Maisie Not Eating

[LindaMC]

Is anyone else having a problem with their Cairn not eating?  I know it's summer and Maisie has always shrugged off breakfast in the summer but would always eat in the evening but lately, she'll walk over to her dish, sniff at it, turn and look at me and then go lie down.  I've tried adding all kinds of things to her kibble, wet food, cheese, soup, carrots.  She was eating part raw, part kibble  for a while and I'm wondering if that's the reason why she's snubbing her kibble now.  I feed her Taste of the Wild High Prairie, which she always loved.  I've also tried other food like Fromm, Natural Balance, Merrick, but she won't eat it.  She still wants treats though, will eat treats all day long.  She's become such a fussy little girl, she use to love pumpkin, coconut oil, yogurt, but now she won't eat any of those.  Should I use tuff love on her....just pick her dish up after 15 minutes and not feed her any treats until the next meal and then do the same thing?  I worry about her not getting enough nutrition.  I can't afford to keep feeding her raw at this time, plus she won't eat any organs and that defeats the purpose of her getting all her nutrients.  I'm at a lose right now.  Any thoughts or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

 

[sanford]

49 minutes ago, LindaMC said:

  Should I use tuff love on her....just pick her dish up after 15 minutes and not feed her any treats until the next meal and then do the same thing?  I worry about her not getting enough nutrtion.

Yes, pick up the dish - but my first concern would be - is there something wrong with Maisie that only a trip to the vet for blood work, etc. would reveal? Plus, it would be an additional expense for you. 

Alternatively, others on this site have used "tuff love" that you ask about and it worked for them. I don't think any of us like withholding food, but considering that up to now, Maisie has been regularly fed and well-nourished, a few days of no food shouldn't harm her.

Ive been through this with Ruffy and in addition the the frustrations you mentioned, I got so tired of laying out money for bags/cans of food that went uneaten! In our case, his appetite returned when I switched to raw/frozen a few years ago, but i realize you fed raw in the past and it's not an option now. Perhaps Maisie liked that raw food so much that nothing else will now suffice for her!? If that is true, she'll eventually get over it, so hang in there!

Edited June 24, 2016 by sanford

[LindaMC]

She's been to the vet for her yearly check up and heartworm/flea and tick tests and the vet didn't seem concerned about her not eating.  She says a lot of dogs will stop eating in the summer months due to the heat and where she's not getting as much exercise as she does when it's cooler out.  I will hold out on her food then by picking it up after 15 minutes if she doesn't eat it.

I tried feeding her the frozen raw by Vital, the chicken with veggies, etc. and she seemed to like it at the beginning but then she stopped.  It is tiring going through all this food.  She lets it sit there and then I have to throw it out due to being all dried up.  How long can they go without food before I should start getting concerned?

[sanford]

8 minutes ago, LindaMC said:

.... she seemed to like frozen raw Vital at the beginning but then she stopped.  It is tiring going through all this food.  She lets it sit there and then I have to throw it out due to being all dried up.  How long can they go without food before I should start getting concerned?

1. I commiserate with you re liking food at first, then losing interest. I seriously wish the manufacturers would make sample sizes!

2. You don't have to let uneaten food dry out. When you pick it up after 15 minutes, cover and refrigerate it for the next meal. If Maisie refuses it again, you can throw it out, but at least, you've only wasted one meal, not two.

3. Don't know how long to go without food. Maybe the vet or others here  can answer that.

[LindaMC]

6 minutes ago, sanford said:

1. I commiserate with you re liking food at first, then losing interest. I seriously wish the manufacturers would make sample sizes!

 

I totally agree with you, sample sizes would be ideal.  Taste of the Wild use to do it, but haven't seen any lately.  Thanks for you input, I really appreciate it.  Maisie's the first dog I've ever had that isn't a total shameless lush.  My Labs of past years and my Shepherd would eat anything, I do mean anything.   She's such a stubborn little Cairn and I love her to pieces....

Edited June 24, 2016 by LindaMC

[Hillscreek]

Possibly too much choice might be part of the difficulty, especially since none of them seem to be the raw food which is not an option at the moment.

I don't have this difficulty with greedy Angus who has never refused any food but I have had with other dogs in the past. I did the routine above. Choose a food you think good for her that you can afford and stick with that. I use kibble mixed with water and a wet topper. I would put food down, then pick up after a few (very few, about five) mins. Save for next meal. I think dogs can go several days without food if they have water. Also I would stop all treats. Maisie will not starve her self. After a few days when she is really hungry I think you will find she will eat. Maybe just pick a bit at first, that's fine. Continue to pick up the meal after a few minutes - she'll get the message. This may seem a bit harsh but it will not harm her unless she is ill which she doesn't seem to be.

[Hillscreek]

Possibly too much choice might be part of the difficulty, especially since none of them seem to be the raw food which is not an option at the moment.

