Food suggestions ... Older dog with no appetite | Sad Update #31

[Simkie]

@Kodidog763

He is drinking normally, and eating a little, just not consistently. What he eats in the morning, he won’t touch in the afternoon, but would eat something else.

Often what’s happening is the dog eats, feel pukey. Associates pukey feeling with that type of food. Maybe won’t eat at all for a little bit, then gets hungry enough to try, but won’t eat the food from the last meal. Tries something new, feels pukey. Now refuses that food.

The solution isn’t to just keep offering, it’s to treat the nausea. Unremitting nausea is a quality of life issue, IMO, and worth a call to the vet for some Cerenia. I’d also request Zofran, because I’ve found they work well together. Cerenia also works well to treat visceral pain, which it sounds like you may have here.

Good luck–I hope you’re able to get him on some meds today and that he starts feeling better soon.

[Amelia]

I’m so sorry. I know how hard this is after just going through it with my late golden this past Fall.

Feed him whatever he’ll eat. Canned Cat food is sometimes more appetizing than dog. Jarred baby food. Cooked ground turkey with sweet potatoes. Hot dogs. The rolled ‘fresh’ food. Anything he’ll eat is fair game.

I have even lowered my “dog food standards” for my almost 16 year old JRT mix just to get her to eat regularly. Do what you have to do.

Prayers for you both.

[Simkie]

How’s your pup doing, Kodi? Better, I hope?

[Kodidog763]

Sorry - I’ve been in Boston for a work thing. DH kept calling the clinic and was able to bring him in today. The did give him some anti-nausea meds and an appetite inducer. More tests - we’ll hopefully know what we are dealing with tomorrow.

[Kodidog763]

I’m feeling a little frustrated with the vets around here. The primary vet for this dog isn’t our “regular” vet. The dog technically belongs to someone else,but has lived with us for the past 6/7 years, so we continued to bring him to the vet who has seen him his whole life. I was frustrated that they couldn’t give us any answers, and didn’t assist us in getting an appointment much quicker with the clinics they referred us to. I’m frustrated that there are apparently so few clinics around here that can do advanced diagnostics & treatment when cancer is suspected. I’m frustrated that one of the clinics was the U of M, which we didn’t have a great experience with for our last elderly dog that we lost in February. I’m frustrated that the other clinic had to be hounded repeatedly before moving up our appointment. I’m frustrated that the vet indicated he suspected liver issues and then proceeded to give our dog a shot of Cerenia and prescribed Cerneia pills when apparently this medication is cautioned against dogs with liver issues and can decrease appetite. I’m frustrated that we’ve spent $3000 and the vets have yet to do ANYTHING to help him.

I’m sorry, but I really needed to vent. It has been a terrible month, honestly it’s been a terrible year, for a variety of reasons, and this has felt like the last straw.

[Kodidog763]

We spoke to the vet yesterday, and they hadn’t received the results yet. We indicated he was getting worse, and they prescribed prednisone. He did start eating Milk Bone biscuits yesterday (that’s it, won’t eat anything else). He seems better today which I’m sure is from the prednisone and eating a little bit.

The vet called this morning and once again the lab results are inconclusive. The vet indicated they can send the sample out to another lab for more testing. They think we are looking at lymphoma, but the latest testing doesn’t tell them one way or the other. They are supposed to be emailing us additional information later today.

It doesn’t seem like it should be this hard to find out what is wrong, how far along it is, and whether treating it makes sense or if we should just be looking at making him as comfortable as possible.

[horsenut_8700]

That really sucks I’ve never heard of Cerenia causing appetite suppression- it’s an anti nausea drug? We generally use it in terminally ill patients to keep them eating.

[Kodidog763]

@horsenut_8700 it is one of the side effects listed. Probably not super common, but I was so over-the-edge frustrated with the whole situation, it really jumped out at me when I was reading the drug info. I am more rational today, still frustrated, but not as batcrap crazy as I was yesterday morning.

[Simkie]

I’m so sorry, kodi

I did have a great vet in Rochester…would that be too far? I had a really negative experience at U of M, too.

[TheHotSensitiveType]

I too want to say how sorry I am.

With how many diagnostics you have done, I would be extremely pissed that you have not gotten any answers. If despite your best efforts he keeps not eating, like others mentioned this is getting in the quality of life discussions.

With the last dog we lost a couple months ago, I knew something was very wrong when he didn’t come upstairs for dinner. I took his dinner to him, and he ate so I didn’t think it was emergency vet worthy as it was a weekend. I got him into the vet on Monday, and my worst fears were confirmed fairly easily, probable Hemangiosarcoma based on ultrasound and blood tests. About a week later, I made the call as he was eating less and less (always a clean the bowl and keep licking kind of guy), and we had him put down. It was so sudden… and shocking how fast that cancer moves. I know I made the right call… but I still tear up about it… I miss him so much.

[Kodidog763]

I am very sad to say, that he has continued to decline. We are saying goodbye to him this afternoon.

This one really hurts as it was so unexpected. Nick was outside with the zoomies, not that long ago. He would zoom around the yard and then end up twirling in circles. 90% of the time he was a very serious dog, but when he got the zoomies he went all in.

I am an absolute wreck today. I wasn’t over losing Ema, and was just not prepared for this.

[S1969]

I’m so sorry. I know this is not how you would have wanted it to end, no matter what the final results. I’m sorry for your frustration with the vets as well. That makes it all the more difficult.

Big hugs to you and your family.

[TheHotSensitiveType]

I am so sorry and hugs to you and your family. It is never easy even when it is the right call.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

I’m so sorry. Jingles to you. Sometimes we just never get the answers, and all we can do is the right thing.

[Marla_100]

Very sorry for you. You tried your best. RIP good friend.

[khall]

I’m so sorry! Hugs to you and your family. Godspeed Nick.

[WB_Mom]

No regrets! You did what you could, but it sounds like it was just the time. Always hard, but the last best gift we can give. HUGS!

[Rackonteur]

WB Mom said it well. I am so sorry, Kodidog. Jingles to you and your DH, and prayers that the rest of this year will be much better.

[LauraKY]

I’m so very sorry for your loss.

[Bells]

I am so sorry.