[mollyinmo]

She will go so long without food that she throws up bile and I can't figure out why! Its happening about 3-4 times a week. She's had a couple "spells" before when she didn't like her food, but I don't want to change from Newman's Own and I don't know how to get her to eat. I have called the vet's office and they keep telling me not to let her go too long because of the hypoglycemia and to boil chicken and rice or lean hamburger and rice and give that to her so she will eat something. I would gladly do this except I'm sure if I start that, she will refuse her dry food from now on! I've added baby food chicken in the past to get her to eat, then she refused to eat the dry food plain. I know some people add broth which I'm not opposed to doing, question though: after you open the can how long does it keep as I'm guessing it takes very little? She gets 1/4 c of food twice a day and rarely eats it all. On days that we walk (1.2 miles 2-3 times a week) she will finish it.

Last night at 10pm (after having eaten nothing since Sunday night except random crumbs from under the kids chairs at dinner) I actually pried open her teeth and stuck a piece of food on her tongue. She spit it out, so I put it back in then she ate it and about 15 more. I have resorted to this a couple times as well as changing the bowl, leaving it on the kitchen floor, living room carpet, on the rug in her crate.

So any suggestions???

 

[k/c mom]

How old is she? If she is a young puppy, maybe the Newman's Own kibble is too big and hard to chew??? The vet at Newman's told me that if giving their food to a puppy, to add some of their canned food with it for a more complete food.

 

[Ladysmom]

I know you adopted Molly from a shelter (good for you!) so you know nothing about her background. Any idea how old she is? How long ago did you adopt her?

This breed can dehydrate really quickly. When that happens, they have to be hospitalized and given fluids by an IV which can be very expensive. This happened with my Lady and several people I know.

Has your vet suggested a full blood panel to rule out any illnesses or conditions that might be causing her not to eat? I think it would be a good idea.

Chances are that your Molly originally came from a pet shop, puppy mill or backyard breeder as reputable breeders make you sign an agrement to return the dog if for some reason you can't keep it any longer. That's makes her at a much higher risk for inherited health conditions.

 

[020202]

I've found that Izzy won't eat her dry kibble as a meal, but she will snack on it now and then. I found that what works best for us is if twice a day I wet about 1/4 cup of dry kibble with very hot water, let it sit a minute or two and then give it to Izzy. She will gulp down the warm wet kibble as if it's NOT the exact same thing that she can eat 24/7. After she is done eating, I remove that plate until the next "feeding". You could try adding some NutriCal to the wet food also to encourage her to start eating that.

 

[Holliberry]

Molly- How old is your girl? Has the vet done blood work? I will tell you my story, not to scare you, but to make sure you know that you need to get her checked if she is not eating.
Around the fall of 2003 Holli was diagnosed with dry eye and put on cyclosporin eye drops for her tear production. Previous, she had been on antibiotic after antibiotic for red eyes and then I finally took her to an eye specialist.

In may I noticed she seemed to be a little thin. She was free fed dry food all of her life, she was 13 years at the time. I was going on vacation so took her right to the vet, who did bloodwork and assured me that she was fine- but that she was older now and getting picky most likely. He said to cook for her chicken and rice. Well, being that the bloodwork was fine, I assumed things couldnt be bad, and followed his advice. For the next 3 months or so I"d call him and say she was getting to where she wouldnt eat the chicken, but she loved peanut butter, and he would say that anything she eats is fine as long as she eats something.

Then she started throwing up yellow bile. He said that it could be due to the cyclosporin eye drops (which the eye doctors office said was unlikely). So as a test, I took her off the drops and no more vomitting. Her appetite did not improve.

Finally, I noticed her hair on my clothes. It had started falling out and I knew it was due to malnutrition. I took her to a new vet for a second opinion who right away did an xray and noticed a mass where her tummy would be. We scheduled a sonogram for the next day and it was determined she had a cancer, type = lymphosarcoma in the layer between lining and outside of her stomach.

I was devistated of course! I cry thinking about it. I will never let an episode of not eating get that carried away. Holli would eat something "new" for a few times and we would have to move on to something else. It was as if "if the food is excellent, I'll force it in my sore tummy, but if its not that great, I'd rather pass".

They gave her 1-2 months, but she lived 4. Not the best last few weeks that is for sure, but I always wonder what would have happened had we caught it sooner. Maybe nothing, but maybe I would have done more for her- or something...