I don't have this difficulty with greedy Angus who has never refused any food but I have had with other dogs in the past. I did the routine above. Choose a food you think good for her that you can afford and stick with that. I use kibble mixed with water and a wet topper. I would put food down, then pick up after a few (very few, about five) mins. Save for next meal. I think dogs can go several days without food if they have water. Also I would stop all treats. Maisie will not starve her self. After a few days when she is really hungry I think you will find she will eat. Maybe just pick a bit at first, that's fine. Continue to pick up the meal after a few minutes - she'll get the message. This may seem a bit harsh but it will not harm her unless she is ill which she doesn't seem to be.

[pkcrossley]

nobody likes to see this, but in most cases the cause is benign. if she is eating treats, it is probably not her teeth. ifshe will eat peaut butter or cheese, it is probably not a true aversion to eating. does she normally graze, or get fed only at meal time? i certainly agree with everybody who suggests giving her 15 minutes and then picking up the bowl. if it is kibble put it back in the original bag and seal it, to try to keep it fresher --putting it someplace out of reach but still exposed to air will make it stale and then more unattractive. if maisie is drinking, peeing and pooping normally then she is probably just having you on. offer the kibble, then take anything left away, repeat, and she will probably start appreciating the kibble again. 

[LindaMC]

Many thanks for all the suggestions.  I am now on day two of putting kibble down and picking it up after 10-15 minutes.  The last time she ate anything was Thursday evening and then she only ate about 1/2 maybe less of her food.  Nothing all day yesterday and this morning when I put her food down, she went over to it, sniffed it, then turned and gave me the stink eye and walked away.  So glad to hear that they can go several days without eating.  She will eat treats, which I slipped and gave her a couple last night due to worry but no more.  Nothing wrong with her health, teeth are in great shape, she's just being stubborn, holding out for something she likes better, I believe.

This is so hard.

[pkcrossley]

yes, 72 hours would be a long time. it is 48 hours since thursday and you said she will eat treats. if she is drinking and pooping you can hold out a bit longer before taking her for an exam. my only concern would be a blockage but if she is eating things she really likes and pooping that is less a worry. she is a cairn, so she thinks she can outlast you. she will hold out longer, i expect, than any other breed. if you gave her treats only last night, that is a set-back --she now calculates that she almost has you where she wants you. 

you can try feeding something different (either different kibble, or pumpkin, or some rice with chicken broth), as long as it is not her coveted treat. important to follow the same routine (probably forever): put it down, and then take it away (pumpkin or rice will save very well if covered in the refrigerator). in other words, there is no object in insisting that she eat her old kibble and only her old kibble (once you have convinced her you will not be giving in to her hunger strikes, she will probably eat the old kibble without a lot of problems). 

at least you know you got a real cairn. 

Edited June 25, 2016 by pkcrossley

[LindaMC]

I really don't think that there is anything wrong with her health, she is pooping and drinking plenty of water and does want treats, however, if it gets to be too much longer, I will bring her back to the vet.  Her vet does seem to be on the same page.....take up food after 20 minutes and not feed til next meal.  

This has been going on for a little while now, where she will eat what she likes and snub off everything else.  She loves raw but I can't afford to feed her raw at the present time, not to mention that she will not eat any organs which has to be part of the raw food diet,  so I'm trying to get her to eat her kibble, which she use to love.  If I were to give her a chicken back right now, she would devour it.  I have chicken paws in the freezer and she loves them but she can't survive on chicken paws alone.  I want to get her back to eating her kibble and then as a treat, I can give her a chicken paw.....they are good for her, they contain lots of natural glucosamine / chondroitin and the bone is good for her teeth. 

At the present time, this is a battle of wills....

[Autumn & Lola]

Can you just put a tiny bit of raw food on top or mixed in her kibble?  I've had three dogs of my own, and all have been rather fussy eaters. Since they were/are all girls, I like to think they are watching their girlish figures.   Lola will sometimes go for weeks without eating her breakfast. She rarely snubs her dinner but does on occasion. Sometimes if I sprinkle something she really loves on top, she'll eat her meal. I know from personal experience, as I've been on a high raw vegan diet for three months, that when I eat something that is not raw vegan, it's tastes a bit weird/artificial to me now, and not nearly as good as I remembered. Maybe Maisie feels the same. I'm sure she'll get used to the kibble again.

[sanford]

32 minutes ago, NoNonsense said:

...A healthy dog loves to eat...Those raw diets can wreak havoc on the GI system, ground up raw bone can cause a blockage. 

Yes, a healthy dog loves to eat, but this question is re a dog with no other obvious health issues, refusing food for only several days, while accepting treats at the same time - something that many, if not most of our dogs have done at one time or another. And to be sure, a vet visit is warranted if the issue persists.

The opinions of best/worst diets is ongoing and has taken up many pages here.To date, it seems that depending on the dog, any diet has benefit/risk factors.

