Sick, old dog.... doing better!!!

[True Grit]

My dog sitter taught me a trick. When my collie doesn't feel like taking his pills, which I wrap in Sara Lee's White Whole Wheat bread cuz it's nice and doughy, I just give the other dogs a piece of the bread. Romie sees that and then gulps the next piece which contains his pills, because Heaven forbid another dog should get what is rightfully his. So, if you let your 2 year old have a sniff or bite out of his dish perhaps it will make his dinner more desirable to Buford, which is what I used to call my little Bif, as a nickname. Best of luck.
Melodie

 

[Wolfwoman]

I won't suggest euthanasia, as you requested, because good dog owners know when that time comes.

I have, too many times.

Irresistible treats!?? Chicken LIVERS & GIZZARDS!! Feed em raw! SOOOOOOOOO good for em!!

TrueGrit is absolutely right! Feed your other dog at the same time! This is gonna make me

to type this, but I have to share and hope it helps.

Willow (see my sig line) had a heart condition and stopped eating. When he was having off days and wouldn't even eat his favorite things (gizzards) I would bring Lokie (his mama) and feed her bits of kibble while his food sat in front of him. I'd get her all hyped and excited and made her chase the kibble around the floor - Willow watched. After a couple minutes I would toss him some food and he would eat it. Sometimes feedings took over an hour to get the amount of food in him needed, but he lived 14 months more than the vets thought he would. Trick him into eating, labs are chow hounds, so it should work.

Best of luck.

 

[Lorije1]

Well Buford ate about a cup of chicken and rice last night and wanted more... but guess what? I was OUT and had nothing to make it with. So I cooked him 2 turkey burgers and squeezed the grease out of them - he ate both!! I am at my folks house making chicken and rice right now and I am hoping and praying he will eat again.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Sounds like he's on the mend!

 

[redhen]

Thats good that hes eating!

 

[boxermom]

My old boy Zeke went about 3 months on chicken and rice. I bought cheap meat from walmart and boiled up the chicken then used the broth to make the rice. He loved it. Especially since he never had "people food." He thought he was getting by with something.

I miss him, but he was happy until the end eating "people food".

 

[sourland]

Nutracal is a high caloric paste that comes in a paste form in a tube. I have had dogs that were in dire straits that would eat this. It is high caloric so a little bit goes a long ways. Hopefully he is doing better today.

 

[Mrs. Feathers]

Oh Lorije, my heart is going out to you and to your beautiful Buford. I am shedding tears over your situation as it sounds exactly what I went through with our dear Beau last month. Right down to the picking up and dropping kibble. Sadly he did not make it and I hope for you that your boy is able to pull through. It is truly a heart ache making gut wrenching decisions without being able to ask how they feel or what they want.
A few things I did learn going through those couple weeks....always go with what you think is right for your dog. You know him best and will make the right decisions with the advice you get from your vet and your gut feeling. I knew in my heart that our guy was really sick but we wanted to give him the opportunity for longer at life as he was still loving to walk around the yard with us and the week before getting sick he was swimming in the ocean and running around with our grandaughter. Well intending people may remind you that you have an old dog...you will know what is best and you and Buford will know when he has had enough. I hope he bounces back and you have more wonderful days with him.
Beau did okay with chicken and rice initially but I found with the nausea that i really needed to vary his food. I think he began to associate nausea with everything he ate....and we lab owners know when they are not wanting to eat they are really not feeling well.
Some other things that worked.....beef stew simmered all day to really soften things up...no spices...scrambled eggs were the best lots of protein and easy to digest. He was also able to tolerate pasta cooked in beef broth (weird I know but it worked), babyfood (especially the pasty turkey stuff).
Lots of positive energy to both of you and please do keep us updated.
Hugs
Jody

 

[The Egg Bandit]

My old black lab got fed stewed fish and rice when he started to decline. We had a pond with tons of tilapia. Once a week I'd toss the cast net and clean a bunch of fish. I'd filet them and boil them with rice. He never seemed to get tired of it. He liked it better than chicken! He ate fish and rice for his last year. He made it all the way to 15. Not necessarily a record, but with what he and I went through together, I was proud of him. Way to go, Fat Dog!

Good luck with Buford, these guys can win our hearts.

 

[Lorije1]

Thanks everyone!
Buford has been at the threshold of being a chowhound again! This morning I just gave him about a cup of ckn/rice and he ate it. Around lunch time I gave him 2 cups - and he ate it. Altogether he has had about 5 cups today and ate every bit, the last time I mixed a few pieces of kibble in with it. I was afraid to give him too much at a time, so I spread it throughout the day.
I gave him some turkey / rice /gravy baby food and he turned his nose up at it

Tomorrow I will be taking him back to the vet just to weigh him and let the techs give him some sub-q fluids (if the vet still wants that when they talk to her tomorrow). I will just keep giving him chkn / rice over the weekend, as long as he will eat it.. .then when the clinic is back open I may venture out into scrambled eggs or such.

Tonight I took him outside and we went for our nightly walk around the pasture. He tottered along in front of me just like always, tail wagging. I'm sure praying I have bought some more time with him, he is such a great dog.


Thanks again for your thoughts / well wishes and prayers!