Hopefully your baby is just picky, or just tired of her food. If you have to cook for her, I would let the thought that she might not go back to hard food be the least of my worries. Dont let her lack nutrition, because had my Holli been healthier to start, we might have had more time

Good luck! I hope everything works out ok and that none of my rambling was necessary.

janet and phoebe

 

[Laceys mom]

I feel very lucky that Lacey seems to be a good little eater, but once in a while she will get a little picky about her food. Lacey loves the Natural Balance roll a rounds. They are a treat that are about the size of a half dollar and are hard and crunchy. I find them at Petco. What I will do is smash one up and mix it with her dry kibble. Lacey will eat all of her food. I think I could get Lacey to walk across the country by holding one in front of her and have her follow it. Does you little one like Cheerios? You could also try mixing with her dry kibble.

 

[Ladysmom]

Janet, thank you for sharing your story of your beloved Holly. It made me think of this poem:

A Glimpse of the Rainbow Bridge

Author unknown

Was it today; yesterday; a week; a month ago?
There are no days; there are no nights since my furchild died.
I reach to pet my furry friend who is no longer here.
My heart is broken; my arms are empty; how many tears I've cried.

I leave the house, into the lane we always walked together.
The rain is falling. I notice not. Just more tears on my face.
She used to lead me down the lane. Her spirit leads me still.
But we go a different way to a very strange and different place.

I stand before a rustic bridge I've never seen before.
I stop. I know I'm not to cross. But why, I want to know?
And then the rain suddenly stops. I look up into the clouds.
I look down. The bridge is gone and in its place is a rainbow.

I look across the Rainbow Bridge and see a joyful sight;
Thousands of healthy furchildren playing with my beloved pet.
I want to run and love her, but I'm rooted to the spot.
She looks and wags her tail and I hear her bark, "Not yet."

And then her bark turns to a voice and I hear her say,
"You cared for me, you played with me and loved me to the end.
I'm healthy now, don't cry for me. I'll meet you here again.
Others need your love and care. I'm sending you a friend."

I rub my eyes and the rainbow is again a rustic bridge.
I send a prayer for that quick glimpse to the loving God above.
I hear a noise and glance back down. I can't believe my eyes.
Across the bridge, my darling pet sent a furbaby for me to love.

I pick up the furry bundle, hold her close to my dampened cheek.
she nuzzles my neck, kisses my tears. It's true love at first sight.
Not to replace the one who's gone; another who needs my love and care.
My eyes are drawn upward to see a Rainbow Bridge in radiating light.

 

[mollyinmo]

Yes I adopted her and know nothing of her background or her true age. The vet estimated that she was between 1 and 2 yrs old. The last time she was at the vet she weighed 5.5lbs. And she hasn't lost any weight that I can tell.
The vet hasn't said anything yet about bloodwork but I will ask.

I'm just not sure at this point if its lack of appetite because she grabs anything the we happen to drop on the floor and will eat treats but not always her food.
This is the 5th food since we got her in October because before I kept thinking she didn't like the taste, but I don't know...

I think I will try to soften it with hot water or broth and see what happens.

Thanks.

 

[CandicePK]

When Chloe was younger I was so afraid that her eating would be a problem, that I tried different approaches. She was fine free feeding through-out the day into evening, but getting her to start eating in the morning was a problem. Some days she'd wait so long (or rather fuss and spit the food out) that she'd throw-up bile.

I started giving her wet food in the morning for a while and that took care of the problem. Then I worried that she'd always want wet food in the mornings. I stressed about her teeth - yadda yadda.

My husband told me to mix the dry with the wet. I did and she would lick the kibble clean of the wet food and spit it out. So I decided to just let her have the wet food.

One day (several weeks ago) - she turned her nose up at the wet food and went over to her bowl of dry kibble and ate. She hasn't wanted the wet food since, and she's *all* about the dry kibble now.

My point in this long story is since she's new in your home - I wouldn't worry *what* exactly she's eating as long as she's eating something. Chances are she'll work it all out herself. They are crafty little bits these babies.

 

[k/c mom]

Kallie was a fussy eater actually until I got the Newman's. But before then she'd eat only about every other day, which the vet said was fine. Someone recommended sprinkling a little freeze- dried chicken or fish (avaiable at pet boutiques, etc.) on the food and that helped when she was in the not eating mode. Both Kallie and Catcher are nuts for the freeze-dried fish. I know how you feel .... worrying that you'll be creating a bad habit if you mix something "good" in with her food but you can always wean her off of the additions at some point......