It would be helpful for us to know what risk-free diet you recommend. Thanks!

Edited June 25, 2016 by sanford

[LindaMC]

I'd really prefer not to get into a discussion on raw vs kibble, as Sanford stated this topic has taken up a lot of space on this forum and others with each person having their own opinions.  Raw food, which is a species specific diet, has many benefits and has shown to promote health in dogs including healthy teeth.  Maisie did great on raw and of course, I was always there to observe her while she was eating anything with bone and I would never give her ground up bone, only bone in chicken, such as backs, thighs, etc..  Her teeth are as white as they were when they first grew in and she is 3.5 years old.  If I could afford it and she would eat organs in order to get the correct ratio of muscle meat, bone and organs, I would keep her on a raw diet for the rest of her life.  This is just my opinion and I would never try to push my beliefs on anyone else.

Maisie is healthy and happy as of right now, per her vet who gave her a complete check up about 3 weeks ago.  Going forward if she continues not to eat, I will be taking her back to the vet, however; I would like to give her some time, as I just began picking up her dish after 15 minutes.

I appreciate your comments and welcome your advice.

Edited June 25, 2016 by LindaMC

[Hillscreek]

No diet is risk free as you say NoNonsense, whether it be some kind of raw, home cooked, or kibble and who knows what quality kibble is? Six or seven people will give you six or seven answers - and should it be fed with or without a topping  or water  or......................... Good dog food means many things to many people and good dog food is often different depending on breed, health, age, and multiple other factors.

We know you are doing the best you can for Maisie LindaMC. Dear little puppy Maisie now all grown up. Good luck and keep us updated

 

[LindaMC]

Great news, Maisie ate her supper this evening .  I put down her regular Taste of the Wild High Prairie kibble with a little bit of Natures Variety Instinct Rabbit Formula wet food mixed in and she devoured it.  She acted like she wanted more so I indulged her, however, once she got side tracked by my husband, who called her out in the yard to play and I put the 20 minute no play, no running or swimming til your food digests, she never went back for seconds.....    I am completely satisfied with what she ate and hope that it's a sign of better meals to come.

 

[remltr]

That is good news.

Do you feed dry kibble? If so, try pouring hot water into the bowl and then draining it off. I do that for Sassy and she devours it every time. It is a low cost experiment. If it doesn't work, you have only wasted one meal.

[Malcolm's Dad]

Good for Maisie. Hope she continues to eat her dinner whatever food it is. In the hot summer Malcolm will ignore his kibble for dinner. Nothing is wrong with him I just think the heat takes away his appetite. Sounds like she didn't like the change of food but then got hungry enough to eat.

[sanford]

On June 25, 2016 at 3:15 PM, LindaMC said:

...as Sanford stated this topic has taken up a lot of space on this forum and others...

When I re-read my post, this statement came across as sounding dismissive and I never meant it to be... I apologize if it sounded rude; that was never my intention.

What I should have said was that due to ongoing interest the topic of food/feeding, Bradl has created a dedicated sub forum on this site, where more detailed, good info can be found!

Edited June 26, 2016 by sanford

[Sam I Am]

Sanford you never sound dismissive.

[hheldorfer]

3 hours ago, Terrier lover said:

Sanford you never sound dismissive.

Nope, you didn't sound dismissive at all.  Plus, you're right:  We should take advantage of those sub-forums Brad set up.

[pkcrossley]

"The deciding factor as to whether or not to put him down was appetite.  He still loves to eat!"

i like to see that. so often people feel obliged to make decisions about their pet's "quality of life" based entirely on human perspective. a dog that eats is expressing himself: he wants to live and is congratulating himself on surviving.  go me.  

[Sam I Am]

PK not sure if a good appetite indicated a will to live in all cases. I know for us the day we euthanized Jock was one, no I will honestly say, the hardest thing I had to do. He was in a lot of pain, kidneys had started to shut down, his little body was full of cancer, and yet he never turned down a meal. Even that day. He stood by his bowl wolfing down his last meal, little legs trembling with the effort to still stand. A true terrier, no doubt about  it.  When  we reached the vet clinic, he was very calm, and was ready to leave us...but with a full tummy. 

Edited June 29, 2016 by Terrier lover

[pkcrossley]

i don't say the dog's opinion should overrule everything else! i do say any dog who eats --when not eating is nature's way of ending it for any of us-- is expressing an opinion, an unmistakable one. the relationship with a pet is that we are responsible, we see the big picture, we have to live with our actions afterward. dogs don't make their own euthaniasia decisions and i don't think they should. for those willing to consider the dog's opinion, eating means a willingness to go on. that doesn't mean it is mandated. we are the responsible ones, that is the nature of the relationship. 

[Sam I Am]

Totally agree PK. especially the last sentence. We are the responsible ones and must end  any suffering.