My elderly dog will not eat chicken, beef. I even tried soup----any suggestions?

Question

She sleeps most the time---btw---she is 15 yrs old.

To Mayor Steve----she will not eat dog food anymore. I was told her feed her gr beef and rice but she won't eat that anymore either. She is part collie, about 54 #. I have tried ground up chicken --she refuses that too. I will get out some lunch meat and see if that works. I have called the vet many times---this is very hard for me.

btw---I am willing to feed her anything that she will eat---maybe she will eat tuna, I plan to try that. Thanks for all your suggestions---I cannot possibly pick a good answer because they are all good, except for Mayor Steve.

15 yrs old==54#===equals 93 in human years. There is a chart at the vets that I got this info from.

Answer 1

Have her to the vet, have her mouth examined for tooth or other problems. When my old guy stopped eating it turned out that not only did he have a rotten tooth, he had a tumor on the roof of his mouth that was causing him pain when he ate hard food.

Try canned cat food. Many older and sick dogs will eat this since it has a soft texture and a strong odor and taste. For my guy, I mixed it with water for a more soupy consistency.

If she continues not to eat you must consider whether it is fair to let her continue like that. I'm sorry, it is never easy to make these decisions.

Answer 2

I boil chicken with rice, no seasonings or salt. My old man (he is 12) will eat it. He has lost most of his teeth and the soft rice is easy on his stomach.
I chip the chicken up into tiny pieces and cook it to a mush.
You can try that, mine also gets Nutracal once a day, as a supplement.

Note to Mayor Steve, after 15 years, she is NOT JUST A DOG, if that is how you feel, you need to answer in other catagories. You don't know sh*t about dogs !!!!

Answer 3

Most of these suggestions are excellent - I would add a couple of things however - has your animal been to the vet lately?

How long has she been refusing food?

She may be sleeping most of the time because she has been unable to eat - this is a drain on energy resources.

How are her teeth? Teeth which are dark brown may require cleaning - teeth which are in poor condition can affect organ functioning as well as make it difficult to chew.

Has she been involved with other parts of her daily life? Has she been able to participate in her favourite activities?

One of the best pieces of advice I've heard about assessing "end of life" issues is this:

think about two or three of your dog's favourite activities - whether it be running in circles wildly around the yard or chewing a favourite stick - basically anything that your dog did with zeal!

watch your dog - does she still enjoy one or two of those things?

perhaps when you observe that these three cherished activities no longer provide some joy in her life, you might consider making one of the most difficult decsions ...

All that said -
1. look at her teeth, are they stinky and rotten? if so, it may be that she's unable to eat due to pain. remember that teeth which have not been taken care of can affect organ function.

2. talk to your vet. has your vet seen your friend before? perhaps they are familiar with your animal and can help you with your observations and counsel you appropriately. even if you are new to a vet, their expertise may shed some light as to why your friend isn't eating.

3. consider end of life issues - she is an older animal. this may not mean she's ready to die, but it never hurts to prepare for that eventuality.

In the meantime, perhaps you might try to feed her a diet of high-fat, plain yogurt mixed with a canine supplement like Missing Link. The yogurt will help her digestive system and the supplement may provide her with nutrients she is missing by not eating. If you find that she is taking this, you might try putting some rice in there - its an efficient source of carbs that she might need for a bit of an energy boost.

good luck.

Answer 4

I went through this year before last. Mine was 16 and it was to the point where we would give her anything she wanted just to get some food in her. We tried all types of human food, then believe it or not, it was the canned sloppy dog foods she went for. Pork was the most successful human food. (Yes I know pork is very bad for dogs but we were nearing the end.) She also liked eggs scrambled in the microwave. Just make sure you let the egg cool off first - even stir it with your finger to check for hot spots.
My prayers are with you.

Answer 5

you don't say what breed your dog is - but 15 is an advanced age for any breed. The best thing you can do for her is buy her a good quality food made for geriatric dogs. Maybe get a recommendation from your vet for a good brand.

Good luck with her!

Answer 6

No, But i did try and many times to eat soup with a spoon, especially if a soup is thick (you can thicken the soup effectively by adding some flour). It takes more time, so I enjoy it longer

Answer 7

Have you tried dog food with water to make it soggy? Otherwise I would take the dog to the vet. 15 yrs old is like 72 years old in humans.

Answer 8

Many old dogs just lose their desire to live anymore. They are far from puppyhood and know it. They are often in joint pain, and can't move without it, and just lose the will to live. 15 is a long life for a dog.
Perhaps it is time to prepare yourself.

Answer 9

First of all ,,,have you tried checking your dog's teeth?...sometimes they won't eat due to dental problems....and if that's not the case , try baby food. I did that with my dog and sweet potatoes worked the best

Answer 10

your vet should be able to offer some type of diet for her that she will try to eat. I ahve personally used a can food called R/D.
It is a special diet food offered by vets. Good luck