I know this is a cat forum but please if anyone could help me with my mum in laws dog I would be gra

[ruthyb]

Phew, Ruthy just seen this post I was really worried it was Pyro till I got to the end, fingers crossed that the meds do the trick and that she is back to eating well by now. 

She still hasn't eaten anything, mum in law bought her some kitten food and kitten milk but she is still not interested, she has been giving her all the meds, I know she was going phone the vets today. She was speaking to her next door neighbour and it turns out their dog had the exact same thing a few years ago and she didn't eat for nearly two weeks even with vets visits and meds. just one day she just clicked back to normal. Mil says that she has made a nest under her wardrobe and took all her toys in there. I know my mil is just more worried as she hasn't eaten but she has tried to tempt her with everything but she isn't interested at all, she is however drinking water.x

 

[milk maid]

 At least she is drinking so thats a good thing, I know when some of mine have gone off their food it is really worrying I have even resorted to cakes, cream cheese, pate and ham I know most of these things arent good for them but to get them back eating I will try anything, has the mil tried ham it usually works well just to get them back eating. xx

 

[ruthyb]

 At least she is drinking so thats a good thing, I know when some of mine have gone off their food it is really worrying I have even resorted to cakes, cream cheese, pate and ham I know most of these things arent good for them but to get them back eating I will try anything, has the mil tried ham it usually works well just to get them back eating. xx

She has tried everything, Maisy normally has a fetish for sausages, she has bought lots of different ones but she just sniffs them and walks away. The vets just said to carry on with the meds as the hormone tablets will take a few days to work. Normally Maisy is a right beggar at the food table, so its just so horrid to see, fingers crossed she will be back to normal soon, atleast she wasn't underweight which is good, I am sure the vet will weigh her again when she goes back next week.x

 

[ruthyb]

Oh dear, she still isn't eating, mil phoned the vets today, its bank holiday here and the vet was supposed to phone mil back, they didn't. Mil is so worried, she said maisy hasn't got any energy now at all, she is phoning the vets first thing in the morning, she just wants this sorted, its upsetting her so much and frustrating that she won't try anything at all food wise. the vets just told her when she phoned the other day that it will pass when the phantom pregnancy takes its course but surely it cannot be good for her not eating, mil has tried to tempt her with everthing possible, she just sniffs it then walks off and lays down.x

 

[carolina]

Ruthy, someone needs to syringe feed this baby!

 

[ruthyb]

Ruthy, someone needs to syringe feed this baby!

mil has tried she scratched her badly, she is trying, she bought her some puppy milk and she keeps trying and with all the meds they are syringe too, mil said she goes mad now when you go near her with a syringe. first thing in the morning she is on the phone to the vets, believe me we are all upset, maisy is a big part of our family and this is just terrible, the vets just don't seem to be that bothered and this is the 2nd vets she has seen.x

 

[carolina]

mil has tried she scratched her badly, she is trying, she bought her some puppy milk and she keeps trying and with all the meds they are syringe too, mil said she goes mad now when you go near her with a syringe. first thing in the morning she is on the phone to the vets, believe me we are all upset, maisy is a big part of our family and this is just terrible, the vets just don't seem to be that bothered and this is the 2nd vets she has seen.x

Oh that poor baby
Have they tried deli meats? Ham? Turkey?

 

[ruthyb]

Oh that poor baby

Have they tried deli meats? Ham? Turkey?

yep, ham,turkey, pork, all of that, mil had a bit of a meltdown earlier, she is convinced that maisy won't make it. I have been doing some research on phantom pregnancies and it seems that some dogs don't eat for 2 weeks or more the fact is maisy is a small brred dog and she is fading fast, can't also be good for her insides. Mil still says its like she is totally depressed, its so baffling, all her bloods came back fine and they tested for everything and they did a scan. The vets are adamant it is just a phantom pregnancy. Mil went on a local website tonight and they sell powder for anorexic and underweight dogs, you add it to water, she is going to their shop tomorrow to get some and a Adaptil diffuser that is basically the same as feliway for dogs.

  I gave her some more cat food tonight, it was smelly wet and meaty but she said she sniffed it, walked away and lay down. She is making some rice pudding at the minute and gong to try her on that as she normally likes creamy things. I just pray that maisy will be ok.x

 

[carolina]

Ruthy, if they are afraid she won't make it.... Can they put a feeding tube on her?

 

[nerdrock]

I second the feeding tube. 

You have to have something similar to nutrical there, I'll do some research and see if I can find something. It's a gel and you just need to get like 1/2 a TBSP in them to give them over 500 calories. It's not easy to mix with water, but it can be done and then it could be syringed and squirted in the back of her throat. 

Has she tried rubbing corn syrup/honey/sugar water on her gums at all? It will give her a bit of energy. Part of the reason that she may not be eating is because she doesn't have the energy to eat, regardless of whether she's hungry or not. 

I just looked up NutriCal in the UK and you should be able to get it from the vet. It might be under the names NurtiStat, NutriPlus or VitaStat too. 

 

[ruthyb]

I spoke to my mum last night and years ago she had a dog that would not eat at all, the vets had given up on him then someone told her to get some glucose powder and mix it with water, she said the difference was amazing, he perked up, and after a couple of days started to eat again as the glucose gave him energy. I have told mil to go to the chemist and get some, she said this morning Maisy went out for a wee and came back in and drunk a lot of water, she licked a tiny bit of cream off her finger too but when she pour some in a dish for her she just looked at it and walked off.The vets still are saying leave it as the hormones take a while to start working, they don't seem too concerned that she still isn't eating.x

 

[milk maid]

Any news Ruthy ?

