Pavlov Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 I don't know if this belongs here it in the health section. I apologize if I got the wrong one The other day the vet diagnosed my dog with a UTI and have me special food to help him. For the past few days I gave him a mixture of the new food with his old. Today I wanted to start switching to only the new food, as the vet recommended. When I tried it, though, he took a few bites and refused to touch it further. Normally he eats anything he can and eagerly finished the mixture. After today's reluctance I tried giving him some of the old food , which he ate. I then added some of the old to the food he had left in his bowl. He sniffed it a bit and walked away. Now he's suspicious of any food and is reluctant to eat his old stuff. He's missed two meals today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 How about a little more information? What is his old food, what sort of ingredients, texture, etc.? What is the new food, ingredients, texture, etc.? Knowing this might help people give more informed suggestions. Meanwhile, is there any reason you couldn't "jazz up" the new food with a little bit of broth, gravy, or other flavor enhancement? Perhaps something that he can't resist but that will only contribute a very small part of the meal? After all, the special food won't do any good if he doesn't eat it. By the way, what is the rationale for a special food for a UTI? Generally, those are treated with antibiotics and, if the root cause is something else (a pH imbalance or a form of crystals in the urine), then a diet that helps produce the right pH and/or prevent the formation of such crystals can be a good aid to solving the problem. UTIs are pretty uncomfortable, and I'm glad you are working to help your dog get over this. They tend to be less frequent in males than females so I'm wondering if some sort of crystal formation is part of the problem. How old is he? More than two meals a day for anything but a youngster is a lot of meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSW Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Something like that happened to me with my old border collie. The situation was almost identical, except I was mixing chicken and rice with kibble. Both he loved and I was transitioning him back to the kibble after an episode of diarrhea. After mixing it so it was almost 50 percent kibble, suddenly neither product was any good, no matter how I dressed it up or if I gave either separately. He went on a food stike for a while and lost weight he did not need to. I kept trying different yummy looking dog foods, but if he liked it one day, he would not the next. At the vet's recommendation, I gave up on any dog food and cooked for him. The vet told me what foods I could use and the internet was also useful in telling me what to avoid. It took at least 2 weeks before he would eat either of the 2 other foods again, but then he ate them readily. He was old and suffering from kidney problems which can affect appetite. Also deydration can be a factor. Make sure your dog is taking in plenty of water. After that episode Choco did not have anymore appetite problems. I wonder if the UTI or any medicine is putting your dog "off" on food. I would try something totally different. My vet said aroma was important to getting him eating again. He said let it cook and the room smell like the food before feeding him. And of course it worked to put it in "people bowls." Smart dog, but he was 16, so he deserved a bit of spoiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass C Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 When one of my dogs won't eat, especially after being sick, I will put something extra in their food, such as broth, a little shreaded cheese, fish oil, a little wet food, some boiled meet, or whatever will entice them to eat. On the other hand sometimes you just need to wait them out. If they are an adult it won't kill them to miss a meal or two, and a healthy dog won't starve themselves. They may wait until they just can't take being hungry anymore before they eat. Also is it possible the new food is too hard or something and watering it down may help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlov Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Thanks for the replies. He's only five months old, so it's not that his body is falling apart or the food is too hard. I had been giving him Taste of the Wild puppy food and the vet prescribed Hill's kibble designed to help with urinary problems along with antibiotics (he was developing crystals) After posting last night I noticed that his abdomen was strongly bloated and recalled that one of my roommate's cat's toys had been missing for a couple days so I called the vet. He said to make sure the dog has plenty of water and to bring him in in the morning if things haven't improved. He seems no better this morning so we'll take him in when the clinic opens. This is even more frustrating because I recently decided to take out insurance for him. However, it's a busy holiday season now so the insurance won't be processed until Sunday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Here's hoping all will be well! Small toys, which are excellent for cats, can be hazards for dogs so you and your roommate will have to closely monitor their use. Depending on the type of crystals can be of several different types, and diet is a contributing factor. What type of crystals did the vet find? You might be able to research and prepare your own diet for him or possibly find a more palatable alternative to the Hill's. Very best wishes! PS - I hope more people chime in with advice as I am sure there are folks here with experience with this issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMP Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Salmon oil makes my dogs think anything is edible. It's power is sometimes frightening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMP Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Oh, good luck with the cat toy business. I bought the puppy's insurance on the day she had her rabies shot. Which was also the day I casually mentioned she looked like she had a slight hitch in one hind leg. Several thousand dollars later and it turns out it is a "pre existing condition" because I mentioned it the vet in morning and the insurance request did not go into head office until the afternoon. Yep, I kid you not. Bastahds, as we say around here :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlov Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 We're careful about the cat toys - my roommate keeps them out of reach and we lock the dog in my room when it's the cat's turn to play. If he did eat it (which I'm thinking is likely) then it would have been when our third roommate opened my door and Pavlov ran out while the cat-owner was cleaning up after playing. I chased after him and didn't think he had the time to eat anything, but I may have been wrong. CMP - I had a similar idea. I saw he was walking and running funny so I immediately began looking up insurance and didn't mention a word to the vet yet. If that is an issue, and even if it's covered, that makes three separate medical instances (two probably major) within a couple weeks. I've already warned him that he's not allowed to even cough for the next five years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlov Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 This is great. I just got home from work to find that his swelling went down considerably and his appetite is back. He also ate a nice book and has bad gas, but that's much better than what I had feared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxi Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 This is great. I just got home from work to find that his swelling went down considerably and his appetite is back. Must be a real relief He also ate a nice book and has bad gas, but that's much better than what I had feared Was the book on dog training? