Make bland Rx dogfood tastier without meat?

[Lusoluv]

My 5 yr old dog has been on hydrolyzed protein prescription kibble about 3 years. She will have explosive diarrhea if fed any “normal” meat based protein. She used to eat it happily, but has started turning up her nose. Can’t say as I blame her. In the past year, I have tried 2 other big name prescription brands, but she soon turns up her nose. I have added to her kibble at various times:
-carrots, apples, green beans, pumpkin puree
-hydrolyzed “gravy” topper
-coconut oil, olive oil
-dehydrated peanut butter

Currently the only safe thing that’ll get her to eat is a teaspoon of pesto (basil/olive oil). But if history repeats, this will last a month or so. I have tried waiting her out. She gets fed 7am & 7pm. If she doesn’t eat all of her breakfast, I pick it up and offer it at dinner time. This often works, but sometimes not. I know she won’t starve herself, but I do feel bad if she goes almost 24 hrs eating half a cup of food. She’s a 31 lb active breed. Am I contributing to her fussiness by offering her any options? Should I bite the bullet and only offer her the kibble and then put it away when rejected until she accepts that this is all she’s getting?

[Simkie]

I’d view this as a medical issue rather than pickiness. Using oil to entice may have created or contributed to a low grade or chronic pancreatitis, which can absolutely make them feel like not eating.

Gastric ulcers are also often far more frequent than we really recognize. Treating them is cheap and easy with famotidine or omeprazole.

But first, I’d see the vet to rule out pancreatitis, which may require an ultrasound. (And I’d stop feeding oil based products until then.)

[Lusoluv]

The pickiness started before I gave her any oil. Also, coconut oil or EVOO is highly recommended for dogs with dry or itchy skin, which she gets on occasion. She’s fed about 1 teaspoon. Veggies and pumpkin were fed first, and she still like them. But instead of getting her to eat all her food, she picks out the veg and leaves the kibble. All the “enhancements” tried are vet suggested.

And she wants to eat! She tries to get into the cat’s food and will beg and whine from my husband. She just doesn’t want to eat her food.

[Simkie]

@Lusoluv

And she wants to eat! She tries to get into the cat’s food and will beg and whine from my husband. She just doesn’t want to eat her food.

Yeah, this is typical aversion. They feel bad, but are hungry. They eat, and feel worse, and associate the food with the feeling. So they stop eating. You add something interesting, they start up again because it’s different (and they’re hungry!) only to have the cycle repeat. Hunger and nausea or hunger and abdominal pain aren’t mutually exclusive.

I’d work up a possible pancreatitis and then treat for ulcers if negative. It’s a pretty easy rule out on a huge quality of life issue.

[Lusoluv]

OK, that really makes sense. Thanks for this information!

[Ericthegreat]

Vegetable broth?

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I agree with getting her checked out to see if eating is uncomfortable, but if it’s the food, what about sprinkling Parmesan cheese on it?

Refrigerating the kibble might reduce the smell.

[S1969]

I’d definitely have it checked out, and I might actually go down the path of a homemade diet (with vet/nutrition advice) for a dog like this. It’s hard to believe a dog would be intolerant of all proteins, and at only 5 this sounds like a long life of misery for you both.

I have a local specialty vet clinic that only practices alternative therapies and that includes nutrition consultations. Can you find anything like that in your area?

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Did you try Science Diet I/D? During the end of her life, my dog was having serious, er, runs and vomiting, and that’s pretty much all she ate for the last two years of her life. But it worked like a charm, and it’s pretty tasty (it does have meat). Is it a meat allergy your dog has?

[Lusoluv]

Yes, my girl has meat protein allergies, so she is on Purina ProPlan Hydrolyzed prescription kibble. It’s a VERY low fat diet with hydrolyzed protein. Royal Canin, Hills Science Diet and a couple other brands have this type of product as well. I’m treating her for ulcers as @Simkie suggested as it seems like a likely culprit and easy to treat. A friend of mine adopted a Lab/Pit mix a couple years ago and she also became protein intolerant at 2 years of age. This seems to be the common age for this to crop up.

