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Dog will not eat food he's used to

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  • #119306 Report Abuse
    E M
    Member

    Help please
    My 14 year old pincher mix was always not a big foodie.
    We’ve been free feeding him (i know i know…bad choice…i got him as a child so i didn’t really have a say in anything) till i’ve noticed about a month ago that he’s eating less and less. One day he had vomited and then refused to eat at all for a day and a half but i noticed he was still up for snacks so i got different kibble and he just devoured it….for a few days and then went back to barely eating. I tried another food brand (at this point I’ve started giving him 6:30 am and pm meals) and the same thing happened- devours at first but then barely eats..
    i’ve changed his food again and he’s at the point now where he’s barely eating again
    Should i just keep switching brands? Should i try to alternate between foods somehow? Would wet food keep him intrested for longer?

    #119307 Report Abuse
    anonymous
    Member

    Please take your dog to the vet asap. Seniors are vulnerable, obviously something is wrong.

    A good checkup, lab work and whatever other diagnostic tests the vet thinks are indicated should identify the problem. Then your vet will be able to instruct you as to diet and treatment so you can do your best to keep the dog comfortable.

    You won’t find the answers here….

    Good luck

    #119308 Report Abuse
    Susan
    Participant

    Hi EM,
    I’d see a vet, he might have Pancreatitis, Acid reflux, he needs blood test done, something is wrong for him, normally when food causes pain, acid reflux etc they become fussy & picky eaters as food has caused pain or a problem in the past & since dogs can’t talk & tell us whats wrong we have to some how work out what is wrong & causing pain…
    Have you tried cooking a lean white meat turkey breast or chicken breast & boil some sweet potato, peeled & cut sweet potatoes into small bite size pieces. Sweet potato pieces freeze very well & thaw quickly in micowave 10sec or leave frozen sweet potato pieces on beach top for 30mins or put in fridge the night before…. reduce fat in diet if feeding any dry kibbles or any wet can foods..
    Wet can foods are higher in fat then a dry kibble fat%…. so if you see say 5%min-fat on a wet can of food then that needs to be converted to dry matter fat (Kibble) & when you convert 5%min fat thats around 20%min to 25% max fat if it were a dry kibble, so 5%min is pretty high, you need get a wet can food under 3%max- fat & 78%-moisture for a wet can food bought from pet shop/supermarket.. hat will be under 10%ax -fat..

    Best to buy the wet can food from a vet, buy a vet diet for Intestinal health as they are made to be low in fat… under 10% in fat
    thats what I do, I buy the Hills & Royal Canine Low Fat wet can foods as the fat in these vet diets for stomach pancreas are lower in fat..
    There’s “Hills I/d Digestive Care” Low Fat, Rice, Vegetable & Chicken Stew, your dog will probably eat this, it smells really good the fat is 9.5% max, the fat has been converted
    https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-id-low-fat-canine-rice-vegetable-and-chicken-stew-canned
    Hills have converted the fat in all their Hills vet formula’s on the Hills site.
    https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-id-low-fat-canine-canned
    Look at Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat, 2.5% max fat has not converted yet when converted the fat is 7-8% fat..
    https://www.royalcanin.com/products/royal-canin-veterinary-diet-canine-gastrointestinal-low-fat-canned-dog-food-13.6-oz-24-cans-case-/47071
    When a dog is ill they do prefer a wet food just becareful with the fat% as he might have Pancreatitis & need under 10% fat… they vomit have nausea & dont want to eat & get pain around their right side rib cage, dogs are their worst enermy as they are so good at hiding their pain…
    I’d see a vet & get blood tests done, if you need to check stomach the only way to test a dogs stomach/digestive tract is Endoscope + Biopsies, Endoscope the vet can see into the stomach thru camera & the biopsoes can tell the vet whats wrong. Endoscope isn’t painful they go to vet practice in morning & are home by 3pm & allowed to eat a small meal, there’s no pain but it will cost around $800 AU that’s Australian $, so it will cost less for American vet, probably $400, you’ll get some answers if blood test came back OK…
    or ask vet can you try an acid reducer-Pepcid (Famotidine) given 30mins before a meal twice a day or an Acid blocker- Prilosec (Omeprazole) 20mg given once a day in morning doesn’t need to be given on an empty stomach..
    Best try either one for 5-10 days & see if there’s any improvement with him not wanting to eat..this will be the cheapest to do & see results….

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