 

[ruthyb]

Well today she went in the garden and tried to do a poo, obviously she couldn't as she hasn't eaten but mil inspected the area afterwards and there was a worm obviously out of her, she does worm her reguarly but she rung the vets and they said this could definetely be down to why she is not wanting to eat along with the false pregnancy. Mil is angry though as she told me when they scanned her she heart the lady say to another one something about a parasite but she did not know what they meant and didn't mention it as she thought the vet would have said something if it was a cause for concern. I took her to the vets earlier and they have given her a 3 day worming course. When I went round Maisy greeted me and was wagging her tail, she has drunk a lot more today mil said and she definetely looks better. Mil has bought her some food that the vet recommended too, can't remember what it's called but its specially for easy digestion and sensitive stomachs, fingers crossed she will try it. She has not been in her nest that she made for a couple of days or even looked at it so mil took it all away today and washed it. The vet still isn't overly concerned about her not eating and to be honest after seeing her today there is definitely a big improvement, lets hope she is on the mend

  Why they didn't even consider worms I do not know, probably because she is treated regularly.Mil goes on holiday in a week and a half and she is considering cancelling if Maisy is still ill.x

 

[speakhandsforme]

I don't know if this will apply, but I know if I use one combo flea/tick drops product for too many months in a row, the fleas seem to build up a tolerance to it and I have to switch for a few months. Maybe the same thing is going on with Maisy's worms and your MIL can try a different product? And I don't know what the weather has been like in England but over here we've had a ridiculously mild winter, so all the parasites are out in even bigger numbers than usual.

That "heart parasite" doesn't sound good. Heartworms are a bad, bad thing indeed!

Poor Maisy, I hope she gets better soon.

 

[ruthyb]

I don't know if this will apply, but I know if I use one combo flea/tick drops product for too many months in a row, the fleas seem to build up a tolerance to it and I have to switch for a few months. Maybe the same thing is going on with Maisy's worms and your MIL can try a different product? And I don't know what the weather has been like in England but over here we've had a ridiculously mild winter, so all the parasites are out in even bigger numbers than usual.

That "heart parasite" doesn't sound good. Heartworms are a bad, bad thing indeed!
Poor Maisy, I hope she gets better soon.

Thank you,  think if it was anything serious the vet would have said. Mil has just text me, Maisy had the wormer earlier on the first dose AND don't know if its just coincidence but she has eaten some food

 Mil tried the new food, she didn't like it so put her some of her normal wet food in gravy and she ate a very small amount. My goodness I really hope that this is the start of her recovering.x

 

[milk maid]

Ohhh I hope so as well. Strange that they didnt think of worms though, I can have sheep/lambs near to death, worm them and within a few hours they are up and about its amazing how quick it works. Fingers x    that Maisy is on the road to recovery.

 

[ruthyb]

Not good news I am afraid, mil phoned me in tears earlier, Maisy took a turn for the worse and they rushed her to the vets, the vet examined her and said he could feel like masses in her stomach and she has lost a kilo since her last weigh in a week ago. They have her ona  drip, doing a x-ray and are waiting on blood test results. He told mil that it's not looking good though.

  I am so upset but also mad though, mil thought this would happen yet they still insisted on giving her medication and that her not eating and losing weight would be fine, she has rung them up nearly every day this week to tell them maisys progress and then with the wormer, why didn't they want to do an x-ray and more blood tests earlier? She has completed all the medication so now what could it be? She was diagnosed with the false pregnancy through a scan and she had milk, this has now dried up. Then mil saw the worms so she had the wormer and the vets failed to spot this. I really hope she pulls through she means so much to my mil and I know it would break her heart.Vibes would be very much appreciated.xx

 

[carolina]

I am sorry.... I just hope your MIL didn't take her to the vets who let her go 2 weeks (and a day) without food without doing a thing about it - saying that it was just "ok".
I have been watching this thread and It has made me so sad.....
This puppy needed new vets.... needed proper testing.... at the very least needed a feeding tube. I am not at all surprised she has had a turn for the worst.... If I hadn't eaten for 2 weeks on the top of whatever was making me sick.... well... I would be very very sick too.
for this poor little thing
I am sorry Ruthy, I don't want to sound harsh but this has been inside of me for too long..... I had to say it....
Please... PLEASE have your MIL take her to another vet and have her put a feeding tube on her

 

[ruthyb]

I am sorry.... I just hope your MIL didn't take her to the vets who let her go 2 weeks (and a day) without food without doing a thing about it - saying that it was just "ok".
I have been watching this thread and It has made me so sad.....
This puppy needed new vets.... needed proper testing.... at the very least needed a feeding tube. I am not at all surprised she has had a turn for the worst.... If I hadn't eaten for 2 weeks on the top of whatever was making me sick.... well... I would be very very sick too.

for this poor little thing

I am sorry Ruthy, I don't want to sound harsh

but this has been inside of me for too long..... I had to say it....
Please... PLEASE have your MIL take her to another vet and have her put a feeding tube on her

Carolina, I have felt exactly the same and aired my views to my hubby and if she were my dog things would have been different. I am in a position where I can only say and not do without causing a rift, I agree wholly with all the advice that has been given on here and also passed it on, unfortunately sometimes it takes something very serious to make people realise. My gosh I went mad when Billy had an abscess, I made the vet give me an emergency appointment. She has taken her to a new vets and she is on a drip, I got a phone call earlier to say that she had been x-rayed and they have found something in her bowel, either a foreign body or a mass of something they said, they were waiting for blood test results and mil promised she would phone me later. I just really, really hope that she pulls through this, she is a wonderful little dog.x

 

[ruthyb]

Just heard from mil, no tumours or blockage, she said they are treating her for diabetes? surely this would have shown up on the very first blood test? they still said it is touch and go though.x