Hi All
Hope you can help. My westie aged 11yrs is not well. Has not eaten in 3 days. Keeps bringing up yellow bile. Have tried to tempt her with cooked chicken & rice, scrambled egg, home made chicken soup. She just sniffs it and walks away. Went to the vets last night, and must say was not impressed. Didn't seem interested that she wasn't eating, said she would eat when she was ready. I asked about any supplement foods they sell that I could try and his answer was if she wouldn't eat the chicken then she wouldn't eat the supplement food. I told him that she had been rubbing her mouth on the right hand side, he checked in her mouth and said yes it was a bit inflamed above a back tooth, but didn't think it was that. He seemed more interested in having blood tests and said it could be her liver or kidneys??? he couldn't do the blood tests then and asked us to go back Monday, he said as long as she was drinking ( I have been adding glucose to her water) not to be too worried. Well that is an under statement, I am beside myself worrying. I just want to get her to eat, but am at a loss as to what to try next. Thought maybe I should try a bit of white fish. Is there anything to stimulate her appetite. He gave her 2 injections which don't seem to have done any good. I'm going to a different vet, was not impressed with him at all.

You could try her with steamed white fish, cottage cheese, bananas, fruit smoothies etc - if there is inflammation to the gum then obviously it's possible that she is in some sort of pain.  The trouble with starving herself of course is that she is more likely to produce excess acid in her tummy and go on from there to feel sick, progressing to being sick :( :( :(

There are a number of medical causes which can lead to dogs not eating and presumably these are what your vet wishes to look further into with bloods.  However I can fully understand why in the meantime you want to alleviate her symptoms and hopefully tempt her appetite.

There is an OTC gentle appetite stimulant - names escapes me, begins with a "p" from memory :rolleyes:   I'll try and find it and post back shortly :)

HTH meantime,  Teri

PS name of tablet for appetite is "Periactin"

Teri
Thanks for your reply, I am so worried and just wish she would eat something. Will get some fish tomorrow and try that. How long can they go without eating?

TBH, much depends on the state of general health.  At your girl's age she's becoming elderly and it may be that she has problems which could be exacerbated by certain diet ingredients - often these are proteins :(  However low dosage of high quality protein is not too much of a concern.  If you can tempt her with fish, cottage cheese etc then add in some over cooked rice or thoroughly mashed potatos (unsalted, no dairy added).

That said, in the absence of tests advising against a particular route, I'd still want to get her taking in some nourishment so anything you can get her to eat is hopefully better than nothing at all.  I've found some warmed carrot and corriander soup to be a fave for a convalescing dog who had no interest in even the most mushed up solids. 

But I'd still want to see a vet, even if a change of practice, on Monday - or before that if she's appearing to deteriorate.

Please keep posted on her.  Good luck, Teri

Although your vet could certainly have explained things better to put your mind at rest, your westie seems to be getting the standard treatment for the symptoms. Blood tests would certainly help to pinpoint or eliminate certain conditions. You're doing the right thing by keeping her drinking - dehydration is to be avoided. You can make a rehydration solution with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt in a litre of water. Dogs can go for at least a week without eating without coming to any harm, so try (not easy, I know!) to put your mind at rest over that one. I expect the injections were anti-inflammatory and anti-biotic, so if she has an infection they'll be making a start at treating it. What's her temperature?

In the meantime you could try offering her a little boiled white fish, or get a tin of Chappie (original flavour). Most dogs find that irresistible! Good luck with her - I know how worrying it can be. If only they could tell us what's wrong, and not make us have to guess.

