|
|
| Public Forum |
Proceed to Auspet's
New Discussion Forum |
Pet
Directory |
Classifieds
| Home
| LinkXchange
|
 Click here to make Auspet.com your default home page |
|
 Auspet - Message Boards
 Dogs - all types
 Picky eating senior dog and kennel cough
|
 UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! |
next newest topic | next oldest topic |
| Author | Topic: Picky eating senior dog and kennel cough |
|
VickyBear New Member  Posts: 9 |
posted 01-19-2004 12:02 AM
 
This is getting frustrating...I picked up the sweetest 8 year old standard poodle in Las Vegas two weeks ago...when I got her she was starved and ate two bowls full of my other dog's food...She was SO hungry! And now that she's home and settled in, she's become the picky queen...she ate the dry food for a while...Candidae Platinum Diet...and then started just nibbling occasionally...so I tried mixing Candidae moist chicken and rice food in with the dry...it worked for like a day...now she picks through for the moist food and spits out the dry food..help! I would like to keep her on a diet of human grade dog food, but i don't know what to do! She's been on antibiotics for the last two weeks too, maybe that's affecting her appetite...?She's on Baytril for kennel cough. I would much prefer giving her a natural remedy for kennel cough...any advice? IP: Logged |
|
Jamiya Member  Posts: 1392 |
posted 01-19-2004 11:03 AM
Maybe she just doesn't need to eat very much? I would continue to offer the Canidae and leave it out for her to free feed and see what happens over about a week or so. I am looking into raw feeding and the more I read about it, the more I am thinking it is the best thing for the dog. And from what everyone says, the dogs love it!
IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-19-2004 11:51 AM
The only problem is that I can't leave her food out for her...she eats a senior diet and moist food..and my other 2 year old poodle eats dry food...He would love to eats hers too, I'm sure. IP: Logged |
|
Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 01-19-2004 12:36 PM
I have a miniature Poodle who eats like a bird, always has. His vet says his weight is perfect. I think some dogs just eat that way, especially when getting a quality food such as Canidae. Your girl may have eaten alot at first because she truely was starved. Now she is feeling better and knows the next meal is going to be there so she is probably back to her normal more relaxed eating routine. Instead of looking at how much she is eating...look at her. Watch her weight and body condition closely, that will speak volumes about how she is doing. I used to feed my Poodle kibble and I free fed..he would eat one or two kibbles at a time through out the day. I had to switch his food to a raw diet (which is wonderful!) and that meant no leaving it down all day. I put his food in a bowl and give it to him and he eats it right then and there. I pick the bowl up and wash it. I feed him twice a day, morning and evening. I don't know if he eats it all at once now because it's raw food and he likes it so much, or if it is because he has learned that I am going to pick the bowl up and it won't be available again until evening. I think it is because he likes it so much better..because while on the kibble he would walk away from it. At any rate, try only feeding her twice a day (or three), but give her like twenty minutes to eat it, if she doesn't eat it all, pick it up until evening and do the same. She will learn to eat it while it's down. She may go hungry the first couple of times, but she will be all the more hungry when you set it down next. I also have two large dogs that are on Canidae part time and raw the remainder of the time, sort of a split diet. They eat much less of the canidae then they did the other kibble they were on, it is a really good quality food with less fillers and so I think this is why. As for the kennel cough...my vet also gave my pup an antibiotic and explained that it wouldn't do anything for the kennel cough but would prevent a secondary infection. Normally I would not have accepted the antibiotic and just let the virus run it's course, but this was a puppy who came from a shelter, I didn't think he had much of an immune system developed at that point and thought that a secondary infection was something to worry about so I gave it to him. If it had been one of my adult dogs, where I knew that they had a good immune system going I would have let it run it's course. Thats just me though...alot of people would disagree. Congrats on the new dog..I have heard so much great stuff about standard Poodles. They are supposed to be very athletic and smart as whips. What color is she? IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-19-2004 12:40 PM
Thanks Maisey...the only problem withfeeding other than that is that I have another dog..a two year old black mini poodle...Frida, the standard, is 8. She's not athletic at all, but is extremely intelligent. Yesterday we re-inroduced Meelo (our mini poo) back into the home. They get along decently, but Meelo keeps on wagging his tail at her and then shoving her hard with is nose to get her to play, and she doesn't like that at all! She comes to me for protection. But I'm trying not to intervene so that they can naturally get along in the long run....I think I'll post Frida's story here in case anyone would like to read it... IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-19-2004 12:44 PM
