which month we got him, but the old couple's daughter took him in for his shots right before she brought him over. I think it's coming up soon.

I'm actually kind of scared it's a medical thing, and that's making me scared to bring him to the vet. I had the sweetest old dog who got cancer, and the vet pushed me to put him to sleep. She said our choices were to go through chemotherapy and the whole nine yards, or put him to sleep. She didn't seem to think allowing him to die naturally was a choice at all, and I was such a pushover. I still think my old guy could have had a few more happy days in this world and regret having him put to sleep that day.

What if I go in and they tell me he has some terrible disease? Then I'll have to choose between treating it and extending his suffering, putting him to sleep, or bringing him home and letting him die naturally. He's so old, I know it's likely that something is very wrong. He's old and slow and probably arthiritic.

Maybe I'll just try the canned food and see if he eats better, before I bring him in. Then, if it doesn't work, at least I'll be prepared.

He's such a sweet old dog.

[lizbud]

I think I would visit another Vet, if you think the last one was too pushy,
but I still wouldn't feel right about not seeing a Vet to check him over. It
could be a very bad case of worms, or some other less serious problem that
can be corrected AND make the dog feel more comfortable. I was thinking
the dog might have some dental problems that would also make him eat less.
Good luck to you both.I love senior dogs, they should have a special place
in everyone's heart.

[farmgirl]

I think I would visit another Vet, if you think the last one was too pushy,
but I still wouldn't feel right about not seeing a Vet to check him over. It
could be a very bad case of worms, or some other less serious problem that
can be corrected AND make the dog feel more comfortable. I was thinking
the dog might have some dental problems that would also make him eat less.
Good luck to you both.I love senior dogs, they should have a special place
in everyone's heart.

You're right. Even if he's not just being stubborn because he doesn't like the food, it might not be a life-threatening problem. It could be something treatable. And maybe he really is just being stubborn. I know another vet who seems less pushy. Vets intimidate me so badly, sometimes - they can be so arrogant and opinionated. I knew it was going to mean a trip to the vet before I even asked the quesiton. I was just hoping somebody would pipe in and say "Oh, that's normal! Old dogs are opposed to change! Just try X brand of dog food and everything will be OK."

[dragondawg]

He has to go in for his shots soon, anyway. I wish I could remember exactly which month we got him, but the old couple's daughter took him in for his shots right before she brought him over. I think it's coming up soon.

I'm actually kind of scared it's a medical thing, and that's making me scared to bring him to the vet. I had the sweetest old dog who got cancer, and the vet pushed me to put him to sleep. She said our choices were to go through chemotherapy and the whole nine yards, or put him to sleep. She didn't seem to think allowing him to die naturally was a choice at all, and I was such a pushover. I still think my old guy could have had a few more happy days in this world and regret having him put to sleep that day.

What if I go in and they tell me he has some terrible disease? Then I'll have to choose between treating it and extending his suffering, putting him to sleep, or bringing him home and letting him die naturally. He's so old, I know it's likely that something is very wrong. He's old and slow and probably arthiritic.

Maybe I'll just try the canned food and see if he eats better, before I bring him in. Then, if it doesn't work, at least I'll be prepared.

He's such a sweet old dog.

First "soon" is not soon enough. Try the alternate Vet. Any Vet who does not "push" for Chemotherapy per your prior dog, when it's a viable option, should be avoided.

Most Vets I've run into will give a direct answer to a direct question. The task that we as dog owners must do is to educate ourselves, so that we know the right questions to ask.

It is very unlikely that it's cancer. Most canine cancers if untreated will run their course in just a few months. If the dog has been losing weight for a year and cancer was involved it would be dead long before now. On the other hand if the dog has really only been losing weight for past month then cancer can not be eliminated as a possible cause.

There are many other possible causes. It may be due to parasites either directly in the intestine, whipworms, or heartworms. Likewise anatomical problems such as heart or liver disease can cause weight problems. Finally metabolic diseases such as diabetes, or Addison's disease, malabsorption (e.g. low pancreatic enzymes) may cause loss of weight.

Your plan when the dog visits the Vet is to make sure a heartworm test is performed, a fecal sample is examined, and a full metabolic blood panel is run. This may get you a hit on the problem or additional tests may be needed. If the Vet seems unable to diagnose after the initial tests, add for an immediate referral to a specialist.

Once you have identified the underlying cause with your Vet, then you can address the appetite based on the condition. You may want to ask your Vet as to how to stimulate the appetite more be it with Vitamin B12 shots, or even Valium. Assuming it isn't determental to the underlying condition discuss with your Vet the wisdom of changing the dog to a high performance (high protein/high fat) diet. But again the protein and fat in the diet will be determined by the underlying condition which must be defined first. For example if the dog is in early kidney disease increasing the protein is the last thing you want to do.

In summary: Get the dog to a Vet immediately. Don't wait for when it's due for its yearly examination. Your dog has more than a simple appetite problem.

[farmgirl]

In summary: Get the dog to a Vet immediately. Don't wait for when it's due for its yearly examination. Your dog has more than a simple appetite problem.

Gee. I think I liked Glacier's answer a lot better.

But the determination has been made. I'll call the vet tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'll pray that he's just an old dog that needs softer food.

[farmgirl]

Oh, by the way, thanks a bunch for the detailed answer dragondawg!

[Glacier]

All my older dogs prefer their kibble soaked and with a couple tablespoons of canned food mixed in. Paxil will not eat dry kibble, but she'll wolf down the same kibble if it's been soaked a bit. Maybe your oldtimer just wants softer food too.