Hi WendyD
It's so worrying when they won't eat, you have my sympathies.  Have you tried her with a biscuit?  I have found that sometimes they can be tempted by a digestive if they are feeling a big fragile.
Best of luck

Hi All
Thanks for your suggestions, nothing worked and she was admitted to the vets earlier today. They have put her on a drip as she was dehydrating, and they have given her anti biotics and something for the sickness. I phoned about an hr ago and they said the hydration was up, but she had been sick again. He said obviously she was still feeling sorry for herself, but hopefully by morning they hope to see some improvement as they want to do some blood tests. It tore at my heart strings I can tell you having to leave her there, but I know she is in the best place. God I hope she is going to be alright. I will keep you posted.
Wendy

Hi Wendy
Oh, I'm so sorry, poor little soul and poor you. 
Thinking of you
Carina

Oh dear it must be a big worry :(

I do hope she will be ok :)

Lucy
xx

Hi Wendy,

One of my girls went right off her food this year and I tried everything. I even tried feeding her jars of baby food which she sometimes ate.

The vet was stumped as to what was wrong until I said that I had noticed her mounting one of the other girls once or twice. He gave her a hormone injection as he thought that maybe it could be a hormone imbalance and she hasn't looked back.

Has she had a season recently? Maybe it could be something similar.

Hope she picks up very soon.

 

Hi
Thanks for your replies. She has been speyed quite a few years ago so maybe not a hormone imbalance. I don't know, I'm baffled. Last week at this time she was running around in the park and was fine. Yes it's a worry, but she's in the best place. If anyone can get through this it's Ellie. Apart from being speyed she has never ailed hardly anything, such a tuff little nut, whom I'm missing like crazy at the moment. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Wendy

Fingers and paws crossed here Wendy,hope all goes well.

Fingers and paws crossed here Wendy,hope all goes well.

Sheila x

Just catching up on this Wendy - please God tomorrow your girl will be a little brighter and blood tests will help speed up her prognosis and full recovery.  You must be missing her terribly but at least have the comfort of knowing she's in good hands :)

Thiking of you both, Teri x

My thoughts are also with you, there are some terrible bugs and virus's around at the moment which are knocking a lot of dogs for six, quite a few have needed a vet stay.  Fingers crossed she will be back to her old self in a few days time.

Any news on this little girl? Bless her x

Hi All
I find it so hard to write this but needed to let you all know. We lost our beloved Westie yesterday. She went down hill from taking her in Sunday, but the hardest, hardest thing is, it wasn't  a virus or illness she had been poisened. We had to have her pts. We are devastated and life without her is unbearable. I can't write anymore I'm sorry.
Wendy

Oh Wendy, I am so so sorry - nothing we can say or do here will make things any better for you - but we are thinking of you {{{hugs}}}

Margot

I'm so very sorry. What a terribly shocking thing to happen. :( :(

Oh Wendy, I am so, so sad for you.  What an awful thing to happen to your poor little girl.  I am so sorry.
Carina

So Sorry to hear this Wendy.

Dear Wendy,

I can't begin to imagine how I would cope with knowing my dog had been poisoned.  It must make your loss even more painful and I am so very, very sorry for you and your family :( 

I only wish there was something I could say or do that would bring comfort to you.  Your precious girl was blessed to have you and I'm sure you enjoyed many happy times together.  These memories are what help us cope best - hard although it is, try to focus on the positives of your girl's time with you. 

You're in my thoughts and prayers.

God bless, Teri xxx

God's Garden, (Anon)

God looked around his garden, and saw an empty place.
He then looked down upon the earth and saw your tired face.
He knew that you were suffering. Perhaps you were in pain.
He also knew in Heaven you would never hurt again, so
He put His arms around you and lifted you to rest.
God's Garden must be beautiful!!
He always takes the best.

He knew your roads were getting rough and hills were harder to climb,
so He closed your weary eyelids and whispered "peace be thine".
It broke our hearts to loose you, but you did not go alone,
for part of us went with you, the day God called you home!
If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane,
we'd walk all the way to Heaven to bring you home again...

