Dog not eating

mentalist101

Hello everyone,

I am currently minding a Dog for a friend while they are away on holidays. He is a westie mix and is about 4 or 5 years old (He was rescued by my friend about 2 years ago). He has been with me for three days and he is not eating. He would not eat for the first day until I added a bit of mackerel in sunflower oil into his Centra Dry dog food (Its the only food he would eat after he was rescued even after he was given other high grade dog food) and he gobbled that up in seconds. This worked until this morning and he has ignored his food. He drinks a lot instead.:(

I also got him groomed on Friday and and he keeps itching his fur especially around his paws and the pads of his feet look a little red but he walks fine with them. He goes on three one hour walks and he sleeps fine and doesn't wake up to itch so should i be worried?

Thanks

aonb

very worrying when a dog you are minding is off colour. Does the dog know you well - have you minded him before? He is probably stressed in this strange place with someone who is not his human... the paw itching thing might be stress related as well? did he go to his usual groomer? If he did and had the usual procedures done he is probably just stressing, but if it was a new groomer that used different products he might be having a bit of a reaction? Might be worth rinsing his paws well in some warm water.

How long will he be with you? If he is not eating and I were in your situation (but then Im a total softie) I would just give him something/anything that he likes to make sure he eats. Add something else to his food to tempt him if he wont eat the mackeral now. Some scrambled eggs? A bit of chicken cooked up with rice?

Three one hour walks/day seems like a lot for a little dog? Is that his usual regime? Maybe the paws are red/sore because hes a bit tender from walking? Are you taking him on road/paths - is that his usual walk - or is used to grass/fields?

With his history, its probably tough on him to be in a strange environment. Lots of TLC and gentleness will help - good luck!

mentalist101

aonb wrote: »

very worrying when a dog you are minding is off colour. Does the dog know you well - have you minded him before? He is probably stressed in this strange place with someone who is not his human... the paw itching thing might be stress related as well? did he go to his usual groomer? If he did and had the usual procedures done he is probably just stressing, but if it was a new groomer that used different products he might be having a bit of a reaction? Might be worth rinsing his paws well in some warm water.

How long will he be with you? If he is not eating and I were in your situation (but then Im a total softie) I would just give him something/anything that he likes to make sure he eats. Add something else to his food to tempt him if he wont eat the mackeral now. Some scrambled eggs? A bit of chicken cooked up with rice?

Three one hour walks/day seems like a lot for a little dog? Is that his usual regime? Maybe the paws are red/sore because hes a bit tender from walking? Are you taking him on road/paths - is that his usual walk - or is used to grass/fields?

With his history, its probably tough on him to be in a strange environment. Lots of TLC and gentleness will help - good luck!

I haven't minded him before but we got attached to each other pretty quickly. He follows me everywhere and is there at the door or window waiting for me whenever I come back home for his belly rubs. I am actually surprised at how well we get on but he is such a sweetheart, everyone who meets him is so in love with how calm he is. He didn't go to his usual groomer but the groomer I used is very good and used the shampoo my dog is used to and I have rinsed his legs.

I took him to the vet today for his booster shot and the vet had a look at him and his feet and said he was fine. I walk him so much because he is overweight, even the vet was a little worried about his size, he is 18kg and has a fatty lump on his chest:(. I will walk him less and slowly increase the time I walk him so he gets used to it. He does tire very easily and is asleep once we get back from the walks and has his coat brushed and belly rubbed. We walk on both grass and gravel but we spend most of our walks on the grass.

He will be with me for about 6 to 7 weeks. I tried you suggestion and put in some scrambled eggs and his food was all gone in seconds:D. Do you have any suggestions of what else to mix with his dry foods as it seems he gets bored really quickly so I would like to give him something different.

Thanks:)

boodlesdoodles

I have a Westie and he goes through stages of not eating for a couple of days. He would still drink water and have some treats but no proper feeds, with no ill effects. Your guy is probably moping due to the change in circumstances. I know if I go away for a few days my OH would be dealing with a very morose dog. Give him a few days he will be grand just needs to settle. As a former rescue he might find change very stressful. You're minding him well though I would shorten the amount of time in his walks, maybe 3 or 4 half hours during the day.

Try a little bit of cooked liver with his food. I bake it in oven with water so it gives nice gravy and mix his dry food into it. Little bit of chicken and rice is also nice for when they're not eating much.

mentalist101

boodlesdoodles wrote: »

I have a Westie and he goes through stages of not eating for a couple of days. He would still drink water and have some treats but no proper feeds, with no ill effects. Your guy is probably moping due to the change in circumstances. I know if I go away for a few days my OH would be dealing with a very morose dog. Give him a few days he will be grand just needs to settle. As a former rescue he might find change very stressful. You're minding him well though I would shorten the amount of time in his walks, maybe 3 or 4 half hours during the day.

