Another vet visit with not so great news.

[PhilT]

We did find King would lay in places he hadn't before your proberly correct he might be feeling a little uncomfortable, hopefully when he can get rid off some off the water retention from his tummy it will make him more comfortable, also maybe the reason he isn't hungry feeling full up, still better fluid retention in the stomach than in the lungs thats the other way it develops, glad you had a peaceful night and can picture him resting by the fire keeping you company .

 

[MyBuddy]

Dreaming of his younger days when he ran like the wind!

 

[obbanner]

Sorry to hear Buddy is having issues. You gave him a good life.

The last four or five months of Cooper's life, I cooked him skin-on chicken breasts or thighs and put them in the blender. I hand fed him and he ate it.

God bless.

 

[MyBuddy]

Sorry to hear Buddy is having issues. You gave him a good life.

Thank you, Art. I might try that with the chicken. He does like chicken! LOL And he loves the pumpkin! Eats it rught off the spoon. But it's just scary that recently I see and feel his backbone more than ever before. Even though at the vet he weighed 94 lb! I know a lot of that probably was water and possibly even all these benign tumors that he has. They probably weigh something! Some of them are quite large. But I look at that backbone and it's terrifying. My last Doberman died of Leukemia and I can remember her last days she had the same look to her backbone.

 

[WiglWerm]

Sorry to hear Buddy is slowing down...but what a lucky boy to have had a wonderful life with you and your family.

 

[JanS]

I'm glad he's eating something for you and I refuse to think he's anywhere near his final days. Like I said in another message, not all heart problems are DCM unless your vet specifically diagnosed it as such. Many heart issues can easily be controlled with the right meds and limited exercise.

 

[PhilT]

How is Buddy today, did you have a fairly peaceful night and is he eating anything today, hopefully the medication is having a positive effect, have you spoken to the vet's yet today.

 

[strykerdobe]

@MyBuddy Playing catchup here. Sorry to hear about Buddy. Sending lots of prayers.

Yes Heart meds can make them feel sick so they will not want to eat. Also the fluid build up in the lungs or abdomen. At least they can drain the abdomen.

Watch salt intake.

Maybe add in Organic raw egg, Beef or chicken Bone broth which have lots of good vitamins.

 

[MyBuddy]

but if Buddy seems to like raw I recommend Stella & Chewy's premade raw frozen dinner patties.

I may look into that. Where's the best place to get it?

I stopped at our grocery store today to pick up a tube of Freshpet to entice Buddy to eat. He loves it. This mornings meal was a struggle but he finished. Gave him some raw chicken in the afternoon and his evening kibble was a mix of ground veggies, raw egg, coconut oil and chicken broth. He gets 3 chewy vitamins that he always loved and now leaves behind. I cut it up in tiny pieces and mix in to be sneaky.

I get nervous when I see his backbone and I think now his hips!


Its so difficult to tell weight with all the lumps and still 94lbs at the vet. Of course that could be water retention too but still. He backbone worries me a bit. I don't like a fat dog, but a skinny one is worrisome. You can take food away easily. But making a dog eat can be a trial!

 

[Lizbeli]

I get why you are having a dilemma with his weight. From the photos on the first page he looks thin when you look at him from above. But his side profile doesn’t look bad. I have seen quite a few old dogs who were just boney. Even cats too. My neighbor has a very old cat that looks like a skeleton. But he is so happy and cuddly. Has no indication of discomfort or suffering. Sometimes I think its just part of being an elderly animal.

Seems like you are managing his feedings. Not sure if was already mentioned, but is there some high calorie food/paste that you can try?

 

[PhilT]

Did you speak to the vet yesterday, i know its difficult when Buddy not eating very well but exleast he is having some food which is good, things like the broth and vegetables with the eggs are all good even if it takes him longer to eat your giving him all the right food, is his mouth still causing him a problem? The water retention causes a false weight King was 53kg when he was first diagnosed and not eating like Buddy, he now 43 1/2 kg and eating up to six times aday but has not got distended stomach, so hope Buddy starts to loose the excess water and feels more comfortable, @strykerdobe has mentioned they can drain the stomach off some offer the fluid we did have our vet do this to King didn't seem to stressful to him and didn't take long , we left him with them for about 2hours and it really helped, might be worth asking.

 

[MyBuddy]

I get why you are having a dilemma with his weight. From the photos on the first page he looks thin when you look at him from above. But his side profile doesn’t look bad. I have seen quite a few old dogs who were just boney. Even cats too. My neighbor has a very old cat that looks like a skeleton. But he is so happy and cuddly. Has no indication of discomfort or suffering. Sometimes I think its just part of being an elderly animal.

Seems like you are managing his feedings. Not sure if was already mentioned, but is there some high calorie food/paste that you can try?

