The Beagle thread: For all the beagle lovers

[bossynbella]

Well it has been three days now on this new food. So far she has only eaten a half a cup. Yesterday I gave her the chicken hindquarter and she didn't want that either, seems like her tummy is upset, or she is being really picky, she won't eat the dog biscut treats we have, and looks at me like why do I have to when I give her the beef chewy treats, but if you pick up the bag of vita life chicken strip treats she goes nuts, jumping all over and whining. Of course we are almost out of those, and they stopped carrying them at our local walmart. Today we are going to my moms for Easter (we all had to work last weekend). Normally Annie would go too, but I will be leaving her home, I am worried that one of my nephews who is a little bit rough sometimes, might hurt her, he sometimes will just walk up to you (people or animals) and smack them. (he is 4, its a long story) I feel bad leaving her home all day alone as clingy as she has been, and I feel bad for my other niece and nephew who love her and will just sit and pet her for hours, but I think it is what is best for all involved. I will lock her in the kitchen though as Im not sure how late we will be, if she has an accident I would rather it be in the kitchen then on the rug in the living room. We don't usually leave her alone this long, because we usually take her with us. Hopefully she might get bored today and decide to eat the two cups of dog food that have been sitting in her bowl for three days.
Well anyway, lets keep the thread going, post your beagle stories, or more pictures!

 

[bossynbella]

The last few nights I have noticed that Annie is shaking, she does this a little during the day but more at night after I come home from work, around 10:30. Though the shaking doesn't seem to worry or bother her at all, I am concerned. I can't seem to find much information that pertains to her situation. She hasn't been eating well, turning down even cut up cooked beef roast the other day, could it simply be low blood sugar causing this? Does anyone have any experience with this, could it be a pregnancy issue, or a health issue? If it continues I will call my vet, I am just trying not to call him over every little thing, as I want to be sure he takes me seriously if something serious comes up, he seems to look at me like I have seen people look at new moms, "She doesn't know what she is talking about. Worries about every little thing. I have more important things to do then this." Have honestly considered a new vet, but Annie gets along well with him and the next closest vet is 45 minutes away.

I gave her five dog treats in a row tonight, she is now laying by my feet and not shaking, could it be low blood sugar then? I don't want to overdo the treats, but that's all she will eat tonight.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[greeneggsandham]

I have no experiance with the shaking, but it could be sugar. I would maybe take her in to the vet for a check-up just to make sure everything is ok. Have you tried getting any puppy food? She could be lacking something causing her to shake.

 

[bossynbella]

she just refused dry dog food, she has never been "into" it but usually she will at least nibble off and on. Now she sniffs it and goes and lays down, I tried canned puppy food, she did eat a little of it yesterday but I only put out a fourth a can and she didn't eat it all. This morning I gave her favorite "treat" chicken gizzards and hearts, I had made tuna salad for lunch and gave her the juice from that as well. I will call my vet today on my lunch break. Like I said it doesn't seem to bother her at all,but it worries me. We will see what the vet says. He was just so non concerned about her not eating I felt like I was overreacting. I really am thinking its low blood sugar, she had gone almost three days without eating anything anywhere near what she should be. She has free choice Iams puppy food available at all times, she just refuses to eat it. I am thinking of having my niece get a bag of the taste of the wild puppy food and see if she will eat that. I am getting tired of spending upward of $20 a bag on a 7lb bag of food she refuses to eat. I don't mind spending the money if she will actually eat it. Canned food it seems like ceaser is the only kind she will eat enough of for it to count.
Thanks again I will let you know what the vet says.
Melissa

 

[schellie69]

I am glad none of my dogs are that picky. I think if she is carrying puppies she should be eating more. I would also be worried don't let the vet blow you off if your worried then he needs to help you figure something out. I am not sure if dogs get like morning sickness maybe she just doesn't like dry food have you tried like a moist food, or adding water and making a gravy with the dry. I have also mixed wet with dry to give as a treat.

 

[thekid]

Thinking about giving the dogs a turkey breakfast

 

[SourRoses]

Bells....
I forget the symptoms exactly... but that springs to my mind Pre-eclampsia. Has she been on a supplement aimed towards preventing that? I would check with the vet right away if you haven't already done so. Make sure you ask him about pre-eclampsia... I know they can get it even on the supplements aimed towards it. You have your books? I don't have any here.. surely they will list the symptoms.

That aside... I don't know about what anyone else says.. but since she is preggers.. I wouldn't pick now as a time to insist she eat what you want her to. If there are people foods that she loves.. I would give her those. Wait until she has weaned the pups and has some decent weight on before insisting she eat healthier. A little extra fat content is not going to do the puppies any harm in utero. Does she like chicken soup? Personally, I would just feed her whatever she will eat while shes preggie.

