Jake's not eating

[stacwase]

Jake's appetite has been decreasing. He used to be a real pig - but now he doesn't even eat 1/2 cup of food per day.

Yesterday he vomited twice - just clear bile.

I had him at the vet for a complete checkup just a month or so ago, and everything looked fine. His teeth were OK.

As far as I can tell, he hasn't lost weight. I would think that he was just finding better food somewhere else somehow, except that when he threw up there weren't any chunks in it.

Is this just something that happens as a dog ages? Should I be worried?

Should I try cooking him up something more flavorful?

[micki76]

Chester and tubby Millie have cut back since the weather got warmer. Maybe he's just naturally cutting back now that it's warmer?

Chester's appetite has always varied from week to week and month to month.

I'm confused though, how would he find better food elsewhere?

[swimma253]

well, sometimes Meeka will eat a ton, and sometimes she just doesnt feel good, so she eats very little... you should check to see if he is eating grass because if he is, then that means he doesnt feel good and that is why he is throwing up... hope this helps, and I hope Jake feels better soon... and try not to worry too much!

[stacwase]

I'm taking him to the vet at 1:45. He just looked at his food and started couging. He didn't even get close to it.

[stacwase]

Originally posted by micki76
I'm confused though, how would he find better food elsewhere?

The garbage - but I haven't been cleaning up a lot of garbage lately so I don't think that's it. We're really careful to rinse cans, etc. before we put them in the garbage.

Or the neighbor might be giving him treats. I found jerky treats in his pen one day, which I hadn't given him.

Sometimes the kids sneak things to him, too.

I don't think that's it, though - normally he would eat his dinner even if he'd had treats.

Oh JEEZ! He just puked again! He just drank a little water and threw up.

[dukedogsmom]

I'm glad you're taking him to the vet. Could be from eating that plant a few days ago. I hope he's going to be alright. Let us know what the vet says, ok? Give Jake a hug from me.

[stacwase]

Sorry to keep posting - but what do you think it could be? He just looks at food and starts to act like he's going to throw up.

You know - when we got back from Arkansas we thought it looked like Max had gained a lot of weight. The kids said "Well it's because he eats all of his food plus half of Jakes!"

We thought Jake was just being a slow eater, but now I think maybe his appetite was decreasing even then.

Last night we locked Max in his crate and left Jake's food out all night long, thinking he'd eat a little, but he didn't even touch it.


What are the signs of diabetes?

[MariaM]

Hmm I don't know. When I was taking care of my aunt's dog, Oscar, in St. Louis. He started coughing up clear stuff and I just thought because he was drinking his water so fast. But when we came home one time there was puke all over the kitchen floor and it smelled bad, we saw some grass and cardboard in it. He didn't feel well at all and we phoned his vet. He said not to feed him anything that night so we didn't...in the morning we fed himi though and he was so excited lol, maybe there is something that Jake is trying to cough up but its not there yet...maybe he does need some grass just to get it out, if there is anything

[swimma253]

good point ^^^^^ maybe there is somthing he is trying to cough up but cant quite get it out....in that case, grass will difenately do the trick...

[stacwase]

Originally posted by dukedogsmom
I'm glad you're taking him to the vet. Could be from eating that plant a few days ago. I hope he's going to be alright. Let us know what the vet says, ok? Give Jake a hug from me.

Well - it was Max who ate the plant. But now that you mention it, it's possible Jake could have eaten some, too. He wasn't acting like Max, though. Plus belladonna reduces nausea (I only know that because we give it in the ER).

I hope she takes this seriously.


Yeah - maybe you all are right and there's just something in his throat that he needs to cough up. Maybe I should bring him out to where there's a lot of long grass!

[dukedogsmom]

Here's a link I found. It says they usually drink more water and urinate more.
http://www.pgaa.com/canine/health/diabetes.html
I hope he's going to be ok and hope it's not pancreaitis.

[stacwase]

Thanks for the link. I hope it's not pancreatitis, too!

I don't know what's the matter with me - but I'm freaking out over this.

It's just that, when I stop and think, I can think of lots of things that say that maybe he's been sick a while.

The other day we took him out to the farm and he had diarrhea all over himself. It was really bad - we had to give him a bath. But it was just once, and Max had had it a week before so we weren't too worried.

And there have been other instances when he threw up, but just once here and there mostly when we were late feeding him.

[Pam]

Oh dear! Poor Jake. I just read this now and I imagine you haven't come home from the vet's yet. Please let us know how Jake is as soon as you can.

[dukedogsmom]

Forget what I said about him eating something a few days ago. I was on my lunch break and realised that was Max :P Let us know when you can what the vet said.

[stacwase]

We're back.

He was dehydrated, and he has lost 3.6 lbs in 2 months. That's a lot considering his size - 8% of his body weight. He's so furry I couldn't see it, though I though he felt a little thinner.

She gave him 2L of fluids subcutaneously and gave him an injection for the vomiting, and did some labs. We won't have the results of the labs until tomorrow, but she does think he's sick (beyond just a tummy ache).

She suspects diabetes, or a kidney or liver problem. He has been waking us up to potty at night, but I thought it was just because he was getting old.

I'm a nurse. I should have brought him in sooner. I should have recognized this earlier.