MY DOG IS NOT EATING.. ive taken her 2 the vet. and they cannot find anything wrong.

Hi

can someone please help me my dog (staffy x Boxer) whos 6-7 years old is not eating her dog food and hardly eats any other food.she usually loves her food and will eat almost anything. shes lost weight and is starting to get skinny. ive taken her to the vet a couple of days ago but they cant find anything wrong with her. i live in australia so its really hot and shes been drinking around 8 cups of water per day. shes really offish shes usually very playful and runs around alot these days she only gets up when she hears something. she never wants 2 play ( she usually always wants to) and hardly wants to exercise which is her highlight of the day. she been sad almost depressed? though there has been nothing to happen to make this happen to her? theres only 1 thing i can think of which is the week she got out of the yard and ran over the road a cple of houses down to a house with a pitbull ( which is friendly)and the gates are always open for the dog to roam freely and has approached me and my dog while walking many times and they have never fought though the pitbull is protective of her yard and family im nt sure whether they fought as i couldnt see only heard growling and my dog came running out..she was vaccinated the other day at the vet she is also wormed.i give her plenty of attention which usually she loves 2 soak up but now she acts different and hardly wants any attention. she also usually follows me when i get up, now she doesnt and hardly realises what i do shes usually lyk a shadow to me. i love her so much i would hate for anything to happen to her.please help me... write back as soon as possible. thanks. Louise

[suzi-q]

When you brought your dog to the vet did they do blood work?  I am asking to see how her kidney function is.  Sometimes these symptoms (though NOT painful) can be kidney problems.  There are treatments to help this condition.  Please make sure the vet did blood work and then take it from there.  I hope your dog is feeling better very soon.

[Jaybay]

Until you can find a diagnosis, have you tried offering foods other than her regular diet?  Dogs are really smart in this area.  It's as if they know when they can't tolerate certain things.  You might try really bland foods like plain white rice, oatmeal, yogurt, chicken broth (low sodium) to tempt her appetite.  Slowly add in some boiled chicken and see how she does.  It's good that she's drinking, but if she's drinking more than usual, suzi is right that it may indicate a kidney problem.  

If you aren't getting any results from one vet, you'll need to see another.  Also, sometimes problems can take a while to show up with lab work.  Since she's not getting better, it would be a good idea to rerun some blood and urine tests.

[utahmomma]

My dachshund (rest his soul) started having problems like this too and we found out he was severly, uncontrollably diabetic.  I'm with Jaybay - get a second opinion and make sure they check liver function, glucose, kidneys, and run an x-ray.


God bless

[xxgawjuzuxx]

Thank you every 1 for trying to help me. when i took her to the vet they done a blood test for a couple of things but not all, vaccinated her, and checked up on a couple of other things. the other blood test is really costly. im only 14 and my mum and my sisters friend paid for her check up and vaccination my whole family is worried about her. shes the best dog ive had and my best friend she looks after me and my family and i would never want anythign to happen to her.shes very fussy with her foods she doesnt really like plain food.. does any one have any good ideas of what might not be plain but shell eat? ive been giving her meats cause theyre the only thing she would eat.. i went to give her some this morning and she wouldnt eat it which is unlike her. could she be diabetic though shes 7 years old?? like are dogs born with it or can they become diatbetic like people? thanks.

[utahmomma]

I'm sorry you are going through all of this.  Yes, dogs can be diabetic even when they are only 7 years old.  Dogs get Type I diabetes and Type II diabetes.  Smell her breath and see if it smells like fingernail polish remover (or like a strong paint remover).    Diabetes is a very easy test for the vet - just a little blood and a glucose meter.  Call the vet and ask how much it would cost to check your dog's glucose levels.   Your dog is doing exactly what mine did - even refused cooked chicken or hamburger.

Here are some diets (my vet said they work for all dogs but check with your vet)
http://www.caninediabetes.org/queenie.html
http://www.caninediabetes.org/
http://www.petdiabetes.org/home_cooking.htm

You can also buy a urine test for ketones and glucose from your local pharmacy.  When your dog urinates you just hold the stick in her urine stream then check the results against the guide on the bottle.

Good luck Louise.  I'm sorry your dog is sick.

[Veenz09]

Hi,
I just lost my pet and i had been going thru the same since past 2 weeks please take her to the vet and get all her tests done my vet dint take the blood tests earlier and later when monty started giving up my vet decided for a blood and liver tests and it was diagnosed that he had jaundice but it was too late for him to recover... please take her for blood tests immediately and start the medications accordingly, please dont delay this and ask for a blood test ASAP, tell me in which way can i help you i am in India can i be of any help. All the best

[suzi-q]

I am sorry for your loss.  I lost my dog 11 days ago and it so very hard.  They are our best friends.  May you find peace.

