# Urgent advice needed: not eating



## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Background - In case you didn't see my thread. One of my dogs was diagnosed with Lymphosarcoma in his abdomen. His estimated survival time is 3-4 weeks.


He isn't eating right now. My dad is just sick to his stomach because Tucker is becoming very scared of him since he has to give him prednisone. I'm going to be the one giving him his pills now since my dad just can't stand to have his dog so freaked out of him with how little time he has left with us. He is becoming weaker and weaker...Having good moments and pretty terrible ones where he just won't even respond to us talking to him, just laying his head down and not moving for up to an hour...not sleeping, just laying there. My question is, how can I get him to eat? If we have any chance at even keeping him with us over the weekend we need to get him to eat. I'm going to find some high calorie pastes to administer to him for much needed nutrition...Any suggestions? 

Basically, I'm going out on a limb and in need of any advice you can offer. Please help if you've gone through this or know of anything I can do. I'm just completely lost and looking for answers. He won't touch anything and acts like food is the root of all evil.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Also, at this point our vet has told us he isn't a candidate for chemo in his current state. If he can start eating we'll give it a go and give him a chance to go into remission. Just, he has to eat, or all he is doing is starving to death. He hasn't had much of anything in a week and is just slipping. I can't imagine letting him go on like this more than another 3 or 4 days, I'm sure he feels absolutely terrible.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

At this point I would offer him anything and everything he could eat, species appropriate or not. Cooked, canned, kibble....whatever. You might even try no salt added chicken broth warmed up. What have you offered him to eat? 

He may be feeling sick to his stomach. Has he vomited at all in the last 24-48 hours?


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Have you tried some smelly canned food?
Like Natalie said, I would be trying anything and everything.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

No vomiting. We have offered him so much.

Raw: Turkey, Beef, Chicken, Pork 
Cooked: Turkey, Beef, Chicken, honey glazed ham, Crackers w/ peanut butter, sugar cookies, kibble, canned food, pretty much anything my dad can he has offered. I'm going to bring out a ton of different things tomorrow for him. Different kinds of cheese, lots and lots of raw food though i doubt he'll touch it, canned fish, and salmon oil. I'm going to go hunting for some high calorie paste in the morning...we used it when he was little as he was extremely malnourished.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

I'll get some lamb for him tomorrow too. Realized I haven't tried that...


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

DaneMama said:


> At this point I would offer him anything and everything he could eat, species appropriate or not. Cooked, canned, kibble....whatever. You might even try no salt added chicken broth warmed up.


I agree. Offer him anything you can think of. I went through this with my last little guy but ultimately got him to eat. I gave him nutra-cal, human baby food, kefir, cheese, anything I thought he'd eat. It's just not fair and I'm so sorry you, Tucker, and your dad are having to go through this.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

Have you tried putting some in his mouth so he'll at least get the taste of it and hopefully entice him?


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

Best of luck, I hope he'll start eating ASAP. Poor baby boy  All of our paws are crossed for you guys over here.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

I've tried putting the food in his mouth. It just makes him try to escape though...
Baby food is a great idea...Would pedialyte benefit him? He is drinking a lot.

edit: And Natalie, I am SO freaking worried about him vomiting...And that is inevitable with him not eating. The veterinarian told my father that when he starts throwing up we should bring him in. 

It's so hard talking about this. I really do love you all for being here for me to ask these questions to. There isn't anyone else really for me to turn to for this kind of stuff especially at this time of night!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I'd even try the most nasty, processed, cheap canned foods at this point. Baby food is also a good choice. Canned meats. Hot dogs. Anything. 

BUT I will say that when they stop wanting to eat like this, its usually their time to go. I hate to say this but I'm speaking from experience. Its always so hard to see these guys go through this, and it pains me when people drag it out for their dogs. I certainly don't think that is what you are doing in the slightest bit. Its a harsh reality that we all dog owners must face when the time comes. I'm so sorry this is happening with your family dog. Please keep us updated!


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

Maybe try a scrambled egg? Tommy, my little guy would eat that when he wouldn't eat anything else. Believe me, I know just how painful this is and can so understand what you mean. When Tommy was dying I felt like I was grieving him alone. I know my husband cared but it was nothing like what I felt for him. It was nice to have people on this forum to talk to that care about their babies just like I do.


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

So so sorry to hear about this precious guy. Saw the pics on your other post and it's just not fair.    As far as the eating thing goes, have you tried cat food? That was about the only thing our girl would eat in her final days. I'm talking Friskies and Whiskas...junk junk junk.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Ill keep you updated for sure. Thanks for the advice Donna i'll try it for sure...and thanks for advice on cat food Jill!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I hate to be the one to say it but I think it's time to face reality. I don't know how much more plainly he could be telling you. I am so so sorry for what you are going through.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I was going to suggest the baby food too. And, just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and your poor Dad.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

RawFedDogs said:


> I hate to be the one to say it but I think it's time to face reality. I don't know how much more plainly he could be telling you. I am so so sorry for what you are going through.


I agree, there is a harsh reality to be faced. However, if I had cancer and the only thing stopping me from going into chemo were my stomach hurting, then i would want to exhaust all routes in soothing my stomach in order for me to eat. He has no control of his fate, unfortunately i can't ask him, "do you want to be put to sleep?" today we have gone for a swim so far and he had an anti acid for his tummy. We will see if we can get him eating. I've gone nearly two weeks without eating before and know how it feels, it is not pleasant and when you've gone that long food tends to just make you nauseous and you have absolutely zero desire to eat as your body is in starvation mode. My point is, i will spend this next weekend trying my hardest to get him eating. If i can we will be taking him to a canine oncology center for the most aggressive form of treatment they can give him. If not, we will have to bite.the bullet. When the time comes we will have him cremated and spread the ashes across our shore. We found him down here on lake Travis, its his most favorite place in the world and this is where we will let him rest.


