New hens not going into Eglu Go Up

[Luvachicken]

Daisy, our cocker spaniel, turned 16 just before Christmas, she is doing well really.

She has fazes of not eating her food properly, but this last time seems to have gone on for longer this time.

She usually has pedigree chum meat and mixer for breakfast and tea and then a bit of supper before she goes to bed - Bakers complete. She has had this setup for the last 14 years

But just lately she only seems to eat half and that is usually because we have put something else on it - cheese or turkey for instance.

She seems to eat all the treaty things with no trouble, especially christmas treats like mini jumbones, and although her breath is very smelly I think if her teeth were a problem she wouldn't eat the treats.

 

She has her booster injections next week and will tell the vet about her eating then, but just wondered if anyone had any advice for now ?

[Chucky Mama]

Smelly breath can be an indication of kidney (and sometimes liver) disease as well as poor dental health. I would ensure that she is drinking enough if she isn't eating well. You could try warming her food to tempt her to eat. Feeding little and often is also a good idea. I would speak to your vet about this before her booster, there may be something going on and they wont be able to vaccinate her unless she is 100% well.

[Luvachicken]

Thanks for that Chucky Mama. I didn't know smelly breath could be an indicator of something not tooth related

I think I will phone the vets in the morning and see if I can speak to one of the vets before we go.

She does drink plenty - sometimes I think she has too much - and I guess if there is something wrong with her kidneys then that would explain it.

 

I also spelt phases wrong - I knew it didn't look right how I did it above but just couldn't get it

[Bramble]

I've just been through a phase of this with Willow my 10 year old ex-racing greyhound. With her, it reached a stage where pretty much all she would eat was cooked chicken or fish and then only if I hand fed her. I started to get very concerned, blood and wee tests by the vet were all negative - I have no idea what the problem was - but gradually things did improve and she's now back to eating like a very hungry horse (although there are still some things she would eat before which she won't touch now). I did worm her with Milbemax - I don't know if that had any effect - the improvement wasn't immediate after doing that, but if Daisy hasn't been wormed for a while, it might be an idea to get some tabs when you are next at the vet. Good luck!

[Luvachicken]

I think I have a worming tablet in the drawer. I will give it to her later in a bit of cheese and then hopefully if it is that she will perk up before we go to the vets.

If not I think we will go to the vets sooner.

Thank you xx

[Luvachicken]

Yay I have one - I do usually get 2 at a time - so will give it to her at lunch time. Fingers crossed.

[sparkysmum]

Does she look as if she's losing weight? just a thought, maybe she doesn't feel the need to eat as much if she's less active just now? Fingers crossed for her. Alli x

[Luvachicken]

Yeah she is quite thin these days.

Hubby thinks she just isn't bothered anymore - a bit like old people don't eat so much.

These pets are such a worry

[Lavenders_Blue]

My parents had an elderly dog (which they sadly lost last year), he had always been a picky eater but in the 6 months - year or so got really fussy and turned his nose up at most things - apart from human food, like Daisy.

In the end they decided with him being so old, they would just give him what he enjoyed, as it was better for him to eat something rather than nothing at all. He had cooked chicken and rice, table s"Ooops, word censored!"s, tinned fish, scrambled egg, porridge, gravy poured onto his dried food - anything he would eat basically. Without pandering to her too much, could you perhaps try and tempt Daisy with a bit of what she enjoys, even if it's just mixed in well with her usual food so she can't pick the nice bits out and leave the rest?

[Raina]

a few dog forums im on all hate bakers dog food, apparently its just the same as feeding them cardboard.

 

when my border collie went off her food we mixed James well beloved with real beef gravy, that got her eating again we also mixed in some salmon.

[sparkysmum]

Sparky & Daisy both have CSJ ( working dog food) with bits of chicken to tempt them. Although its for working dogs they get "old champ" for retired dogs One of my older dog walking friends feeds her older dogs cooked chicken, rice, pasta & fish and wholemeal bread, her dog, an older retriever looks great. I think so long as whatever you give them is nutritionally balanced home cooked has to be as good as proprietary mix esp when your dog is 16yrs old. When Sparks turns his nose up at his food I'll sometimes cook a bit of chicken for him. You can't spoil an older dog

[Luvachicken]

Ham seems to be doing the trick at the moment, just a bit on top of her normal food

I would rather she ate something.

