# Our dog starving herself while we were on vacation



## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

We just got home from being gone about twelve days from our dog. When we picked her up at the dogsitter's house (liscense doggy care), she didn't even come to greet us. The woman got her and handed her to us. She seemed in a daze. All the way home she just laid down. She is a Yorky, Llapsa, Pekineese mix so she is a small normally five pounder. Tried to force peanut butter in her last night. Got some in. Took her to the vet this morning because she was still not herself. Has some potty accidents also. Vet said she has some blood in her stool due to the stress of us leaving her. If she doesn't eat in 24 hours, she will have to be hospitalized. We have gotten a little hamburger in her this afternoon and a tiny bit of steak tonight. She is still weak. Has anyone had this happen to them?


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Poor doggy. My first dog wouldn't eat if we left her at a boarding kennel.....we had to have friends come in and even then she didn't want to eat. 

Try some chicken or turkey baby food (check the label---no onion or garlic powder), that usually gets them to eat. Maybe some extra-yummy (i.e. stinky) canned cat food will help, too. I don't know why, but dogs alway like canned cat food a lot more than canned dog food.


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

my dog starved himself on vacation WITH US last year. not to that extreme but he lost a LOT of weight. when he stays with people he tends to eat better than he does at home because he's worried the other dogs will eat his food.

hope your poor dog feels better soon


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## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

I would suggest getting a product from your vet called nutracal.... it will help stimulate the appetite if your kid hasn't eaten in a while.... it is a gel in a tube and the dogs like the taste of it and it is high calorie and may get her system going again.... 

good luck 
s


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

good suggestion! that stuff is like candy for dogs  we had to give it for a while and he'd lick it right out of the tube.


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## sw_df27 (Feb 22, 2008)

my step uncles old dog starved himself when he was deployed for 6 months the first time and couldn't take him with him the poor dog wouldn't do nothing he died cause they couldn't get him to eat or drink I'm not sure if he was kenneled or what not


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

Well we have given her parts of steak, peanuts off ice cream (she loves that), and a few other delicacies. She is perking up a little. Not her normal self yet but hopefully soon. Our vet's office called today to check on her.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

I am so sorry to hear your dog refused food at the kennels. What I don't understand is why the dog sitter let it go on for 12 days without a vet visit. It's good to hear she is getting her health back and I'm glad the vet called to check on her. Does she like canned food, possibly you could entice her with that. The vet has A/D (canned food) which is high in calories etc and fed to very ill pets to get them started eating. Sending lots of good thoughts that she will be back to her normal self soon.


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

ditto to the above! I would have appreciated a call or gladly paid for a vet visit if my dog wasn't eating for that long.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Wow, that is appalling! Why didn't the pet sitter call you or take her to the vet? I am looking forward to a vaction next week with my dogs left home and the older one is having trouble eating NOW. Sort of putting a damper on the whole thing. Anywho, try scrambled egg with butter. Try canned green tripe. Cook some pork or beef _especially_ for her. Food tastes better if you are being spoiled. She seems to like warm food better. Not looking forward to warm tripe. At all.


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

Well the woman told me that she did eat some - it was a hit and miss. I did e-mail her about what is going on and she says to keep in touch. Hmmm

She does seem a lot better today. Ate spagetti for breakfast and wanted more so we gave it to her. Right now she is eating a doggy treat. She will probably get so spoiled that she won't ever eat her regular food again. She is still kind of weak. She did follow me around the backyard (which she didn't yesterday) and looks at me to get up on the sofa and the stairs (guess she can't hack that yet).


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

Snuggles said:


> *Well the woman told me that she did eat some - it was a hit and miss. I did e-mail her about what is going on and she says to keep in touch. Hmmm*
> She does seem a lot better today. Ate spagetti for breakfast and wanted more so we gave it to her. Right now she is eating a doggy treat. She will probably get so spoiled that she won't ever eat her regular food again. She is still kind of weak. She did follow me around the backyard (which she didn't yesterday) and looks at me to get up on the sofa and the stairs (guess she can't hack that yet).


Yeah right, stay in touch. LOL I would board her at your vets next time you leave. 

I'm glad she is doing better, although I can't say much for her diet. LOL I guess whatever works. I would try getting her back to her regular diet the sooner the better for her. If she were my dog I would have her into the vets for a well check and do a blood panel just to see that all her organs are working properly. 

I hope she continues to improve and will be back to normal very soon.


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

We did take her to the vet's the day after we got home. He did a blood work and said there was blood in the urine due to stress. If she did not eat, then they would hospitalize her.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

OOPS, I should have gone back and reread your original post... Sorry. I'm glad the blood work was okay. 

Your baby is a cutie and I hope she is back to herself soon. ((cross fingers))


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

I'm not sure that stress would cause blood in the urine?

As far as the diet, as our vet said when our dog wasn't eating... anything is better than nothing at the point when they're starving  Hopefully she perks up soon.


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

She is now eating better but I think she has a urinary infection. Seems to have a few accidents (none today that I know of) but when I looked at her yesterday, there was some cloudy stuff down there. She keeps licking herself so I am guessing that. Have a phone call into the vet now.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

That doesn't sound good, please let us know what the vet says.


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

He put her on a urinary infection medicine. Will use for 48 hours and see if it clears us. Pray it does.


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

did he collect and test any of her urine?


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

Thanks for the update, this poor baby has been through the mill. I will send positive thoughts that the antibiotics will work and she'll be back to her old self very soon.



Annamarie said:


> did he collect and test any of her urine?


See post #13. I'm assuming he did test the urine.... However, you know what assume means.


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

Update - she does seem to be back to her old self. She did try to jump on the bed and missed. She doesn't have the full spring but does do stairs now. To compare her to last week at this time, she is 90% better. Just got back from a walk with her and she was out front again. A few days ago, she was dragging. I have only seen her lick herself once today. Don't know if I am missing something. She is noticing her "dad" come home from work and bouncing when he does. Keep fingers crossed.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

She has been through a lot, and it's going to take her awhile to get back to her normal self. I have faith that she will do just that. Aww it's good to hear she's excited to hear Daddy returning home. My fingers and our paws are crossed in CA for her.


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

Thanks. She has always been a fussy eater and she didn't eat much of her dog food tonight but she has had other things today (thanks to my husband).


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

How is your dog doing today? I hope she is back to her old self by now.


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## Snuggles (May 1, 2008)

Thanks for asking. Her energy level seems to finally be back on par. She is jumping on furniture like she use to (she is allowed on it). Still giving her medicine for a urinary thing. She has had a few accidents but not sure if it is due to my daughter not waking up and letting her out or what. We never see it happen. She is right by me now and just jumped up next to me.
She feels a lot heavier than when we picked her up and she was like a dishrag. Probably getting too fat now. LOL


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

Thanks for the good news update. I'm happy to hear everything is going well.

Take care,


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