Help - older dog won't eat... :(

[mel2mdl]

I've had both my dogs on raw for a little over a year and they have been doing great. But, last summer, my older (14 year old) chiweenie mix had to have his eye removed. He went a month without being able to chew, was eating ground food, but then started back on his normal bones and meat.

Well, since October, he won't eat at all. His Grandma finally started feeding him cat food, which he loves (but I don't). I've tried sliced premade raw, ground homemade, dog food, even his old favorite - shudder - pedigree and moist and meaty. Nada. He will eat cat food and he will now eat chicken meat, but no bones.

So this last 2 weeks, he has been eating a patty of Stella and Chewies (hit or miss here - also $$$$) and turkey or chicken meat, no bone. Figured at least he's eating. But yesterday we came home to a poopy mess - just a liquid, almost like tar. And stinky. I don't know what to try that I haven't already. Can he eat a good quality cat food? If so, should I switch to a dry food for him? Could the meat have caused the nasty poo? Any other suggestions? Thanks for any and all suggestions...

[rannmiller]

Have you had his blood work checked since he's stopped eating? I'd be tempted to recommend taking him in for blood work, and possibly abdominal x-rays and an ultrasound. If you want to avoid spending all that money, if he eats well on canned cat food and has good stools on it, then go for it.

[mel2mdl]

He won't eat canned dog food, just cat food. How bad is cat food for dogs? He will also eat straight meat, but not organ meat or bones - no matter what I try. (I used to be able to grind it, but he's refusing that too.)

I plan on taking him to the vet today or Monday, if I can get in. Just to check his stools, mostly. They look like blood to me - black and tar-like. But I'm really not familiar with problems like this. He's just getting old, maybe... he is pushing 15, although he was an adult when we got him 13 years ago, so he may be older.

[DaneMama]

Canned cat food isn't great for dogs.

And the worry with older small dogs having diarrhea like this is dehydration.

Have you tried browning some hamburger or other ground meat and then mixing raw ground bones/meat in?

I definitely second getting bloodwork done ASAP.