 

[alwaysbj]

my elmo only eats dry cat food it is available for him and the cat 24/7.i also cook him chicken and have always done this,also what i have for dinner he has some of that too,a while back he would not eat and went of his chicken,it lasted a couple of weeks,he still ate what i ate for dinner though,then he just started eating again..........weird.maybe you should cook your baby some food and see how you go........all the best.......nat and elmo.

 

[doctorcathy]

that was the problem that we had with sprite and ellie. especially ellie. even now, on home cooked food, she might not eat. so i force feed her baby food. lol. it gets her a little hungry to finally eat. and they havent thrown up since i started them on the people food.

 

[Ladysmom]

Originally posted by alwaysbj@Mar 15 2005, 06:33 PM
my elmo only eats dry cat food it is available for him and the cat 24/7.i also cook him chicken and have always done this,also what i have for dinner he has some of that too,a while back he would not eat and went of his chicken,it lasted a couple of weeks,he still ate what i ate for dinner though,then he just started eating again..........weird.maybe you should cook your baby some food and see how you go........all the best.......nat and elmo.
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[/QUOTE]

You shouldn't feed Elmo cat food. It is way too high in protein for dogs and can damage their kidneys if fed regularly.

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

Originally posted by LadysMom+Mar 16 2005, 08:07 AM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-alwaysbj

@Mar 15 2005, 06:33 PM
my elmo only eats dry cat food it is available for him and the cat 24/7.i also cook him chicken and have always done this,also what i have for dinner he has some of that too,a while back he would not eat and went of his chicken,it lasted a couple of weeks,he still ate what i ate for dinner though,then he just started eating again..........weird.maybe you should cook your baby some food and see how you go........all the best.......nat and elmo.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=43637

You shouldn't feed Elmo cat food. It is way too high in protein for dogs and can damage their kidneys if fed regularly.
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[/B][/QUOTE]


My vet said the same thing. He said it was important to put the cat food away from Brinkley, but not such a big deal if the cats nibbled his food-which they don't. Try the same brand, but the dog food and see if he will eat it.

 

[Ladysmom]

Cat food is on the list of foods not to feed to dogs here:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cl...&articleid=1030

 

[Chelsey]

When we first got chester he would not eat . We changed his food twice. Now he is on Royal Cain. It the only food he will eat, beside people food. At first we noticed he would play all day and not eat unil we were ready for bed. Then my husband noticed that he would eat if you satter his food on the floor. He would not eat it from the bowl.
So my husband would satter some on the floor right in front of his bowl and eventually he started eating from the bowl. What we also had to to was put chester in his crate with his food and water untill he was done eating. We still noticed that somtime there is still food left in his bowl but again he will eat it very late. so we just leave it in his crate were he has time to finish.

Maybe try scatter in her food on the floor and see if she wil eat it.
Also do you think maybe she has problems with her teath and the dry food might be to hard for her. what if you dry mixing the dry food with some wet food or a little cottage cheese.

 

[Ladysmom]

Along the same line as scattering the food on the floor, have you tried putting the kibble in a treat dispensing toy like a Buster Cube or Busy Buddy Twist and Treat?

Dogs have a natural instinct to hunt and catch prey (I read that in the Culture Clash) and those types of toys satisfy that need.

 

[mollyinmo]

Well she did finally eat about half of the food in her bowl (meaning about 1/8 c) after I poured some warm chicken broth over it.

I do leave the food out all day, I put 1/4 c in her bowl in the morning and if she eats that I add 1/4 c at dinner time. On occasion, like maybe 5 times she's eaten it all, but 1/4 c is more common.

The treat toy is a great idea. Can I find them at Petsmart?

 

[a2z]

Give your new baby nutro-stat or nutro-cal, which I guarantee she will eat. That will put something in her tummy that will stop the throwing up of bile.
If she won't eat that, take her to the dr. She might have an infection.
Speaking from experience with my girl,
Ann

 

[Ladysmom]

Originally posted by MollyinMO@Mar 16 2005, 11:18 AM
Well she did finally eat about half of the food in her bowl (meaning about 1/8 c) after I poured some warm chicken broth over it.

I do leave the food out all day, I put 1/4 c in her bowl in the morning and if she eats that I add 1/4 c at dinner time.  On occasion, like maybe 5 times she's eaten it all, but 1/4 c is more common.

The treat toy is a great idea.  Can I find them at Petsmart?
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[/QUOTE]

I think you can find a Buster Cube at Petsmart or any pet store. Their website has a store locator:

http://www.bustercube.com/

I got Lady's Busy Buddy Twist and Treat at our local pet boutique. I have also seen them in pet stores:

http://www.busybuddytoys.com/category.cfm?Category=1