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## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

Have you considered syringe feeding? Possibly with baby food of some type? Very small amounts at a time.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Lord, it was just a few days ago you got the news. How awful for everyone. 

What about sweet stuff, like ice cream? 

Prayers for you, your dad, and Tucker.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

tem_sat said:


> Have you considered syringe feeding? Possibly with baby food of some type? Very small amounts at a time.


That is what I was going to say. I know once when my sisters dog was real sick she would feed it chicken broth put down it's throat with a syringe. I'm so sorry for you both going through this.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Have you tried canned tripe?


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

Kelly, I feel your pain and desperation. My heart dog, Little One, succumbed to cancer Dec '09 shy of his 14th birthday and was a rescue that had been severely abused. Like your dad he meant the world to me. We had gone through surgeries and seemed to be making progress and without any warning took a total turn for the worse. I was told the last surgery bought him at least a year and in the end only a month. I was so torn apart how fast he started deteriorating. He also got to a point where he would not eat...anything. We syringe fed him pedialyte which would just drool out of his mouth because he was not swallowing. I hate to tell you this but Little One passed away a week after he stopped eating. The one thing we found he would eat was Breyer's ice cream, and I so rejoiced the day he took that first bite because nothing else had worked. When we took him to the vet what ended up being his last day...his doctor informed me his body was shutting down and his temp was 90 degrees. He suggested putting him to sleep but I was so unprepared and wanted to spend more time with him beforehand. We scheduled for the following day. He passed away that night at 10:00 laying beside me on the couch. All I can tell you is show him as much love, lay with him, hug his neck and talk sweetly to him because this will be one of the hardest moments. I was completely devastated by his death and took it very hard. I hope the best for you, your dad and Tucker...also I hope his remaining days are peaceful and painless.

I will be thinking of you...


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

what does the vet say? how advanced is the lymphosarcoma....?

this might be his way of shutting down, as hard as that is to hear....you might want to try popsicles, ice cream, things that go down easily and are sweet, as their taste buds aren't working right...

and you might want to consider that, whilst his beginnings were terrible and his ending is painful, his end may be peaceful because you know it is soon time to let him go....as sad as that is.....and there is nothing more sad than that....

i am so sorry.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

I would try to feed anything he might eat, hot dogs, lunch meats, baby food, a/d (gasp) but at this point it's quality of life, and getting nutrition into him is a big thing. I would try giving him some powerade for energy, getting the electrolytes up will help. The vet I work for has found that the White Cherry flavor is most readily accepted by most dogs (a lot will just lap it up out of the bowl). Getting his energy up may help with his appetite. I would talk to the vet, what do they say about him not wanting to eat?


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

You said he was drinking a lot? Maybe put some sort of something in that water...broth, blood from raw, something to get him to taste something besides water? Maybe you can make some kind of a "drink" for him...something that is not overpowering or too thick but that he'll get "accidentally" when he's drinking? 

I would be a fricken wreck right about now if I were in the same position and feel really bad for you. I'm glad DFC is here for you too. You will see people here at all hours of the night so I hope you don't feel alone for a single second while you go through this. 

=(


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

With the Old Man we used Pet Botanicals meat roll, cut up into small pieces and bacon (hand fed). He had always loved bacon, we knew it was time when he didn't want to eat his bacon.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Celt said:


> With the Old Man we used Pet Botanicals meat roll, cut up into small pieces and bacon (hand fed). He had always loved bacon, we knew it was time when he didn't want to eat his bacon.


That is what I did for Beauregard....the ONE human food he EVER ate was bacon! The day that "it was time" was the 3rd day in a row that he wouldnt even touch fresh bacon!!:sad:


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

I am so very sorry to hear what your dad, you and Tucker are going through. It sounds like you are facing the reality that this is a fast moving situation. I firmly believe dogs are smarter than us sometimes, and he knows. He may be telling you it's time now, so that you are not faced with watching him struggle through several more weeks. I would use a big syringe with some canned food mixed with water and pedialyte, and if he still wouldn't take that then if he is drinking as you say I have used 50/50 pedialyte and water. We faced a similar situation with Jewel. X-ray showed a mass on Friday, vet set to do surgery Monday early AM and see what it was, even though we already knew in our hearts. She would not eat, but she rested comfortably through the weekend, and drank pedialyte and water. It was enough to give her the strength to move about a bit, go to the bathroom, and we just spent our remaining special time with her, figuring Monday was likely our last day with her. The other dogs spent a lot of time with her too, it was a bittersweet thing to see, but her remaining days were fairly comfortable and I was glad for the pedialyte and water.

So sorry you are facing this.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Update: yesterday he couldnt keep his pills down, took tuck to the vet and bought some anti nausea shots and some other pills for appetite stimulation and one to coat his stomach so he can tolerate the other pills...he has been eating a jar of baby food every few hours, through syringe feeding and this morning ate a tiny piece of chicken of his own accord. We are buying a food processor today so we don't have to feed him all those nasty sugars and carbs in the baby food. Ever since we got some food in him yesterday he has had a good energy level and no throw up. Of course we are trying to limit the ball throwing a bit so he does not expend more energy than he takes in him.

Also got the ultra sound report in writing. His organs look normal no spread to those. He has one lymph node that is 3x6 cm which is obviously a pretty large tumor. If we can get him in Monday and start chemo next week we will give it our best shot to kill that nasty tumor. Right now we are pretty much at war with the cancer.


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

Fight, Tucker, fight!


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