Looking for advice please

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Hi,

I have a 12 yr old Yorkie (actually half Yorkie half human) he got the last of his teeth out last Thursday, normally he used to eat dried nuts but since last week I've been giving him boiled chicken and rice. My issue is this, he'll only eat out of my hand won't eat from his bowl. Otherwise he's in fine form enjoying his walks etc

Should I keep hand feeding him for a few more days or should I let him feed himself or starve?

I started putting his nuts in with the chicken and rice since yesterday but I make sure they are soft before giving it to him.

I know this sounds pathetic, but I want him around for a good few years yet and just want to do what's best for him. He has no other health issues btw

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

DBB

Aw, poor lil guy!
I'd suggest steering clear of dry food for some time to come, even it it's been steeped.
As what you're feeding is fine for short-term convalescence but not longer term, I'd suggest you use a complete wet food such as Naturediet (which you'll get in many pet shops), or Aldi have a reasonable quality chicken and veg terrine dog food in right now that, whilst not absolutely top class, seems seriously palatable and easy to lick and eat (it's called Jake's). Smearing some into his bowl, and gradually moving him towards the bowl with your food-smeared fingers, should help to encourage him to use his bowl again.
But do give him time, I'd imagine he's feeling pretty uncomfortable, particularly when it comes to eating.

tk123

The dog mightn't be able/know how to eat from the bowl now so I wouldn't be starving them thinking it will solve the problem. My dog had a tumour 7 months ago and had to get the front corner of his lower jaw removed on 1 side. He still has problems with his bowl sometimes and we have to either loosen the food in the bowl or take it out and hand feed it to him. He'll stand crying at the bowl telling us he can't get get the food out Even before the surgery he had to have biopsies taken in the weeks leading up to it and had problems eating and drinking when he was still a bit sore. He's raw fed so I added water to mince and it was almost like soup for a few weeks before and after the surgery.
You may need to experiment with different bowls too - he's normally fine with the big bowl we have for him and only a small amount gets stuck but he was in for X-rays a while ago at our vets and loads of the food was stuck all around the edge of the bowl they had there because it was much smaller and there was a kind of lip around the edge.

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Thanks for the advice.

I wouldn't really starve him, I was wondering was it pampered pooch syndrome or just still sore cause apart from hand feeding him he's in top form. I've already tried a few different bowls for him. I'm happy to feed him by hand till he fell able to feed himself.

Dbb is that pet food a special in aldi or do they have it all the time? I'll head there in the morning to stock up!

tk123

now online wrote: »

Thanks for the advice.

I wouldn't really starve him, I was wondering was it pampered pooch syndrome or just still sore cause apart from hand feeding him he's in top form. I've already tried a few different bowls for him. I'm happy to feed him by hand till he fell able to feed himself.

Dbb is that pet food a special in aldi or do they have it all the time? I'll head there in the morning to stock up!

Don't worry we what you meant! Not that you'd have him banging his bowl off the presses for food lol You could maybe soak the dry food and mix it into a paste if you're stuck for wet food?

DBB

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Dbb is that pet food a special in aldi or do they have it all the time? I'll head there in the morning to stock up!

It's one of their specials, they're tubs of food rather than tins, with a yellow and white cardboard sleeve I think it cost €1.19 for a 400g tub.
I bought a couple of them yesterday just as a treat for my pooches, they love it! But do stock up as I'm assuming it won't be there much longer

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DBB wrote: »

It's one of their specials, they're tubs of food rather than tins, with a yellow and white cardboard sleeve I think it cost €1.19 for a 400g tub.
I bought a couple of them yesterday just as a treat for my pooches, they love it! But do stock up as I'm assuming it won't be there much longer

Got the food in Aldi today, he's eating it himself as I post! Thanks so much

DBB

now online wrote: »

Got the food in Aldi today, he's eating it himself as I post! Thanks so much

Ah great! I bought more of it today too because my pooches liked it so much, and though it's not the very best you can get, it's not bad either. Hopefully it'll get your fella back to his old eaty self soon

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Hi again, more advice please! Poochie isn't back to himself yet, on the way to the vet now because he's constipated. I'm not sure if it's the food that's not agreeing with him or just an upset tummy.

Going forward long term diet wise any recommendations? I don't think nuts will be an option for him.

Other than food he seems to be in good form still enjoying and begging for his walks.

Thanks again

DBB

I'd go for a complete wet food OP... Definitely not the tinned stuff you buy in supermarkets, you'd probably be best ordering online. Some choices include Naturediet (which is also available in some pet shops), or Rocco, Rinti or Lukullus, all of which are probably best value on zooplus.ie, though zooplus.de tends to be cheaper but you've to spend more to avail of their free delivery, and you need to get Chrome to translate the website!
All of the above have a high meat content, plus some other mix of veg, rice, pasta etc. For an ageing dog, try to get some oily fish into him (will he eat tinned sardines, salmon or tuna?) as they're great for mental health

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Thanks again DBB

I give him Tuna twice a week for the last few years, even though he's 12 he's a young 12 if you know what I mean and I want to keep him that way!

Can you buy the dog food you're recommending off the shelf in a pet store? I'd like to buy just a few to see how it works out for him before bulk buying.

Meanwhile my cocker/springer cross is loving his leftovers, she's now refusing dry nuts(if he's getting something why can't I kind of thing)

I have one that's only eating from my hand and the other that would eat my hand!

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Just back from the vet, poor thing has an infection in his gums, no wonder he wasn't eating.

shaymus27

I don't think vets are great with food but if your dog has had all his teeth out they should have given you advice on what you should be feeding your dog.

Dogs can get constipated when they have an infection and may need a bit of help in that respect. Ask your vet. A vet recommended a human product for my dog, can't remember the name but you get a large bottle for 3 euro maybe less. Cheaper and as efficient as an expensive gel. I used a syringe to carefully squirt the human liquid laxative in to the side of his mouth, not straight down his throat.

I don't know anything about the wet foods but I have an impression the cheaper ones may have preservatives in them, I don't know. The dog has to eat something but I wouldn't give my dog a tinned dog food. Know nothing about wet food these days but saw a programme about a well known tinned dog food years ago and I wouldn't give tinned dog food again. Maybe there are higher standards these days.

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Thanks for that Shaymus,

he's doing much better now, at the moment I'm giving him the Jakes wet food as recommended by DBB, he's living it and I'm well stocked up.

To be fair to my vet he's brilliant, it was the infection in his gums that caused him to refuse food, my other dog is on nuts and this morning he even had a nibble of them!