My mixed-breed, Betsy, is 16 years old. She's right at 25 pounds and
looks like a brindle fox. She still goes up and down the stairs (more
than she needs to) but her hearing and sight are fading and she's lost
a few of her side teeth. (I always cleaned her teeth pretty
regularly.) Generally for her age, she's in good shape. She gets
excited for treats and asks for cuddle time, but usually doesn't
realize that you've come in the front door so she does miss out on
that excitement.

The problem is that she is too thin and has some new-ish behavior at
meal time that I don't understand so she skips meals frequently.

All four of the dogs are fed twice a day in the same order in the same
spots. Betsy eats the same dry foods that we've fed her for years,
but soaked in water for at least 12 hours so it's only slightly less
soft than canned food. Sometimes Betsy doesn't notice that feeding
has started and she'll show up a little late. There are some meals
where she'll wolf her food down in a minute or 2, and other times when
she'll sit there, sometimes shivering in a nervous way, sniffing at
the food but not eating and sometimes coming back to us like she's
asking for something. We tried feeding her off of a plate instead of
from her dish in case she is having trouble using her front teeth to
get bites but that just seemed to confuse her. Sometimes we repeat
the feeding ritual (pick up the food, walk into the kitchen, then go
back to her rug and have her sit again and put the food back down) and
she will nose at it but still not eat. We put a sweater on her in
case that was the cause of her shivering (but knowing that that is not
the case) but she spent lots of her time rubbing against things trying
to get it off. We don't want to complicate feeding time by using
extra food enticements because it throws the other dogs off and
because the teens in the house won't do anything that's too much
effort. Besides, she usually likes what she has.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Am I missing something? I would
love some ideas. Our goal is to get some weight back on her and to
ease her distress.

Thanks.

In article
,
Lyne wrote:

We don't want to complicate feeding time by using
extra food enticements because it throws the other dogs off and
because the teens in the house won't do anything that's too much
effort. Besides, she usually likes what she has.

Charming kids. What compassion!

Have you had her to the vet recently? If her stomach isn't feeling well
(which could be caused by a large number of things) she may not want to
eat even though she'd like to.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"Lyne" wrote:


Am I missing something?

I can't think of a tactful way to say this:
Apparently, you're missing the sense to realize that your elderly dog needs
to go to the veterinarian and have a full screening check-up. There are a
number of serious health conditions which could be causing that behaviour,
including renal failure and cancer.

Sheesh.

On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:45:13 -0800 (PST), Lyne
wrote:


The problem is that she is too thin and has some new-ish behavior at
meal time that I don't understand so she skips meals frequently.

All four of the dogs are fed twice a day in the same order in the same
spots. Betsy eats the same dry foods that we've fed her for years,
but soaked in water for at least 12 hours so it's only slightly less
soft than canned food. Sometimes Betsy doesn't notice that feeding
has started and she'll show up a little late. There are some meals
where she'll wolf her food down in a minute or 2, and other times when
she'll sit there, sometimes shivering in a nervous way, sniffing at
the food but not eating and sometimes coming back to us like she's
asking for something. We tried feeding her off of a plate instead of
from her dish in case she is having trouble using her front teeth to
get bites but that just seemed to confuse her. Sometimes we repeat
the feeding ritual (pick up the food, walk into the kitchen, then go
back to her rug and have her sit again and put the food back down) and
she will nose at it but still not eat. We put a sweater on her in
case that was the cause of her shivering (but knowing that that is not
the case) but she spent lots of her time rubbing against things trying
to get it off. We don't want to complicate feeding time by using
extra food enticements because it throws the other dogs off and
because the teens in the house won't do anything that's too much
effort. Besides, she usually likes what she has.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Am I missing something?

Yes, you're missing quite a lot. At her age, a vet checkup should be
your first step. Start with a senior blood panel, add anything else
the vet's exam or the blood work indicates. This is new behavior for
her, so you should rule out a physical cause.

Even if there is no illness causing her finickiness, don't you think
that a 16 year-old dog deserves some extra consideration? If extra
food enticements are what it takes to get her to eat, give her extra
food enticements. The other dogs will get over it; they're dogs,
things don't need to be "even" or "fair" for them. (I have an 11
year-old Borzoi with two life-threatening conditions that cannot be
fixed. She gets a can of food every morning, because she loves it and
because she won't be here much longer. The other dogs see and smell
it and I'm quite sure they'd all love some, but they don't get it, and
everything is fine.) The teens in the house won't do anything that's
too much effort? That's why teenagers aren't in charge of the world.
Teens won't do what's necessary, teens lose privileges. Or you feed
your dog.

In article ,
sighthounds & siberians wrote:

I have an 11
year-old Borzoi with two life-threatening conditions that cannot be
fixed. She gets a can of food every morning, because she loves it and
because she won't be here much longer. The other dogs see and smell
it and I'm quite sure they'd all love some, but they don't get it, and
everything is fine.)

Yup - Lucy has been getting canned for the last year, to benefit her
kidneys. She isn't a picky eater ;-D. The other 2 dogs just seem to
accept that the food put in front of them is the food they will eat.
Not a lot of option around here.


The teens in the house won't do anything that's
too much effort? That's why teenagers aren't in charge of the world.
Teens won't do what's necessary, teens lose privileges. Or you feed
your dog.

Wouldn't a lesson in compassion be lovely? Put down the cell phone,
step away from the computer/Wii/DVD, whatever, and take a few extra
minutes to help a beloved pet that has been with them their entire
lives. Maybe they'll turn into decent human adults.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

Get her checked at the vet. Maybe she's got some problem with her
teeth or her stomach? My oldest dog had some really heavy problems
with one of his teeth that was cankerous.