We have her jabs on friday, and I am quite happy to cook her what she needs, so I will ask the vet what is the best for her to have.

She also gets a check up so it will be interesting what they have to say.

 

Thanks everyone for all your help xx

[Luvachicken]

Well, Daisy had her jabs yesterday.

She only weighs 10kg and the vet said she had lost 1/4 of kg since October.

She said to try and fatten her up - which is difficult for an animal that isn't that bothered about eating anymore.

 

We found an extra lump under a fatty lump she has had for a while, and this new lump is hard

She already has cancerous lumps on her right wrist which we have had removed 3 times already - and the last time she didn't recover well at all - so she now has about 4 lumps - but they don't seem to bother her.

 

The vet did say she could probably find all sorts wrong with her if they investigated - but she is old.

She did say though that her breath was more than likely caused by her teeth - so that's one good thing.

 

So just to get her eating again really is what we need to do. She had scrambled egg on top of her breakfast today, and for tea she will have a bit of left over beef casserole. Strange that she always loves her supper. I just need to save her a bit of our food to go with some of hers. The vet said as long as she wasn't eating a full roast dinner everday that it would be ok.

So................fingers crossed.

[The Dogmother]

At that age I wouldn't be too picky about what she eats, so long as she eats something nutritious.

[Luvachicken]

At that age I wouldn't be too picky about what she eats, so long as she eats something nutritious.

 

Yeah tbh, we have stuck all sorts in to encourage her. The left over bit of casserole was her favourite so far. Fingers crossed for future mealtimes.

 

Anybody know what an average 16 year old cocker spaniel should weigh anyway ?

[The Dogmother]

Just steer clear of the obvious toxic things such as Onions etc.

 

No idea, guess that it depends on her height and build, as with most dogs. As a guide, you should be able to run your hands down her sides and feel her ribs without having to press.

[Luvachicken]

Sadly she is quite skinny

In the vets there was a poster showing a birds eye view of how a dog should look - obese, normal, underweight etc and sadly Daisy has the underweight shape.

[The Dogmother]

That's not unusual in an elderly dog, they can go either way. Have her thyroid levels been checked?

[Luvachicken]

Well, the vet said she could do blood tests but that they would probably find allsorts wrong.

She didn't mention thyroid things at all, only to fatten her up.

[The Dogmother]

When they get older it really is a question of whether you submit them to the discomfort of tests and the ensuing treatment or just let them live it out happy and cared for. Had this dilemma with my last lurcher who was 16.5 when she was PTS; it's not easy but she had a happy life until it got too much.

[Luvachicken]

Yes I agree. I think that is what we have decided to do with Daisy.

She is already deaf, has cataracts, her lumpy moles/skin tags and her cancerous lump on her leg - plus the new lump kind of on her chest, so who knows what might be going on inside her little body.

All we can hope is that she is not suffering too much.

[Bramble]

Poor Daisy, I am certain you are doing everything you possibly can for her. If she is still pootling about and enjoying life in her own way, then I'd be inclined to just let her get on with it - I'm sure you would know if she was suffering ... give her a big hug from me x

[The Dogmother]

I'm sorry to hear that - you will know when the time comes. I was once given advice by a vet and have found it invaluable... he said to go out of the room, then back in and look at the animal dispassionately is of for the first time and make a list of the issues and weigh up against their general quality of life. It's often hard to think clearly when you are close to the coalface and this has helped me no end of times.

[Luvachicken]

Thank you Bramble and Dogmother for your kind words. I meant to reply sooner but haven't been feeling my usual chirpy self recently.

Thanks again xx

[mimi5]

Luvachicken I think you deserve a big pat on the back for getting your Daisy to 16!!!! I've never heard of a cocker living to such an age!! I have Willow my cocker who is 4 years old and I can only hope she lives as long!!

 

So how is Daisy's appetite now? Willow loves her food....always has, actually she's a bit of a thief given any opportunity!!She loves to sneak up stairs and raid the teenagers bins for yogurt pots, apple cores, crisp packets, etc She has Jameswellbeloved kibble and wet pouch food (just a third of a pouch on her breakfast, bit of a treat!) I can recommend it.