Anyways, thanks for all the helpful suggestions. This gives me a place to start!

[FromTheGalaxy]

My pup is also on an HP diet (Royal Canin) due to protein allergies that cause IBD. She also turns up her nose often, usually in the AM. Here are some of the things I’ve tried to incrase her appetite/get her to eat:

1. Add water to the kibble.
2. Add the canned version of the HP food
3. Give 1/2 pill of human omeprazole (generic Prilosec)
4. Add plain greek yogurt
5. Peak her interest with meat free treats. I give her one or two treats with her meds in the morning and then throw an extra on top of her food. We like Fruitables.
6. I haven’t tried this, but one person on Tiktok said they use applesauce on the kibble.

[Lusoluv]

I’ve started a 2 week course of famotidine (10mg am & pm) based on my dog’s weight. I wanted to do once a day Omeprazole, but you can’t get 10mg Omeprazole OTC, only 20mg. I read that splitting a 20mg tablet damages the enteric coating and this its effectiveness. @FromTheGalaxy, do you feel it still worked properly??

[Simkie]

@Lusoluv

I’ve started a 2 week course of famotidine (10mg am & pm) based on my dog’s weight

This is my go to as well, although with how long this has been going on, I’d likely plan on 4 weeks, and then a taper. I’ve had really good results in both canines and felines with famotidine, and it’s always my first step with inappetence, unless I’m concerned there’s something more serious going on.

I know you feel confident in adding various oil based things, but especially since your base feed is low in fat, and because you already have GI “issues,” I’d just be cautious. It’s amazing how sensitive some can be to fat, and a chronic low grade pancreatitis can be so unspecific and vague.

We found that sort of pancreatitis in one of my kitties upon necropsy, and I felt so bad for missing it. It can just be SO much like this.

ETA: yeah, don’t split omeprazole unless it’s labeled to be used that way. The enteric coating needs to be kept intact to get it past the stomach.

[FromTheGalaxy]

I wasn’t really treated ulcers with the omeprazole for my pup, just the occasional doggy heartburn. I do feel that she usually has her appetite back a few hours after getting a 1/2 pill, but it could also just be coincidence. She’s too small to give a full human size dose to, so I just do what I can

[Lusoluv]

Thanks @Simkie and @FromTheGalaxy.

OK, I’ll do a 4 week famotidine course and taper. I’ve done olive oil or coconut oil here and there, but I’ll eliminate it to get the best result. Hopefully if my girl’s appetite comes back full force I won’t need the oil to tempt her to anyway! Thanks again!!

[Angela_Freda]

Or bone broth, with no onion or garlic.
I find it in the organic aisle.
My tummy challenged cat was better on fish vs chicken, which I understand can be a common source of issues.

[GoodTimes]

Is she able to eat eggs? Or does egg protein trigger a similar response to meat protein?

[Irish_Ei_s]

Mine is a lazy eater.
Of course, he waits to lick my plate clean and then nibbles at his
But on day 3 he gobbles down his whole bowl.

My vet said at 23 lbs he should get 1 cup of kibble.
I do wet it down, and yes I do add some stuff occasionally. Some milk or cheese or breadcrumbs, oil I’ve cooked in.

He’s ridiculously healthy and bright so I quit stressing.I feed him about 6PM and because of my country rodents his bowl goes into the fridge overnight. The next night I top it off and wet it again.

[Lusoluv]

@Simkie, Well, it’s day 3 of the famotidine and no drops of EVOO on my dog’s kibble. This morning was the first day she ate her entire breakfast (kibble only) in at least 6+ months. Don’t know if it was mild ulcers or mild pancreatitis, but either way you called it! THANK YOU!!

[Simkie]

That is GREAT!!! I’m so glad she’s eating, hooray!!!