Try a little bit of cooked liver with his food. I bake it in oven with water so it gives nice gravy and mix his dry food into it. Little bit of chicken and rice is also nice for when they're not eating much.

I will take up your suggestion and take him on shorter walks four times a day, hopefully he will lose some of the weight. He is very playful and loves being out and about. He also plays with his toys at home and seems to be well adjusted and he sleeps very well.

He is eating now when I add a bit of warm water in his food and pretend to eat it first, then he gobbles it all as he thinks I might come after it again. He lets me take it from him so he is not aggressive, that is the only way he interested in his food otherwise he just ignores it.

I will try making some liver for him tomorrow to see how he likes that.:)

aonb

sounds like this little chap is very lucky to have such a kind temporary-owner minding him! It will be tough on him having his owner away for so long, but sounds like he is adjusting well - lucky him!/lucky You!

Yes, agree, that too much exercise suddenly might not be the best option - specially if hes overweight - build up very slowly.

Liver in his food wud be great. Any tinned fish (in oil rather than brine). Buy some chicken thighs, and boil, use the water its boiled in to moisten his kibble too. Just moistening the kibble will make it more appetising too. I think they can easily get bored of the same old dry food, specially as you said its not very good quality one. Its prob high in cereals etc, which would cause over weight. Other things to add: grated cheese? probotic yogourt? You will spoil him; his owner might not thank you when he gets back :rolleyes:

Quality

I mind my friends dog when she is away. A pug cross cavalier. Great little chap. Took him for a weekend early on in year and he would not eat any of his dry food for me. Didn't say it to her while she was away and I was cooking up lamb and rice and he would hound u for food from the table. Said it to her when she got back and she said dont feed him anything but dry food and you will see that everytime u are finished eating and load the dish washer he will go to his own bowl and eat.

So I had him for two weeks in june. i used to leave him outside for peace and quiet while we ate. And bring him in when I was cleaning up and he would eat his food.

Clever dog!

borderlinemeath

A lot of dogs are very wary of eating in new environments, it feels new to them, they might be a bit anxious and the first thing to go is the appetite. Once they're settled and happy enough with their new minder and their new surroundings the appetite should come back. That's why it's always good to do an overnight or a socialisation day in a new boarding kennels/staying with friend/relatives as your dog should be happy and confident going in for a long stay, with the knowledge that their owner is coming back to get them.

MonkieSocks

mentalist101 wrote: »

Hello everyone,

I am currently minding a Dog for a friend while they are away on holidays. He is a westie mix and is about 4 or 5 years old (He was rescued by my friend about 2 years ago). He has been with me for three days and he is not eating. He would not eat for the first day until I added a bit of mackerel in sunflower oil into his Centra Dry dog food (Its the only food he would eat after he was rescued even after he was given other high grade dog food) and he gobbled that up in seconds. This worked until this morning and he has ignored his food. He drinks a lot instead.:(

I also got him groomed on Friday and and he keeps itching his fur especially around his paws and the pads of his feet look a little red but he walks fine with them. He goes on three one hour walks and he sleeps fine and doesn't wake up to itch so should i be worried?

Thanks

Hi mental........do you have access to your friends home, if you do, bring some food and your little friend there and see if he'll eat.

A lot of dogs lick their fur after a Visit to the groomers, the red on his paw is mostly from the saliva from his mouth getting transfered to the fur.

Nothing to worry about.
fair play for looking after him so well.

Best of luck

mentalist101

My friend live far from where I do so I don't have access to their home. He also started having sores on his feet and i took him to the vet where he was given some antibiotic injection and I was given some medication to give him with his food as well as to bathe his feet and a spray to put on them. I think it might be caused by the grass near our house as he feels more comfortable on the paths, but with the heat this weekend I am a bit worried. I Don't walk him as much so his feet don't hurt him but otherwise he is a happy lad.

He is still not eating his dry food on its own, I have to add a little bit of warm water in it in order to make him interested as he needs to eat to have his medicine. I only give him treats when I have to clean and spray his paws but he still will not eat his food dry. I made some grilled mackerel as well as lambs liver and chopped them into his dry food and he went crazy for them. He also loved when I added a bit of Organic natural yoghurt to his food, it was gone in seconds and he licked his bowl dry. I don't feed him too much because of his weight and he seems a lot more energetic since he arrived, but I don't want to spoil him by always adding to his dry food but he does need to eat until his medication course is done. If I switch back to just his dry food after his feet are better do you think he will eat then or will he be too spoilt? I love him to bits and I just want him to be healthy and happy

Here is a picture of him...