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Okay, sounds like he's real chewer of things he should not chew! You might want to consider crate-training (if you haven't already) and using his crate as a safe place where he can be confined with safe toys/chews when you are not there to supervise him. There are many topics concerning this (it has great advantages for many other situations) and you can locate them by using the search function at the top of the index page. Pups and young dogs are a great reminder to pick up your stuff and put it away! Saves your stuff and can save your pup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Struvite crystals often form in the presence of infection and do not necessarily even need to be treated. They resolve themselves when the infection is taken care of. In any case, make sure your pup is getting plenty of fluids so the crystals are flushed out of the bladder often. You may want to consider adding a cranberry supplement for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlov Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Must be a real relief Was the book on dog training? No. If he could learn through ingestion I'd happily buy him as many books as he wants. Okay, sounds like he's real chewer of things he should not chew! You might want to consider crate-training (if you haven't already) and using his crate as a safe place where he can be confined with safe toys/chews when you are not there to supervise him. There are many topics concerning this (it has great advantages for many other situations) and you can locate them by using the search function at the top of the index page. Pups and young dogs are a great reminder to pick up your stuff and put it away! Saves your stuff and can save your pup! He's usually fine. The family that I got him from crate trained him but I don't really have room for one in my apartment. Instead, I tie him to a heavy trunk in my room and I've cleared away anything dangerous nearby. He's usually fine - the only other time he chewed on a book was on his first or second day here. I think this case was that he hadn't eaten in over 24 hours and dragged the trunk over to the bookcase. But his big weakness is the cat toys. If there's one nearby I can't keep his attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Are there toys you can get for the cat that are puppy safe? Or could you keep the cat toys in an area the dog can't access. Having lost a dog to surgery for blockage, I would be EXTREMELY careful. Unfortunately, it does happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlov Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Root Beer: Unfortunately the cat is very particular and has no interest in dog-safe toys (he can be a bully. Maybe he sees this as another fun way to antagonize the dog). As I mentioned above, we keep the cat's toys out of any pet's reach in my roommate's room and I lock up the dog when the cat is playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Your puppy sure is a cutie. I have not dealt with struvite crystals in a dog, but have a cat who has had them. I inherited the cat last year when my partner died. On the advice of a vet, my partner had been feeding Mingo the Hill's special urinary crystal diet for years. When I got Mingo he was obese and screamed to be fed constantly. I read the ingredients on the special diet bag of food and immediately threw it into the garbage. It was mostly byproducts and chemicals - horrid stuff. I went online and researched and found out that. for cats anyway, the most recommended thing these days is a strictly grain-free diet and lots and lots of water. I put Mingo on grain free and put water on the kibble at each meal so he has to drink the water in order to eat the kibble. Almost immediately he stopped demanding food all the time, and in a month he had lost 7 pounds. His coat improved, he is more active, he is lean and looks great. My conclusion is that, while he had been getting fed a great deal of food (he was fed whenever he asked for food), the diet food is of such poor nutritional quality that he was always hungry no matter how much he ate. I would suggest avoiding that special diet food. I sincerely doubt that the dog food is any better quality than the cat food is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSW Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Here is a twist. My vet did NOT recommend the Hills Science Diet for kidney disease when I asked about it. He said most dogs do not find it palatable and I would be thowing my money away. I realize this is different from the UTI diet, but it was still an interesting comment from a vet. Instead he gave guidence on what the dog could eat. I also found the internet very helpful in determining the dietary needs for a special condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Royal Canin and Purina both make veterinary diets. My cats (generally pickier than dogs) always willingly ate the Purina vet diets, so if you need a vet diet and you find the Hill's isn't palatable, ask your vet about one of the other brands. **Sometimes the vet diets do make a huge difference, and so if your vet recommends one, you probably should find a good alternative or make a diet at home to get past whatever issue the diet is being prescribed for. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 I was avoiding offering an opinion on Hill's and I'm glad others have expressed their thoughts on it. Junk at a high price... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass C Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sometimes if I have a coupon I will just buy grain free Hill's to mix with wet food and shove in a kong... The dogs won't eat the stuff plain, but with a little wet food they have no problem eating it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 FWIW, many years ago (I'm talking like 35+ years) my friend who's a vet told me Hill's was crap food. She refused to sell it or to ever feed it to any of her animals. I suppose it could have changed for the better by now, but she still won't use it, so I kinda doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 No, it hasn't changed for the better, not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlov Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I remembered looking up foods when I first got the dog and being unimpressed with what I read about Hill's. But he's had urinary trouble for a while and I had been giving him Taste of the Wild grain-free food with a lot of water. Unfortunately there aren't many options around here (and I don't have the time or money to cook him his own food). Aside from the one worrying day he eats the stuff without a problem. Hopefully he'll get over the condition quickly and we can go back to Taste of the Wild, which he goes crazy for and is the best available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlov Posted October 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2014 After doing better for a few days, Pavlov suddenly got much worse. He wouldn't touch any food, had no energy, and threw up repeatedly. After a visit to the vet and the hospital, it turns out that he had swallowed a couple objects. They say he's doing better now and I should be able to pick him up on Friday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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