Thanks to you all. Teri that was so touching, I'm sat here crying buckets. We keep trying to think where she could have picked it up but are at a loss as to where. We have another Westie, a dog. They are always walked together and he is fine. The vet said she thought it was weedol, or something similar. Gyllie is looking everywhere for her, it's heartbreaking, he's so quiet and is not the same. She was the boss and he followed her everywhere.
Wendy

Hi again Wendy,

Gyllie will adjust quite quickly - I know, having been there a few times to prop up dogs missing their best friends and playmates :(  They can be confused at first but bless them they muddle through more readily than we think.  He will be a great little friend for you to squeeze and kiss away your salty tears.

Hearts take a long time to heal :(

take care, Teri x

 

Oh Wendy I am so sorry to hear this :(

Lucy
xx

Wendy, so, so sorry for you, I don't know how I would survive without my westies, when we moved into this house 7 yrs ago one of my neighbours littered my garden with slug pellets, as they did not like dogs, luckily we noticed them in the short grass, or I could have lost mine as well. (((((Hugs)))) to you.  Cant really think of anything else to say to you at this terrible time.

Oh Wendy that is awful. I am so very, very sorry. Sending lots of HUGS.

Oh Wendy I'm so sorry. What a terrible thing to happen.

Wendy I'm so sorry to hear this very sad news, sending hugs and positive thoughts to you.
Maria

  Get well Ellie ! sending all our get well thoughts to you.......from JP & BaRnEy *

So very Sorry Wendy,my thoughts are with you.

Sheila. x x

I am so sorry to hear this sad news.

Thinking of you at this hard time.

oh Wendy..
Im sooo sorry my Love, {{{warmest of warm hugs}}} x x

I've been checking into this thread just hoping to hear your little one was on the mend so I'm so very sorry to read your awful news. Warmest wishes at this horrid time. xxx

I feel so sad reading this.  What a terrible thing to happen and it could happen to anyone.

So sorry 

Hi All
We have been racking our braines trying to think where she could have picked it up. We haven't been anywhere different. The only thing I can think of is the park last weekend. Ellie was always let off the lead as she always came back when shouted, Gyllie on the other hand wouldn't most of the time, so last weekend he was on the lead all the time. Thats the only thing that was different, and I just wish we had kept her on the lead as well. The vet seems to think she has probably drank it from a puddle, or the crystals have been on her paws and she has licked them. She certainly hasn't picked it up from our garden I know that. Don't think we will ever get over this.
Gyllie is very down, looking for her everywhere and know matter how I try, he doesn't want to know, and keeps going to lay behind the chair. Take him for walk and he keeps stopping and turning round as if he's looking for her. It's heartbreaking. Thanks for all your kind thoughts.
Wendy

Hi Wendy,

I know it's a natural reaction to keep going over in your head what might have been different etc., but try for your own peace of mind not to.  You've enough hurt, pain and I'm sure anger also to deal with without bringing more on yourself.

Poor Gyllie, it will be strange for a little while for him but they do become accustomed to changes - even such a huge loss :( 

If it helps post on here as much as you need - sometimes it's easier to talk things over with strangers than those closest to us.  Don't try to be super human and bottle everything up.  You need time to grieve as does your family and Gyllie too.  We all learn to adapt in different ways over different periods of time - many's the abandoned trolley in Asda when something rolls into my head that I've been trying to supress while doing *normal* things.  Not much feels *normal* at a time of sadness.

Sending hugs 'n stuff to you all.  Teri x

Anti-freeze is always a possibility at this time of year. Sadly not everyone knows or cares how tasty it is to animals and don't wipe up spills, and there are many cases of accidental poisoning this way. What a terrible thing to happen. :(

Unfortunately you will probably never find out that actual cause which is hard for you not to have an answer. So sorry to hear this sad news and my thoughts are also with your boy.

I'm so sorry to hear about Ellie :( Don't blame yourself - you can't be responsible for what other people leave lying about, and you did everything you could for your girl. My thoughts are with you xx

I am so very sorry to read about Ellie. My thoughts are with you. Take care xxx