MonkieSocks

Fair play to you Mental.

Dogs love Lambs liver and the oil from the fish will be good for his coat.

Put some epsom salts and Baby Oil in his water when you are soaking his paw, especially after walk.

You are doing a great job of looking after him, he's a beautiful little feller and probably won't to leave you when it time for him to go home.

mentalist101

Thanks MonkieSocks, I so soak his paws in saline solution after every walk but I don't use baby oil. I will try that so his paws don't seem so dry. Saw a thread with a dogs cracked paws and I don't want that to happen to mine.

aonb

Mental, you do know that this dog (he's such a cutie too!) has you totally sussed and has you wrapped around his paw, dont you?!?!? Once you have given him goodies with his dry food, he KNOWS you are a soft touch, and wont eat the dry on its own again - he just has to look at you and you give him delicious liver and mackeral - result!! Dog 1 Human-softie 0
On a more serious note, since hes on meds and a bit heavy, and the weather forecast is for hot, I would cut back on his walks to just in the cool of the evenings/early mornings

mentalist101

aonb wrote: »

Mental, you do know that this dog (he's such a cutie too!) has you totally sussed and has you wrapped around his paw, dont you?!?!? Once you have given him goodies with his dry food, he KNOWS you are a soft touch, and wont eat the dry on its own again - he just has to look at you and you give him delicious liver and mackeral - result!! Dog 1 Human-softie 0
On a more serious note, since hes on meds and a bit heavy, and the weather forecast is for hot, I would cut back on his walks to just in the cool of the evenings/early mornings

Yep I know how whipped I am when it comes to him. I am good at not giving him scraps from the table even he sits watching and drooling the whole time, but I don't like to see him go hungry especially when he sits at my feet and whines all day.

I will walk him only in the mornings and evenings when it is nice and cool so his feet don't get hurt.

He is a cutie alright but his farts are deadly :eek:

Gremlin

OP the little guy is missing his permanent home. Dogs often go off their food when their owners are away. My fella wont eat if were away for more than a day. I wouldn't worry too much he will come around. He's very lucky to have you minding him. You clearly care a great deal.

mentalist101

Gremlin wrote: »

OP the little guy is missing his permanent home. Dogs often go off their food when their owners are away. My fella wont eat if were away for more than a day. I wouldn't worry too much he will come around. He's very lucky to have you minding him. You clearly care a great deal.

I hope that is all as he will be with me for one more month and I would hope he would get used us enough to eat his own food. Once he is all better I will stick to only his food and hope he gets back on to it.

borderlinemeath

mentalist101 wrote: »

I hope that is all as he will be with me for one more month and I would hope he would get used us enough to eat his own food. Once he is all better I will stick to only his food and hope he gets back on to it.

To be honest, there's nothing wrong with supplementing his food with nice stuff like sardines/mackerel/eggs. Particularly if it's not a decent kibble. The only reason I would stop doing it would be at the owners request.

I always pop a couple of squirts of salmon oil onto fussy eaters food. It's good for them, it flavours an otherwise bland kibble and gives me peace of mind that there's something in their belly. If I were a dog I would get sick of eating the same thing day in day out.

mentalist101

I was going to get the salmon oil for him but the guy at the pet store said it might make him fat which is why I didn't get it as he is already overweight. Will salmon oil make him put on weight?

borderlinemeath

mentalist101 wrote: »

I was going to get the salmon oil for him but the guy at the pet store said it might make him fat which is why I didn't get it as he is already overweight. Will salmon oil make him put on weight?

No, not if used sparingly, just to coat the nuts, not swimming in it. In fact it's good for the joints which as an overweight dog he may end up having problems with.
He's far more likely to put on weight from a high cereal based kibble. High carbohydrate kibble needs to be exercised off, through walking, running, or energy sapping game playing, otherwise it will be converted to fat and stored about the body. Have a read of some of the articles on this site:

http://dogsfirst.ie/light-dry-dog-food/

aonb

OP, since the dog is with you for another month, maybe now is the time to try to change him over to a decent dog food - and a LITE one for overweight dogs!?! Since you are supplementing his food with titbits anyway, you have nothing to loose, and if you can get him to eat dry food other than his poor-quality-convenience-store one, it would be a win-win for him and his owner? Since he seems to like fish, you could try him on a salmon/rice kibble, which is lite and lots of brands do salmon/rice mix... just my opinion/suggestion for what its worth

mentalist101

@Border, I have read the site and will get some salmon oil for him and hopefully that will help his joints and to get him to eat

@aonb, I would love to change his food especially reading the contents of his current kibble but I have three bags of it left and I don't think they will be happy if they went to waste. I will ask but I doubt it.