Conference 7.286::canine

    
    Just wondering if anyone might be able to help, or has seen this 
    before,
    
    Cody is a 7month old male Basset Hound. Last week he began eating less
    but it didn't seem like a big deal. Well on friday night he stopped
    eating totaly. He wouldn't eat anything, dry, wet, table scraps,
    nothing. We also began to notice he was dragging his hind quarters when
    he tried to get up, or sit down. He also slept a lot on sunday (very
    unlike a 7month old), he just seemed very tired. 
    
    Well he made 2 seperate trips to the vet, one on monday and one on
    tuesday. He's had x-rays, blood work, and 3 different vets from the
    hospital looked at him and they don't know what's wrong. No blockage,
    no injuries, blood work was fine. 
    
    The vet gave him a shot (something for inflamation) and some
    peneciline(sp?) and told us to try and get him to eat anything.
    So we made boiled burger and rice, eggs, pasta, soup, etc. He just
    walked away. Finally he ate some tuna fish, about 1/4 can. Then this
    morning maybe about another 1/4 can. He seemed a little better, but
    the tuna was still the only thing he went near.  
    
    Hopefully he'll be better when I get home, but we're very worried
    because he seemed to be getting very weak.
    
    Does this sound familiar to anyone? Maybe he's just sick with the flu?
    If he's not eating tonight, we'll be back at the vet tomorrow.
    
    -dave 

    When are puppies were sick, we fed them baby food.

    No suggestions on what might be wrong, but most vets sell diet
    "supplements" for animals that aren't eating (if they are sick
    or whatever).  It comes in what looks like a huge toothpaste tube
    (you give them a "worm" of that a few times a day if they aren't
    eating and it will at least give them their required nutrients until
    they are eating again.  We gave them to our dogs a couple of times
    for various reasons and at least you know they are getting "the
    bare minimum" healthy stuff in addition to whatever food you can
    get them to eat.  I think it is called Nutrical? or something like
    that - the tube is black and white and a little olive or gold on it.
    
    Good luck with your baby!
    
    \Caroline

    	The standard is boiled hamburg or chicken and rice - be careful
    about other "people" food, you don't want to mess up his digestive
    system...
    
    joyce

    If your dog is still not acting right, not eating, etc., then you
    should really go back to the vet.  If he's not drinking as well, then
    he'll need fluid support, etc.  It could be simple indigestion, but
    whatever the cause, he'll need to be supported medically if he doesn't
    start eating/drinking soon.  Best of luck!
    
    Regards,
    liz

I would really like to know how this dog is doing, can you give us an update?

Leslie

    Update:
    
    Well Cody had gotten better after the vet gave him the shot (some kind 
    of Cortisone shot). We got him to eat some tuna, and his energy was
    picking up a little. The vet said to watch him on the 3rd day after the
    shot for a relapse. Sure enough on the 4th day he was back to not doing
    well at all, NO eating, very weak. So the vet gave us the Cortisone in
    pill form last saturday, it took a couple of days but he started
    getting better again. The last two days he's looked like his old self
    again. Barking and running, which he hasn't done in 2 weeks, and
    actually eating canned dog food (and everything else). 
    
    The question is, when the pills run out (still have 1 weeks worth) will
    he go down hill again. This has been a real mystery, it doesn't look
    like it was something he ate, more of maybe a back or bone problem. The
    only problem with that theory is that when he's not doing well he
    doesn't seem to be in any pain, he does drag his hind quarters but it
    looks more like he's exhausted and weak from not eating. That's the
    other thing that's weird, the vet said if it was an injury (bone or
    back problems etc.) that he would probably have some appetite. Cody
    had none. He said there's not a lot of things that would cause a 7
    month old puppy not to eat anything.
    
    So for now things are better, but we're keeping a very close eye on
    him.
    
    -dave

I hope Cody continues to do well after the pills run out. 

Leslie

    
    Update 2:
    
    Cody's pills ran out last friday (he had been on 1/2 dosage the previous
    2 weeks). We should know within the next week if he still has the original
    problem. If he's better he goes on a diet, cause now he's fat. 8^)
    
    
    -d