Jan 7th, 2003 My name's Vicky and I live in a small town of 20,000 people named Roseburg, Oregon. I got a dog from the Dewey Animal Care Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. So after we knew she was ours, this past weekend, my fiancee (Matthew) and I spent all the money we have left (until next paycheck, that is) driving to Las Vegas to pick up our new dog...A female two year old standard poodle. So we drove around 16 hours to Vegas on Saturday at about 3 in the morning and got to Vegas on Sunday at around 7:00 p.m....We really wanted that dog! We had made it! The next morning at 11:00, after staying at motel 6, we went to the Dewey Animal Care Center (technically a glorified city pound) in Las Vegas to get our new little girl. There were frantic people everywhere waiting for their names to be called for other dogs...but they were holding our for us until we coudl get there to take her home...We were at the shelter until around 2 in the afternoon, I think...It took about an hour to finally get the employees to acknowledge that we were there! I had to take a number for a dog I already had, technically! So we waited and I finally got to go into the shelter and see her...She was in a small space with two other black dogs...one was very agressive and was barking and snarling and growling and didn't stop until I went away...She was shaking and shivering and looked terrified, starved, and dirty...I coudln't stop the tears...So I went back to the waiting room...
About 30 or 40 minutes later, it was time for the veterinarian to examine her. The vet said she had an abscess on her shouder that was leaking. It was clotted up so it wasn't as bad as they said...So what we did was get her all the vaccinations she needed right then and there..distemper, coronavirus, parvo, and bordatella...So that was taken care of...And so we got ready for the journey home...They have suggested we keep our new dog and Meelo (our other black mini poodle) separate for two weeks, but we had another 16 hour drive ahead of us, so we packed Meelo into the back of the car and our new girl into the front seat...I sat in between so that Meelo wouldn't go near her. And we made the journey home...She and Meelo pretty much slept the whole way home. Our adventure was over...for now...we got home on Monday at about 8:00 a.m. We went straight to our friends' Chris and Diana's home (they have a black toy poodle) and dropped off Meelo...they will be taking care of him while our new girl is healing for two weeks... So I took her to our vet yesterday...Here are the facts about our new dog: She's about 8 years old, apparently...she has advanced cataracts...she has a slow heartbeat...she has bad back legs and wobbles a bit...the abscess was a bite from another dog (but she had her rabies vaccine already)...She is a bit hard of hearing, but responds to clapping really well...And she is an angel... We have named her Frida....After one of the most stunning and powerful female artists of all time...
Frida's doing much better...her abscess is healed and her kennel cough is dissipating! We took her to the vet for some bloodwork...no heartworms (yay!), great liver, lungs and kidneys. She still has a slow heartbeat though, and the vet says she thinks she's anemic...so when we get paid we will do another set of tests... We'll also be starting her on a glucosamine supplement soon... IP: Logged |
|
puttin510 Member Posts: 1179 |
posted 01-20-2004 02:15 PM
Well good for you. My mini poodle was a shelter dog also. She was like one of those terribly matted dogs you see on animal cops on t.v.. I found her on amrt.net So at least you know about the smarts of the poodle. That puts you higher up on understanding them. Try not to switch around the food too much.They will roll with it and go on strike. Mine has arthritis too and is not that active. The good kibble has much better ingrediants less fillers so an older less active dog does not need the same amount of food as an energenic active one. You may find she might get more spunky on a glucosamine-chondroitant supplement. I give mine Seatec's Phtyo-greens supplements. Hard to find, but its out there. It is almost equivilant to Missing Link, but better becuase it has spirulina in it for helping to boost energy. Kennel cough sometimes up to a few weeks after the initial problem is over they still may cough. But it is so much better gettting them thru the meds than trying to watch them self heal. I can not do that. You and your husband are true poodle people. Thank you for rescueing dear Frida. If you ever want to join a poodle forum that always has alot of poo people there let me know. I go to a few forums this being one of my favorites. But I have to have the poodle forum too. ------------------ IP: Logged |
|
Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 01-20-2004 02:52 PM
