What can I feed my 10 year old beagle??

[bke64]

     My 10 year old Beagle has been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, she is now on her second day of not eating and I have tried her favorites like crumbled up bacon, mashed cooked chicken and she won't touch it.  She drinks only a small amount of water one time a day and is extremely lethargic.  I took her to the vet and he basically said that there was nothing else he could do for her.  Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I could cook or buy that she might eat?  She has been a part of my life since she was 6 weeks old and it's very difficult to watch her slip away.  How long can she go without eating??  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[chasha33]

I just dont understand how some people can make comments like"They are just a dog".When i lost my little girl Peke 9 months ago i would have people tell me to move on and go get another dog to replace her.You cannot replace your kids,I would get so mad to think that people could be so shallow to make a comment like that.For someone to come to your house and do something like to your baby is just sick.Just like skydnsr said above that is how Dalhmer started.It was good that you did press charges there is no telling what he could have done after that.I feel so sorry for you to have lost your little girl like that.I am sure that that was very hard for you.Well i hope that your baby is feelin better today.Take care.

[skydnsr]

Wow.  What a story.  I'm so sorry for the loss of Molly.  What a great dog, and what a terrible thing to happen to her.  

It doesn't surprise me that your neighbor's son is now in the penitentiary.  Cruelty to animals is a known predictor of the worst kind of adult criminal behavior.  That's how Jeffrey Dahmer started out.  I mean it, he really did, and so did some of the other serial killers.

Good on you for pressing charges.  And I'm glad the law took it seriously, instead of just giving him a ticket or whatever.  For a juvenile to be locked up from age 15 to 18 is pretty heavy punishment, as these things go.  I know it doesn't make up for what he did to Molly.  There's no way to even that one out.  

[bke64]

I completely agree.  About 10 years ago I was working in a hospital and had worked there for close to 10 years, I had a Beagle named Molly who was 8 years old, I bought her when she was 6 weeks old and she was my baby.  Molly went almost everywhere with me because she loved riding in cars and I loved having her with me. I have a fenced in back yard and that's where she stayed until I got home.  One day I got home from work and didn't see her, I went into the back yard and found her dead.  A neighbor's son who was constantly in trouble with the law had gone into my yard and stabbed her to death.  
I was so distraught over what happened that I called in sick for the rest of the week.  When I returned back to work, I was told by several people that I took her death too hard and that she was just a dog.  
I truly wish that everybody thought about their pets as you and I do, they aren't just dogs, but a member of the family whom you love and take care of like a son or a daughter.  
Oh, by the way, I called the police on my neighbors son who was 15 years old at the time.  I pressed charges for trespassing and animal cruelty.  He was sent to juvenile hall and stayed there until he turned 18.  He is now in prison for armed robbery and possession of drugs.  What comes around goes around!!!  Take Care.
            
                                                                               bke64

[chasha33]

I hope that you and your baby are having a good day.I just wanted to check and how you two are doing.
                                                                                                                              God bless and take care

[skydnsr]

I would hope that no one would be judged for his or her approach to the care of a dying pet -- not the person who wants heroic measures, and not the person who declines them.

[chasha33]

The Nutri-cal should help her as far as keeping some calories in her and keeping her bloodsugar up.I kept my Bernie comfortable for 6 months until he decided to let go.I had told him that i was expecting and that he was going to be a big brother and then a few days later he let go.I believe that he was holding on to make sure that i was going to be ok.I would hold him in my arms and tell him how much his mommy loved him and if he needed to let go that it would be and that i would understand.But he held on all that time for me.I loved my little boy with all my heart and i have no regrets in all i did for him and i wouldnt change a thing.I have the peace of mind that i fought for him as much as he fought to stay with me.So many people can be so judgemental of how we care for our furbabies,But they are are kids and when you really love someone you will do everything you can to take care of them.I hope that tomorrow she will eat a little more and each day after that.By the way,What is her name? May God Bless You Both.Take care,Chan

[skydnsr]

Bless you, too.

[bke64]

You don't know how much I appreciate your kind words, it's very comforting to know that there are people who don't just look at their pet as being just a dog or cat , but rather a huge part of your life that you have devoted your time and love into.  I went out and purchased Nutrical as suggested by skydnsr and she really seem to like it.  Last night I cooked her some rice in chicken broth and she ate about 2 tablespoons full, which is not much, but at least she did eat something and I feel better about that.  I'm going to continue hand feeding her and try to keep her as comfortable as possible until GOD is ready for her.
Thank you for being so kind hearted and caring.  God Bless YOU!!!

[skydnsr]

I forgot about Nutrical.  Sometimes the Nutrical will perk them up enough so they will eat something else.  You can squeeze a little blob of Nutrical on your finger and then put the stuff directly in the dog's mouth.  It has a base of corn syrup, so once you do that a few times and it soaks in, they get a little bit of a sugar high, and then sometimes they are hungry for a short time.  At that point, you can retry the peanut butter and the chicken and rice and all that stuff.  If you can't find Nutrical on short notice, you can try doing the same thing with Karo syrup.  

But they do get to a point eventually where they are just ready to go on, and there is nothing more you can do.  It's hard to know when that point is.  If the second-opinion vet tells you the same thing as the first vet did, then maybe it really is time to let go.  Or if the Nutrical/Karo thing doesn't work, and she really, really just won't eat anything.  

It's hard.  I know, ten years seems like nothing.  Wouldn't it be great if they could stay with us through our whole lives.

[bke64]

Thank you so much for your answers regarding my Beagle.  I will try everything you suggested and I am praying she will eat something.  I have no children so my Beagle and my Basset Hound are my "children".  Seeing my "child" sick and not eating is heart wrenching but I do know that when it's her time to pass on, she knew she was loved.  When the time is right, I will adopt another 'child" and show nothing but love.  

[chasha33]

You could try some chicken broth and rice.Usually they will eat that when they really dont feel like eating.Also you could try and see if maybe she would eat a little peanut butter.A few days without food isnt as bad as going without water.You could use a paste called Nutri-cal and it has alot calories and they really like the taste of it.Also it might help perk her up.Your vet might carry it if not then Petco and other petstores do.You will be in my prayers.May God Bless the Both of you.Take care

[skydnsr]

Maybe get a second opinion and see if diuretics and/or heart medication can keep her going for a while.  CHF is usually associated with a lot of fluid build-up, so if you can get rid of some of the excess fluid, maybe she will feel like eating again.  You probably don't have a lot of time left to try that approach.  I'm so sorry.