Water pills now he is not eating

[barbrex]

We took our 11 year old over a water filled sac on his neck and the vet listened to his heart and said he was in stage 3 CHF. Told us if he did well on meds that he could live out is natural life time. He was eating his dog food before we took him in that day and he showed no signs that his lungs were filling except a slight cough he had but we thought it was his allergies (now I am informed on pets with a cough and what that means). After his water pills he drinks and pees like no other but won't touch his dog food. He was happy and played and ate before that day. I call the Vet to get help on him not eating and the office lady said "he is in stage 3 (the sound of her voice was that he is not gonna live past a few weeks) but I will get Buddy in so a vet can sit and talk to with you." So I prepared myself that is what the Vet is going to tell me, nope, said the same as he did before and maybe if I had time to start cooking things he would eat. I even said if you tell me that he has 3 months, give or take, we are ready to hear that but if you say 6 months to a year then I want to be able to keep his weight on. He reassures me again that as long as the meds work and he listened to his lungs and he said were a lot clearer and he could make it thru this and end up dying of something else. So with that hope I went home researched diets to make that would be no salt ect. Found one that a Vet put on line and the ingredients called for also mixing vitamins and flax seed oil. So this is more a rant that I am going to do because there is no one that I know that I can talk to about our baby. Everyone is like "really it is just a dog", no one understands when your furry friend is going to be leaving soon. I go to the Vets office hoping they would have the stuff I need, I can only say, I would have got more help at walmart then I did these office ladies and so non caring that he has stopped eating since he was put on these pills. I came home made the recipe, minus the rest that I couldn't get, and our baby ate it up. I am not going to watch him die from malnutrition.If anyone reads this thank you. I just needed to get all this off my chest and move on.

[ginger899]

Yes Salmon and other oily fish is very good because of the Omega 3 oils, which are good for the heart. But a dog shouldn't have fish at every meal. Maybe about 2-3 times a week is okay.
Lean meat is also okay. Rabbit is actually good lean protein, but many butchers don't supply it any more, and buying it opens a can of worms about "farmed rabbits" (which is a very cruel business.)
In the old days wild rabbits used to be shot and passed away instantly. There used to be stores and small butcher's shops which sold them -and Pheasant. But not so any more! Venison (deer meat) is also good for dogs. All game meats should be stewed slowly to make sure they are tender.
They are very lean meats very good for dogs.

Otherwise, chicken breast is a good idea, or lean thigh meat. Lean Turkey meat is also okay. Just watch it for the fatty bits and skin etc, as that can be too fatty.
Vegetables are good, and carbs are OK as a proportion of the diet. Quinoa is also very good for dogs and contains good protein (though they shouldn't be fed this as a meat subsitute, as it is basically a seed.)
Quinoa is very nice. I like it!

Seafood like Prawns are fine. But again, not the major part of the diet, but an additon now and again. Many stores sell frozen Prawns in packs you can keep in the freezer. They thaw very quickly.

You can even include fruits like apple and blueberries. Dogs can happily eat fruit as an additional treat, and the vitamin C and fiber is good for the heart too. Apple seeds are toxic, but the fruit and peel is very good for dogs! They will also help with constipation issues.

[ginger899]

Well....I was glad to read your "rant", barbrex. Because a dog never is "just a dog" and anyone who says that has never loved a dog.

And not all vets and people who work in vets' offices are any good! It does sound like your vet has it right though, but I can imagine you don't get much help from the others. It was similar at my vet's place. One young junior vet was surprised when I couldn't get a big square-edged pill down my dog. It was hard and bitter and she kept spitting it out and I couldn't disguise it in food.
I asked if they had a liquid option for the medicine (a paracetamol pain killer) She suggested Calpol which is a childrens' painkiller which you can buy at any store. Okay, so I read the ingredients list....and would you guess? There were things in there which are definitely toxic for dogs! Not for children, but for dogs -yes!!

Our main vet (the head of the place) would not have suggested that. I trusted him. But that young girl did not know enough.

So I do know how uncaring some people in the vet's office can be. You have to watch out for them.

Anyway, I think it's great you made some home cooking which your dog loved. Yes you can keep him going and find some nice suitable food that he will like. There are some good recipes for home cooked dog meals. Adding a supplement (vitamin/mineral/Omega 3 etc) will be a good idea. I think nutritional supplements for dogs can be bought online. Have you tried looking for something like that on Amazon? It may just come in one pill, which you may be able to crush to add to his food...

Dogs do like fish also. Some people think they don't. But they do, and it is good for them too. It is also good for the heart. So maybe he might like something like salmon and broccoli with brown rice or potato?

No one can probably tell you how long he literaly has left. But so long as there is some good quality of life that's what counts.

And no, a dog is never just a dog. They are our dearest friends and family members and sometimes sole companions, and we love them very much!

[barbrex]

Thank you ginger899. I thought about going to petsmart today. It is about 40 miles from us to see if they have the vitamins. I will try the potatoes, brown rice and fish that you said.

I went to a web site called 2ndchance.info/homemadediets.htm. He started eating the hamburger and chicken breast and then became constipated because of the antibiotic the vet put him on Monday. That web site said pumpkin so I mixed it in with the chicken yesterday and last night he finally able to go. I have learned a lot in the last week from being on the internet and it is a shame that our baby suffered from us not knowing. We moved out in the country in Aug so we have well water with a softener, before we had a water purifier at the sink because we didn't want him or us to be drinking city. Stupid but I thought well water was better. What I am reading on line is to never give your pets well water with a softener. I think we caused his heart murmur. No vet has ever told us he had one till we took him in over that lump and got told he is in CHF.
I told my husband after Buddy leaves us if we ever get another pet I will change vets office. I like the vets there and got great care over the years but those girls should be working some where else.
Like you said good quality of life. I am preparing for that so when I see the changes that are going down hill and he is not recovering or to hard to breath. We never want him to suffer.
Thank you ginger899 for your response. We have felt all alone this week in our last journey with our best friend.