Pups going off their food

[allie_jane]

Hi there,

More questions / queries from the puppy place.

Our two pups have got very poor in their eating, especially Tess.

This really started over a week ago when they got wormed (with powders from the vet), as you'll know from my other post, Jake was pretty sick, but Tess wasn't too bad.

Over the last 3 days Tess has really stopped eating well, she will pick at her food, eating maybe no more than 10 little pieces of kibble.

I know your not meant to but after 2 day's and her ribs beginning to show we hand fed her, she had a few more pieces but really isn't interested.

She is drinking fine and seems to have energy, we thought it might be due to less exercise than they need (can't go out yet) so we played with them for hours last night, running around and so on, but still she isn't interested.

The only thing I can think of is that putting the powders in their food put them off it.

Do we persevere, or do we change their food, I don't like the idea of fussy dogs but her weight loss is so upsetting.

Jake is eating more but not like before.

Oh the worry.

Allie x

[Jack]

It's not uncommon for dogs to take against a certain brand/flavour of food. There are 2 schools of thought on this some say leave it - they'll eat if they are hungry but my attitude is bum to that I want my dog to enjoy their food so I feed them what I KNOW they will like and eat. Weight loss is a worry so you can either try another brand OR make this more tempting by mixing in some well drained Tuna (use the one in Sunflower oil never the one in brine) or some chopped cold meat or drizzle with bovril/marmite (LIGHTLY) or a little Olive oil or a little gravy - should get their taste buds going again
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[John Thomson]

I would suggest that they don't find the kibble very appealing.......as jack says try a little gravy to flavour it.
If they are happy to take small pieces if chicken or meat you will know if they don't want to eat anything.........or just the kibble..........at this age you want them to have a healthy appetite.

John
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[allie_jane]

Thanks for your suggestions, we will try the gravy tonight and see how that goes.. we were thinking of adding in some dog meat, but I have my doubts on the quality of some of the brands.

They will both wolfe treats down, so we know it wasn't an illness.. I just didn't want to encourage fussyness.. mind you I wouldn't fancy what they were eating either.

Just for info, it was Bakers puppy food which we moistened with boiling water.

Would a bovril stock cube work for the gravy - or is it too salty?

Allie

[Suzanne H]

Our dog had collitis as a puppy and we had a terrible time keeping weight on him. He still loses his appetite suddenly - usually when his routine is upset.

At Xmas when there was a lot of upheaval to his routine, he was missing breakfast and eating grass and I don't pander to him - he gets a chance to eat it or loses it...but he was losing weight, so we tried him with some Chappie (easy to digest) for a few days, then put him back on a different flavour of JWB and he lapped it up and is back to normal.

[allie_jane]

A friend uses Chappie mixed with kibble for his two Rhodisian Ridgeback puppies and they love it.. mind you if you gave them dirt in a bowl they would eat it..

13 weeks old and the size of a small lab...

[Jack]

Personally I'd use Gravy Granules Allie as you can then make the gravy as thick or thin as you wish - thick is better as it's more tasty for them plus won't turn the kibble to mush, stock cubes are (i believe) higher in salt content so avoid them.

If you wish to feed dry then perhaps switch to Chappie complete (my lot LOVE the beef but don't like the chicken) and it is very kind on dogs with sensitive tums (which my lot ALL have) plus it's not overly expensive AND contains all the necessary nutrients. My lot don't like Bakers at all - they'll only eat the moist meaty chunks and leave the rest no matter what I smother it in so I stick with Chappie biccies now
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[allie_jane]

I put bovril in boiling water on the dry food and they wolfed it.. so relieved.

I'm going to change from Bakers and give the Chappies dry food a chance.

Are they too young to start adding the olive oil and giving them eggs, I don't want to upset their stomachs too much.

Thanks for all the advice.. I just want happy healthy rollypolly little puppies...

Allie

[Jack]

Olive Oil is OK to give them even now Allie but only a teeny bit - no more than 5 ml at the very most each and just once a day.

Eggs are fine for puppies too......unless they have an egg allergy (like my Ella does). Also excellent for pups is a small amount of cheese given once daily, cut into teeny chunks, as a supplement to aid bone development. If worried about excess salt in their diet you CAN get low-salt cheese


Brilliant that the bovril tip worked by the way!!!
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[Ann, John JJ and Kyle]

We use trophy food which doesn't have animal derivatives in it and is delivered to the house. Mary who delivers it would give you a sample to see if the puppies would like it. They also do a wet food in a tin for sensitive tummies. PM me if you would like her contact details. She is in Cumbernauld also. Details of the food is on the notice board at Westfield Hall where the training is held.

[lisaann80]

Hi allie

My nine month lab Rolo was exactly the same, going off his food, only eating it out of my hand etc. I initially had him on Bakers puppy but he went off it. He is now Burns and at one point he stopped eating it too. I tried everything putting water etc into it to moisten it and that worked for a while. he then stopped eating that too. Now his is still on the burns dry and i put a small fork full of meat into it and mix it through and it work a treat. I was worried about giving meat like you but a tin could easily last me 4/5 days as i only use a little. I think just the smell is enough to make him enjoy it. Now the food does not last long in the bowl!!
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Lisa & Rolo

[allie_jane]

Happy to report that 3 square meals later, Tess is filling out again nicely.

Dinner last night has some olive oil which they both loved, and for breakfast this morning I used the bisto gravy granules for a thick meaty gravy..

The both loved it and I'm a happy owner..

I will try them with some scrambled eggs at the weekend, and once they have settled into eating again I'll introduce the cheese.

So grateful to everyone for your advice and tips, can't wait to meet you all at the classes.

Allie

[Janis]

great to hear they are eating well again!..............we can all worry like mad!
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Cockapoo's...a little of this, a little of that..........
the perfect combination!

[Jack]

BRILL news!!!!


Talking of lunch - I am being schmoozed by a client shortly so catch you all later.xxxxx
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[allie_jane]

Just an update on the food situation with the pups.

Although the both ate better with the bovril and gravy, it only lasted for a day or two..

Taking advice from lisaann80 and from friends we bought a tin of chappie and added a fork-full to their dinner.. Oh my god the change was amazing.. they both devoured the food. Before they had been kind of delicate when they ate, but now they push the bowl round the kitchen in the vain hope that more will magically appear.

That's been going on for about 7 day's now and they both seem happy and healthy.. Tess has filled back out and Jake's coat is beautiful and white.

Next injection in a week so hopefully I'll have nothing to worry about till then.. the stress is too much.

Thanks everyone.

Allie