[xxgawjuzuxx]

thankyou everyone =] im happy to say shes eating atleast a bit i gave her steak and kidney raw meat and shes eaten 3-4 half bowl servings of it in the past 2 days.. when ive encouraged her ive been with her when shes eaten  and had to sit there and point to her food but im glad shes eating i know it doesnt mean shes better but im still glad she is eating a little bit again. she hasnt been as affectionate lately though she usually wants to jump all over me and has heaps of energy - she hasnt at the moment sometimes she doesnt want to sit with me. and shes usually like a shadow to me as soon as i get up she will notice and follow.. shes not doing that as much either.. and she usually tries to lick but she hasnt. with he rbreathe i dont think it smells like nail polish remover or anything she just a little bad breath. but theres no infection or anything the vet checked her teeth. im meant to be going away for 6 days on sunday just me not my family but i doubt i will unless she starts feeling better by then. thanks everyone heaps.

[suzi-q]

Hang in there.  I am glad that she is starting to eat.  That is a good sign.  I would still, however, have the vet recheck her kidney and liver enzymes one more time.  Maybe she just had a bug or something.  Hopefully she will be jumping an licking you again real soon!

[Jaybay]

You definitely need to get labs to check on various organ function.  You don't want to give certain foods in certain situations.  For instance, if it's a pancreas problem, fats need to be greatly decreased.  If it's kidneys, it's more the opposite: higher fats and carbs, and no organ meats, dark meat poultry, etc.  Is there any adult who can help you get back to the vet?

[xxgawjuzuxx]

thanks i have her sleeping next to me at the moment =] im not sure when she'll get to go back to the vet.. if it gets any worse i think my nan will take her to the vet. weve spoken to neighbours and that and they've all said that the vet we went to isnt a good 1..we didnt really know what vets were good where i live coz we just moved here now we know.. thanks heaps =]  

[xxgawjuzuxx]

2 day.. my sisters friends were sitting out the back and Jamie ( my dog) ran dwn the back of the yard and started barking and fighting with something turns out it was a red belly black snake. she was winning and had it in her mouth and was shaking it =] luckily she didnt get biten or hurt. when i called her off she came but really wanted 2 go after it.. this snake was 1.5 - 2m long my dogs around 19kg and staffys height =] im proud of here. my baby sister usually plays out the back right where the snake was but today she was at skool luckily im glad jamie alerted us n let us know there was a snake there. i love her so much shes the best dog i could ever have. =]

[utahmomma]

I'm glad that she is feeling better and the snake didn't hurt her.  It's wonderful how she is protecting you and your family.  She sounds wonderful.

[xxgawjuzuxx]

thankyou i thought she was feeling better but she seems to have gotten worse now we took her 2 the vet today and found out she has severe kidney failure and we apparently cant do anything about it im so upset but im trying not to let her see coz i dnt want her to get sad coz i am in her last few days. we have 2 put her to sleep in the next couple of days so she doesnt go through anymore pain. shes my best friend the best dog u can get im going to miss her and dont know what im going to do without her.

[suzi-q]

I am sooooooo very sorry to hear this.  I was hoping your pooch was feeling better.  You will make it through.  I truly believed that I wasn't going to be able to do it, but for some reason, we remain strong for our "baby" and God gets us through.  I wish you strength and peace at this very difficult time

[xxgawjuzuxx]

Thankyou everyone for writing back to my post but on the 11th we had to put her to sleep i didnt want it to happen but i didnt want her to go through pain either. she usually doesnt mind going to the vet but that day she wanted to go straight back out and wouldnt go into the vets room. i feel so awful cause she came to me before the vet had to put her to sleep as if to protect her but i didnt..she cuddled into my arm hiding and cuddling me.. she went to sleep so quickly and i saw the colour fade her eyes i just kept telling her i love her and i was sorry. she was such a beautiful dog the best dog and best friend ive ever had. its so strange without her here i usually say goodnight and i love her every night and tuck her in and i keep thinking i see her outside but i know shes not. no dog can ever replace her i feel like im missing a huge part of me. i love her so much rest in peace jamie jame.

[utahmomma]

I am so very, very sorry that you had to put her to sleep.  I know how hard this is and I'm grieving for you.

Give it a little time then look for another dog to give your love to.  No one can ever replace her in your heart but there are so many dogs out there that need the love that you and your family gave to her.