I think it's awesome! The senior dogs always seem to be overlooked and they truely have so much to offer. Kudos to you and Matthew, it must have been her lucky day. I had an adventure getting my catahoula pup Witt, he was in Redding California and I am in Portland Oregon. Nobody wanted to transport across the mountains in winter, so we bought chains for my truck that gets 11 miles to the gallon and went and picked him up. In the end I could have bought a papered puppy and had it shipped to my doorstep. I don't regret adopting him at all..the adventure has been well worth it. $13.00? Wow! IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-20-2004 06:14 PM
Well Maisey, it was 13.00 for Frida, but another 150 in gas, and another 200 in vet bills so far..But it's worth it...as soon as we have money we will be putting her on a good glucosamine supplement. Thanks! IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-20-2004 06:17 PM
Well puttin510, poodles are definitely different...I think I'm a bit prejudiced about them, even though I hate to admit it! I haven't switched out Frida's food again, but for two days she hasn't touched her food and today she threw up...I just don't know what to do. All she does is sleep. Which is ok, because she's old, but I just want her to feel better! IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-20-2004 11:35 PM
Frida threw up today at my psychologist's office (the doc loves it when I take Frida with me!)...So she's obviously not feeling great yet...I've noticed that she shivers sometimes when she's sleeping...Then I cover her up and a few minutes later she's ok again. I tried to get her to eat tonight, but she just drank a whole lot of water (which is good, of course) and picked through the bowl for some teeny tiny crumbs of moist food. I've tried keeping the food away from her all day today...she still picked at it for the moist stuff! Technically, she hasn't eaten in two days! I'm starting to wonder if maybe I should just give her canned food and just brush her teeth every day or something...She loves the canned food! My vet was supposed to have called me yesterday about some feeding advice...haven't heard from her yet... Sorry to readers if I keep complaining, but I'm worried about her and feel powerless at times. It helps me to just let everything out! Frida and our other dog Meelo are beginning to get used to each other slowly...things are going good! It's 11:33 at night and I'm so tempted to cook up a chicken breast for Frida and some rice...must resist until I know what I should do... IP: Logged |
|
Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 01-20-2004 11:44 PM
I wouldn't go the canned route. Did the vet check out her teeth? Keep in mind she has alot of adjusting to do and that takes time, she may just be confused and feeling out of sorts. If she is not ill...and this is just adjusting, she will eat in time, but if you feed her moist or canned food she will want that and hold out for it. Some dogs take months to adjust to new homes, love and patience will get her there. IP: Logged |
|
Maisey Member Posts: 1387 |
posted 01-20-2004 11:47 PM
I just saw you said she threw up...just once? How long ago was she seen by the vet? Does she seem lethargic or is it tough to tell if she just sleeps alot cause of her age? IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-21-2004 11:52 AM
Actually, Frida has thrown up three times in the last two weeks...it's probably somwthign to do with the fact that miss picky knocked over the trash can on the second day she was in her new home...and went through it! The vet said it looks like her teeth have been scaled before...very clean, not much plaque. I don't think she's lethargic, but I do think she likes to sleep a lot because of her age. I think it also hurts her to sit down on her rear because of arthritis...So she is either standing or laying down, never sitting. I think she's just an old gal! IP: Logged |
|
puttin510 Member Posts: 1179 |
posted 01-22-2004 11:38 AM
Sounds like she is just accustomed to eating soft food and is holding out for more. I would take her for a check up and not wait for the vet to call you. You need to have health issues ruled out. My girl at one point would turn her nose up to food if I did not put a little canned in with it. Then I tried some broth and it worked, I just put less and less till just plain kibble. I do add veggies now though. She loves them. ------------------ IP: Logged |
|
VickyBear New Member Posts: 9 |
posted 01-23-2004 01:24 PM
I have taken Frida to the vet...no heartworms, no worms, great liver and kidneys,no addison's disease! The vet says she has a slow heartbeat and probably arthritis, and might be anemic..we have to wait until we have more monewy to get some more tests done. The vet called me back and told me that I shouldn't give her the option of moist food if she's beeing picky..so I just gave her dry...and eventually she got hungry and ate it! I think she's just not much of a big eater. IP: Logged |
All times are ET (US) | next newest topic | next oldest topic |
  |
|
Contact Us | Auspet.com
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.45c
| Home | Contact us | Advertise here | Jobs at Auspet | |
| © 1999-2017 AusPet.com |