# Best diet for elderly malnourished dog



## monsters mom (Apr 26, 2011)

I have temporarily taken in a very old stray/lost dog that found her way into my garage last night. Overall she seems to be in rather good health except she is very skinny. I took her to the vet today for a quick scan to see if she had a chip but she didn't so we are going to foster her now. I'm taking her back in later today for complete check. I asked them how old they think she is and they estimated around 12-13 years. I also asked about her diet but neither of us speak the same language and all they told me was "food" haha. She is missing teeth and some of the remaining ones are broken. I've been soaking my other dog's food in water so it would be easier for her to eat but it's puppy food so I don't think it's best for "Grandma Essa" - my 7 year old named her, haha. I also gave her some moist meaty stuff that was given to me. I read online that it was basically filler food and not that good but I was kinda at a loss on what to feed her since she was having trouble with the dry food. Then I got the bright to soak it, haha. 

I have high hopes for finding her owner. She was wearing a collar and I don't think she could have been on the streets for longer then a couple weeks. She has a very sweet temperament and smells much better after her 3rd bath. Her eyes are filmy so I think she has cataracts and her ears smell horrible. 

If anyone could give me advise on caring for an elderly dog I'd be very grateful. I just want to get her healthy and hopefully home to her owners. 

Oh and if it matters she is a small breed dog, not sure what kind. Here's a picture, she's staying in our kennel for now, I don't know how she is around kids or if she has anything she could give our other dog. Plus I think she enjoys having her own little warm spot to rest and recover.


----------



## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Awww, poor thing. I hope you can find her owners. 

Canned food would be best for her, I think. It's more digestible, besides (obviously) being softer. Try to find one without added sugar, artificial colors, soy protein, or wheat ingedients. By-products aren't too objectionable in a canned food (but are best avoided in a dry food), so don't worry about that.

Yeah, Moist 'n' Meaty has high-fructose corn syrup as the second (!) ingredient. I don't think that much sugar could possibly be good for an old dog (or any dog) on a regular basis, but for now I guess at least she'll get some food into her belly.


----------



## monsters mom (Apr 26, 2011)

Willowy said:


> Awww, poor thing. I hope you can find her owners.
> 
> Canned food would be best for her, I think. It's more digestible, besides (obviously) being softer. Try to find one without added sugar, artificial colors, soy protein, or wheat ingedients. By-products aren't too objectionable in a canned food (but are best avoided in a dry food), so don't worry about that.
> 
> Yeah, Moist 'n' Meaty has high-fructose corn syrup as the second (!) ingredient. I don't think that much sugar could possibly be good for an old dog (or any dog) on a regular basis, but for now I guess at least she'll get some food into her belly.


I went to the store and the best canned stuff I could find was Newmans Own organic canned dog food. I was trying to read the ingredient listings and most everything(and there wasn't much) seemed to have a lot of sugar and chemicals I couldn't pronounce. It just seemed like the best choice. I also got some Nutro? Dry food for both of the dogs to use in the adult formula. My dog Chloe really isn't a puppy anymore, haha. I'm going to keep offering both to her.


----------



## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

Bless you for caring for her. I'd say a nice, smushy canned food. I wish I could remember what was smushy but the only one I remember is Eagle Pack. Buy a few different kinds to see what she'll eat. Will you update us please?


----------



## luvntzus (Mar 16, 2007)

I was also going to say canned food. If you can get it, Merrick has an extensive line of very tasty canned foods. One of them is called Senior Medley.

http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/canned_dog_food_132.php?u=&ss=&c=15&submit_group=0


----------



## monsters mom (Apr 26, 2011)

InkedMarie said:


> Bless you for caring for her. I'd say a nice, smushy canned food. I wish I could remember what was smushy but the only one I remember is Eagle Pack. Buy a few different kinds to see what she'll eat. Will you update us please?


Oh she's doing great! She is eating well. I'm feeding her canned food and mixing it with dry food. I've been mixing it in a bowl ahead of time and leaving it in a covered bowl in the fridge. It softens the dry food so she can eat it and stretches my budget, haha. She's been eating up a storm and is pretty aggressive about her bowl so I keep her's away from my other animals. I read that food aggression is common with strays and she's getting better about it as time goes on. I think she's realizing that it's not going anywhere. She's moving around easier and really enjoys our walks. She's getting friendlier and tolerating my kids more. She doesn't exactly welcome their attention but no longer growls when they come near. She let my oldest pet her yesterday for a good while. I've found she prefers men. She crawled in my husband lap last night which is the first time she's actually looked for love instead of allowing it. She gets very excited when he comes home.

I've made no progress in finding her owner. I did get in contact with several places that are checking their lists of missing dogs though. No word back yet but I'm still hopeful! 

One thing is concerning me though. When she pees in her kennel she will drink it. Why on earth would she do that?


----------



## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

monsters mom said:


> Oh she's doing great! She is eating well. I'm feeding her canned food and mixing it with dry food. I've been mixing it in a bowl ahead of time and leaving it in a covered bowl in the fridge. It softens the dry food so she can eat it and stretches my budget, haha. She's been eating up a storm and is pretty aggressive about her bowl so I keep her's away from my other animals. I read that food aggression is common with strays and she's getting better about it as time goes on. I think she's realizing that it's not going anywhere. She's moving around easier and really enjoys our walks. She's getting friendlier and tolerating my kids more. She doesn't exactly welcome their attention but no longer growls when they come near. She let my oldest pet her yesterday for a good while. I've found she prefers men. She crawled in my husband lap last night which is the first time she's actually looked for love instead of allowing it. She gets very excited when he comes home.
> 
> I've made no progress in finding her owner. I did get in contact with several places that are checking their lists of missing dogs though. No word back yet but I'm still hopeful!
> 
> One thing is concerning me though. When she pees in her kennel she will drink it. Why on earth would she do that?


You can make a nice stew with the kibble, canned and some warm water, my dogs loved it. As far as the drinking the pee, I believe that is her age and possibly dementia (yes, dogs can get it). My deceased foxhound did that as well.


----------



## MagicRe (Jan 8, 2010)

from the way you describe her, i'm not so sure i'd be looking for her former owners....and she's doing so well by you...i would not think she is twelve years old...

she looks a little like a shiba inu, is she? 

when humans starve, they will drink their own urine....i wonder if that's why....and maybe when she has had enough fluids for a consistent amount of time, maybe she will stop. in the meantime, it won't hurt her, since you know what she's eating, so you know what she's exreting...

she picked the right garage.


----------



## monsters mom (Apr 26, 2011)

MagicRe said:


> from the way you describe her, i'm not so sure i'd be looking for her former owners....and she's doing so well by you...i would not think she is twelve years old...
> 
> she looks a little like a shiba inu, is she?
> 
> ...


I'm trying to get her set up with a foster dog system right now. We just can't keep her, I'd love too but she is snappish with kids. I have a 2, 3 and 7 year old who don't understand that she doesn't want loves, haha. She had an episode last night with vomiting but I think she was nervous and overheated. We had a big typhoon blow through and lost power for two days. It was really hot and muggy without heat which I don't think agreed with her tummy. Plus the storm was quite scary, very loud and ripped our yard to pieces. 

I don't think she's a shiba, not a full breed at least. Maybe a mix. I've just lumped her in the oki-mix category, haha. She doesn't look that old to me either, she's in great health. It's just her poor teeth that are showing her age.


----------

