So worried about my Xena

[Kate&David]

Our rescue girl Xena is about 14 or 15. We've had her 11 years. In the last few months she lost a lot of weight and started being incontinent. We had blood tests done and her kidneys and liver are no longer functioning properly. We did the first 10 days of treatment and she responded well, but since yesterday she has not eaten and is not interested in her food bowl.

She still seems like herself otherwise, she went for a walk with me and even ran a little bit out in the fields, she played with a new toy I bought her and hid a treat I gave her under the pillows on the sofa like she always does. But she's not eating. She can no longer eat kibble and we've been feeding her special organic gluten free meat but she's refusing it. She ate a few tiny pieces of cooked chicken breast but it made her vomit.

The vet says it's really important for her to put on weight, but she's down to 23kg, when she was 33 a year ago. She doesn't really seem sick except that she's skinny and sleeping a lot. She's not lethargic or anything when she's awake and I just feel like if she's acting like this then there must be hope for her.

So if anyone has suggestions for food that she might want to eat that she could keep down I would be so grateful. The vet says no rice, and no boiled chicken as it made her sick. Can you think of anything else?

Thank you, Kate

This is her about 2 years ago

[BabyReba]

oh, poor girl. hope she starts perking up soon. good thoughts coming your way!

[Enigma]

Poor Xena Come on girl, you can fight this! Sadly i have no suggestions, but i really hope she starts eating soon...

[Murfins]

I am so sorry - sending lots of positive thoughts. Sully went through not wanting to eat a couple times (once for almost a week) now he had multiple things going on from delayed gastric emptying to gastric lymphoma but when he went that longer period of time and none of the usual tricks worked (warming his food, making a slurry of homemade chicken and chicken broth, etc.) the vets put him on a medication and it worked the very same day. I cannot for the life of me think of the name of it but surely if you ask your vet for appetite stimulants they can offer you something.

[pblove]

I found this link to be very helpful when my dog was in kidney failure/disease.
(look for the feeding suggestions when they stop eating for some ideas that might help your Xena)
http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidney.html

I will keep Xena in positive thoughts/prayers

[patty]

Are her gums pink or pale? Maybe give her some Pet-Tinic for now if she isn't eating well. It is a liquid vitamin-mineral supplement
http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Tinic-4-oz-by-Pfizer/dp/B00076HUAA

high calorie supplement like this
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/1/1/2099-nutri-cal.html

Recipe for satin balls
http://www.holisticdog.org/Nutrition/Satinballs/satinballs.html

Perhaps these would boost her appetite.

I will keep your beautiful Xena in my thoughts and prayers, get well sweetie. Please keep us updated.

[suzanne]

What kinds of meds is she on?

When they are in kidney failure they lose their appetite because the kidneys aren't functioning and filtering things properly so they feel like crap.

When my dog went into kidney failure I had her on famotidine [pepcid], , sucralfate [kind of like pepto to coat the stomach], and she was getting mirtazapine which is an appetite stimulant every 3 days. She was also getting sub-q fluids every other day, 200-300mls lactated ringer's only because it stings less than Normosol-R. Eventually it got to the point that in order to keep her eating she would need to take mirtazapine everyday. I didn't like the idea of my dog eating only because the medication made her hungry and I didn't want her to waste away and look like crap on her last day.

I would talk to your veterinarian about a good medication plan to keep her tummy happy and keep her appetite up, as well as look into doing sub-q fluids at home. Keeping them hydrated is really important. It's very typical to for them to have good days and bad days, some day they will eat a certain food, other days they won't. Kidney failure sucks.

Sending good thoughts!

[Kate&David]

Thank you everyone for your kind words and suggestions.

She is on Forketor (benazepril hydrochloride) for her kidneys, and Zentonil for her liver. Both are failing ( the vet seemed more concerned about her liver than her kidneys actually.

At the moment the only food I am really getting her to eat is the rindless bacon I wrap the meds in. But we can't feed her exclusively on bacon. I am very wary about what to give her because I don't want her to vomit it or have diarrhea and then lose the effects of the medication. This morning I cooked some bacon and poured the oil over her food, but still no interest....

I'm going to call the vet later today to discuss all the things you suggested. And especially because I took Xena the first two times and David took her yesterday and we seem to have come away understanding different instructions for her meds.....so definitely need to clear that up.

[Timas Mom]

Be careful of bacon and definitely no satin balls.
Both are high in sodium and fat and not good for a dog with liver kidney issues.

Have you tried canned tripe? Many dogs love it! Solid gold and tripette do canned tripe.

Ask you vet about an apetite stimulant thats safe with her condition.

Good luck.

[Adrianne]

[Ilovethepits]

Dear Kate,
I am so very sorry to hear this about your beautiful Xena. You are all in my prayers.

[Peneloki]

I am so sorry to hear about this, Kate. I will be keeping Xena in my thoughts and prayers as well as sending positive thoughts and prayers out your way. I hope you are able to find something Xena is interested in eating.

[Kate&David]

She ATE!!! She had a few tiny serves of minced beef, maybe only a few hundred grams but still!! I am going to buy a kilo or so today. And will pick up some tripe too, that is a good idea!

She also went out for a big walk with me in the fields near our village. The corn was harvested a few weeks ago and she was sniffing around in the mud checking out where the rabbits and hares and foxes have been living all summer and autumn, it made me so happy to see her like that.



she's so skinny now compared to this pic, but she had this smile on her face again yesterday

Thank you all for your support.

[Amie]

Hang in there!

[HappyPuppy]

Sweet girl ... I hope you can keep her going!!! If tripe doesn't help, I don't know what would!!!