Dog will not eat or take medicines (teeth, collie, outside)
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The only way I could get my dog to take a pill at the end of her life was in a Pill Pocket. They sell them at pet stores, and we literally tried everything.
As far as food and water, when a dog refuses to eat, this is usually the first sign that the end is near, though not always. A dog can go several days without food, but only about 2 without water. Have you tried giving the dog boiled chicken and rice?
I got some pill pockets the other day. He refuses them. He has been drinking water and no I haven't given him any rice and chicken. I got a dm this morning saying that I should try rice and hamburger so I'm getting ready to try that.
As all the others have said the water is vital, forget food in the short term but if you are determined to get the medication down, there are ways and means.
Sadly it may be that the dog has made a decision. Maybe I'm wrong, either way I'm sending my very best wishes.
Where is your brother? How long have you been watching this dog?
Dog might be stressing out on the top of everything else, and refuses to eat.
We're staying with my brother temporarily until our house closing. My brother went out of town Wednesday and will be back Tuesday night. I think it's at the point now to when he gets back home that Shaggy will need to be put to sleep, but I'm making every effort I can to try to get him to eat and take his medicine.
It sounds like the dog might be at the end of life. And please remember, it's the dehydration that is more important, not the eating.
My dog, at 11, was apparently in a rare form of liver failure. He refused to eat, and then refused to drink. He was in the ER for four days being diagnosed, on an IV. With the IV, he ate and was normal. Without it, he refused to take anything, including chicken soup. Since I had the terminal diagnosis (via ultrasound), I took him in to be put down.
Since you're housesitting this dog, I'd say you should contact your brother right now. He should have left you instructions about what to do if the dog became ill or deteriorated in some way. If he's already on liver pills, my offhand guess is that his liver failure has increased. I believe death by liver failure isn't uncomfortable per say (although I did give my dog Ultram, just in case, putting it in the back of his throad, holding his muzzle, and stroking his throat). But the dog will likely go into unconsiciousness soon without fluids, and die thereafter.
It does sound from your posts like his liver has reached an endpoint (and apparently the vet thinks so, too).
My thoughts are with you and the dog. It's a very difficult time for those who care for the dog. (RIP, Kiko).
Shaggy is taking zubrin for the arthritis and since that pill is dissolveable, I can put it in his mouth and stroke him until it dissolves and he swallows it. The liver pill is a 1 inch hard pill. It's difficult to cut up but I've done it and put it in the food and he still spits it out but now that he's not eating, I can't get him to open his mouth to put it in.
I'm holding on to what I can do until my brother gets back. I can call the vet but if I did, I know what he'll say.
I'm going to see if he'll eat this rice now.
We're staying with my brother temporarily until our house closing. My brother went out of town Wednesday and will be back Tuesday night. I think it's at the point now to when he gets back home that Shaggy will need to be put to sleep, but I'm making every effort I can to try to get him to eat and take his medicine.
Re getting food and more impotantly medicine, the jaws can be prised open by applying pressure on either side at the back of the jaw- put the medicine in as far back as you can, and stroke the throat to induce swallowing.
Haven't had to do this in a long time- would anyone else agree?
Brightdoglover is making an important point...and please, I know your brother is out of town, but the end of life can be not so pretty at some points. We all want that peaceful ending but it may not be in the stars.
I would say if chicken and rice aren't palatable you're probably going downhill...and I don't say that to be mean or cruel, just that I've been there, done that, and a peaceful ending that is constructed by yourself and the vet may be the best for the dog if it is truly not taking on nourishment or hydration.
You can try a little flavored Pedialyte as well if you can get any fluids at all down.
My heart is with you...it is very, very difficult, but I think you need to contact your brother and explain the seriousness of the situation. Your brother has loved the dog for a very long time and would not want anything but the best, particularly at this time. Peace to you.
He doesn't like the rice and burger either. I even added a little gravy to it after he didn't eat it and he walked away.
He is drinking though.
Thanks everybody for posting and giving advice and especially for your good thoughts for Shaggy. He's not my dog but I've been close to him for the past 6 years since I've lived in texas and now I feel totally helpless that he's not responding to what we're trying to do. He's been really bad off the past month but down to no eating the past few days so from what you all have said, it sounds like it's time. I need to have my brother here to make that decision. I should say that he's already made it but trying to give him more time hoping he pulls through.
He usually wrapped it in a snack and he'd eat it. I just thought of something. Maybe he misses my brother giving him the medications. He's taking them from me in the past but it's been the past several days, he's not wanting to take anything.
He did act interested in his food this evening but walked away. He came over to the couch a little while ago and I put his bowl down to see if he would try to eat but still didn't want to.
I was unable to get in touch with my brother today but I'll talk to him tomorrow.
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