Did you speak to the vet yesterday, i know its difficult when Buddy not eating very well but exleast he is having some food which is good, things like the broth and vegetables with the eggs are all good even if it takes him longer to eat your giving him all the right food, is his mouth still causing him a problem? The water retention causes a false weight King was 53kg when he was first diagnosed and not eating like Buddy, he now 43 1/2 kg and eating up to six times aday but has not got distended stomach, so hope Buddy starts to loose the excess water and feels more comfortable, @strykerdobe has mentioned they can drain the stomach off some offer the fluid we did have our vet do this to King didn't seem to stressful to him and didn't take long , we left him with them for about 2hours and it really helped, might be worth asking.

Thanks. I know sometimes it just is an elderly animal. The loss of muscle tone can make for a skeleton like look. It can be a little distressing to look at.

I feel he has lost a lot of the water retention. His bloated stomach seems to have gone down and he's still on the water pills.

As for high calorie food that's one of the reasons I'm trying this freshpet and maybe some other pre-made frozen food. I figured he was going to like this and he does!

He had a quiet night last night. Went out to potty again around 10 p.m. and stayed asleep till I got up at 5:30. We went outside and I gave him some kibble with a little chicken broth and he turned his nose up. Sleeping by my side as we speak. Will try again later. I don't like to eat first thing in the morning either.

 

[AnnV]

I may look into that. Where's the best place to get it?

Sorry for the delay, I get the patties at PetPeople. They are super convenient, and Bedja LOVES it. There are several different proteins to choose from.

 

[MyBuddy]

Sorry for the delay, I get the patties at PetPeople. They are super convenient, and Bedja LOVES it. There are several different proteins to choose from.

Going to take a ride to our doggie Boutique and see if I can get those!

Tonight's dinner went well with his usual kibble, (a cup instead of 2) a Raw egg, his chopped up vitamins, chicken broth and this

 

[AnnV]

Going to take a ride to our doggie Boutique and see if I can get those!

Tonight's dinner went well with his usual kibble, (a cup instead of 2) a Raw egg, his chopped up vitamins, chicken broth and this
View attachment 113865

Glad to hear tonight's meal was successful. It is indeed stressful for us when they don't have normal appetite, and much relief when they do eat some.

 

[Rits]

Keep it up Buddy. Mommas givin you the good stuff!

 

[PhilT]

How is Buddy today not been blown over in the winds I hope proberly curled up in front off the fire not daft these dobies, has he been eating any better with the fresh pet food ?

 

[MyBuddy]

Feels like we're living in a hurricane today LOL and I don't like it one bit. Everything is blowing, all the trees are moving and roof tiles are coming off our roof! I've been letting the dogs out the front because the winds are hitting from the back of the house but it's still scary because rhere are a lot of trees closer to the house out front and I'm so afraid something's going to come down. But the dogs have been going out and doing their business quickly and coming back in. Buddy ate good today once I gave him all the raw goodies! Going to give him a midday meal of that soon. Last night I took him out at 10 p.m. and again when he woke me up about 11:30. But then he slept the rest of the night until we got up at 6. He is so sneaky with where he poops and I haven't actually gotten to look to see how they are. I guess it's kind of private about that. LOL

I think a lot of the water retention is gone. And you can see from this picture that he does look a little thin, right?

 

[Rits]

Feels like we're living in a hurricane today LOL and I don't like it one bit. Everything is blowing, all the trees are moving and roof tiles are coming off our roof! I've been letting the dogs out the front because the winds are hitting from the back of the house but it's still scary because rhere are a lot of trees closer to the house out front and I'm so afraid something's going to come down. But the dogs have been going out and doing their business quickly and coming back in. Buddy ate good today once I gave him all the raw goodies! Going to give him a midday meal of that soon. Last night I took him out at 10 p.m. and again when he woke me up about 11:30. But then he slept the rest of the night until we got up at 6. He is so sneaky with where he poops and I haven't actually gotten to look to see how they are. I guess it's kind of private about that. LOL

I think a lot of the water retention is gone. And you can see from this picture that he does look a little thin, right?
View attachment 113882

Yes he is a little thin but not bad. Honestly he looks ok for his age and what he is going through. The muscles are going to be less, the fat will be less, and the coat a little dull. Java looked similar. I think he looks better now than the first pic you showed, so the extra care and nutrition is certainly helping!

 

[MyBuddy]

Yes he is a little thin but not bad. Honestly he looks ok for his age and what he is going through. The muscles are going to be less, the fat will be less, and the coat a little dull. Java looked similar. I think he looks better now than the first pic you showed, so the extra care and nutrition is certainly helping!

Thanks Amanda. I'm going to try giving him just a little more food in the afternoon. Kind of split the meals up kind of like @PhilT is doing. Like I said, I can't stand a fat animal. But when they get too thin it makes me panicky. Only because I know how hard it is to get someone or an animal to eat when they don't want to. It seems so easy when you're healthy. But when you don't feel good, you don't want to eat. But he's eating good with the Raw so we will continue.