Rosie.. she has always done a funny thing.. she will pant and shiver at the same time. It is just her way of being upset.. if we are about to leave somewhere, and she knows it. Maybe yours is picking up cues from you that you are leaving, and in her state she is more concerned about it. I remember well how lovey dovey Rosie was under her pregnancy hormones. Normally she likes a pet or two and then goes off to find her ball.. but when she had babies on board she was always wanting to snuggle... her eyes would look like you had broken her heart if you had to get up and do something besides hold her

She also loved us to stoke her tummy.. I mean loved it.. and she was never previously a rolll-over type of doggy. She would get more huggy the further along she was. Wonderful to feel those little ones kicking against your hand.

When it was time for her to give birth.. she wanted us *right there*.. and it had to be *both* of us (Mom and I).. if one of us got up to get something needed.. more towels or dental floss or whatever.. the other would have to hold her on the paper while she stared after the one that left and yelped.

 

[bossynbella]

Well I called the vet yesterday, she will go in tomorrow for some blood work, but he wasn't concerned, he said if the shaking isn't bothering her (such as preventing her from sleeping, or causing her to not be able to walk correctly it was not to concerning) but that he would take some blood just to rule out some things. I asked about Pre-eclampsia and looked it up in all four of my books, I saw nothing about it starting at this early a stage of pregnancy, and the vet said he was sure this isn't that. He said miss picky is just being even pickier, and to just keep trying till I find something she will eat.
As far as giving her, her favorite people food, She no longer likes her favorite people food, it was always eggs, I have always fried her an egg every time I make myself some for breakfast usually about once or twice a week, she has always gobbled them up. I made her one last night, she sniffed it and walked away. The things she seems to love right now is chicken gizzards, I have been giving them to her raw and I'm not sure she even chews, I just don't know if that is giving her enough nutrients or if I need to try to get her to eat something else. Today I got some smoked pig hocks ( I figured bone, and pork, what dog wouldn't like it) she sniffed it and looked at me like you think I am going to eat that? So I gave her about a fourth a cup of chicken gizzards(says chicken hearts on package too but I didn't see a single heart in that whole package) which she gobbled up, and two hot dogs, which she sniffed and walked off. My niece brought her two kids over for about an hour and after they left Annie ate the two hot dogs, still not into the pork hock.
I would love some suggestions of other things to try feeding her. I have chicken broth in the cupboard, I can try that later. We are having peperoni pizza for supper, she loved pizza the one time she got a piece, I could try giving her some of that. She also ate (like a week ago) some moist and meaty dog food, but I didn't buy any more because the main ingredient is corn, and I was told she should be on a food with meat as the first ingredient. I just want to be sure she is getting what she needs, but honestly wouldn't it be better for her to eat a "nutritionally complete" dog food with corn as main ingredient then to eat nothing? or only dog treats? or even people food?

I would love your suggestions, and will let you know the results of the "blood work" which I kinda feel he is doing just to appease me, but it does make me feel better, and I will rest easier knowing there is no medical reason for the lack of appetite.

 

[thekid]

Heres some pics of them as puppies i need to get some current pics

 

[SourRoses]

I was one of those telling you to stay away from corn and grains... so I feel really bad.. because if shes not eating, then feed her whatever she will eat! I would go with the people food.. Try the pizza. Get more gizzards. Try the chicken broth too. I would also scan the aisles and pick up meats that your girl in particular would enjoy. Seems to me that she is showing some preference for things that are easy to eat. Perhaps her tummy is upset.. or she just feels she deserves special treatment

... but it seems she is eating things she doesent have to work much to fill her belly with. I would try out that theory by cutting all her food up for her into tiny peices... get meat in the grocery aisle that perhaps has some of the same 'allure' as the gizzards... perhaps kidney and liver or other organ meats, juicy ones even.. and chop it up and let it come to room temperature for her. Then I would offer it to her one peice at a time.. so it doesen't look like too much woooooork to eat all of that food

.
These are just my thoughts. I am really sorry that all of our advice put you in such a pickle. Any food is better than no food.. Especially as she may be pregnat. I would feed her whatever she will eat the most of.

Has the vet given you her prenatals? Or is that something he is waiting on till you know shes pregnat? Geesh... I dunno about this guy. But I am glad to hear that it doesent sound like its eclampsia.. getting the blood work still sounds like a good idea though.

Especially since she hasn't been eating much.. I would get those prenatals or at the least a doggy vitamin off him tomorrow. Make her swallow it if you must. Then just fill her up with whatever takes her fancy. I would try bacon too. Does she like fried chicken?

If he still thinks her eating is no biggie after all you said here about it... I would be worried about him. If she really fancies him or you have no other options.. I might keep her with him.. but do not let him tell you it's not a problem!

Don't feel silly for insisting he do certain things either. For all I know he could be a really great vet when it comes to other concerns.. but I don't like his opinion on the food. I don't like my opinion on the food if it has meant she is loosing out, either!

Please let us know how it goes tomorrow! I've been thinking about your furbaby ever since your breeding thread! I'm praying for some healthy & happy puppies for you three to roll around and snuggle with!