New Dog Not Eating Well

[Guyver]

Hello all, first post in this section. I recently adopted a female Pit from the shelter who is approximately 2 years old. She is a doll and appears to be in excellent health, her first vet visit is coming up. However, she does not eat well. She has good weight and perhaps could stand to gain about 5 pounds. When I feed the dogs, boys outside and girls inside, she eats perhaps half of her food, mainly the gravy I make out of hot water mixed in with the food. She leaves behind the majority of the actual food. Any ideas? I'm going to have the vet check her teeth and her mouth for any sores or tenderness. ~Gene

[chalkline]

What type of food do you use? If they make a wet food of the same brand then I would maybe try mixing the dry in with the wet food and see if that works. I have never had to deal with this type of situation so Im really not sure though. Or could it be a possibility that she just doesnt like the food? Maybe if that is the case then you can just switch to another food and see if she likes that. Just throwing out some ideas for you. Hope everything goes well and she starts eating good. Good luck

EDIT: I was on some adoption sites and I think I have seen her pitcure on one of them!! She is a pretty girl. Are you in Nothern or Southern Cali?

[Guyver]

I'm in Southern California and Tasha came from the Devore Animal Shelter in Northern San Bernardino. I do regularly mix in something to add flavor to the food, such as the meat juice from last night's pot roast, and the food is loved and devoured by my other three dogs. I'll try her on something else though, she might just be picky and perhaps used to wet food. ~Gene

[mnp13]

How long have you had her? Sometimes it takes a few weeks for the dog to settle in before it will eat normally.

Perhaps you should try a bland diet for a few days, then start mixing kibble back in, that often works.

Michelle

[barbponys]

Garions a really good eater but the first 3 or 4 days we had him he didn't eat real well. He would eat about half the food, now he devours it.

She may not be interested in the food either. I would suggest doing a taste test if you decide to try a different food. Go to a store that carries a good selection of higher quality foods, get samples of them........5 or 6 is usually best. Put them all out in separate bowls, bags under the bowls, and let her choose. The more samples you have the better chance of finding one she actually likes. A couple of formulas with in a brand is a good idea. I have no idea what's available in your area but maybe look for:

Timberwolf is the best but I don't know that it's available in your area
Natures Variety
Wellness
Natural Balance
Canidae
Evolve
Simply Natural

You might try adding plain yogurt, it will help with digestion and most dogs love it. Eggs are also a good addition and will do wonders for her....raw is good, a couple a day would be fine. I mix them in with the dry and stand back . Good luck.

[mnp13]

Anther thought: Ruby was a very poor eater for the first 12-14 months I had her. She came to me with 'enough whip worms to kill a cow' (quoted from my vet). Those took months to get rid of. Then there was the separation anxiety and depression. Then there was her first heat, then there was the near death experience of her Pyometra infection, then there was the recovery period, then there was the depression of loosing her best buddy. Then I fostered Connor and royally pissed her off.

All of that added up to a loooooong time of food refusal, hand feeding, dull coat, low energy and unhappy dog - and very unhappy owner. Now she gets SO excited at meal times! It makes me smile every time she is jumping around to get her food bowl.

Your vet visit may turn up any number of worms or other parasites that are making her feel crappy. Once you get that straightened out and her brain is better she'll probably eat.

For now though, I'd try bland. Most dogs like it, it's not difficult to prepare and if she does have worms, it is less likely to create soupy poopy with the worm medication. A week or two of that, then do the taste test if you want and phase in the food.

Michelle

[pocketpit]

My Dobe was/is a picky eater. First I suggest you try something different to see if it's just the brand of food. Then I would suggest a strict feeding schedule and giving her some time to fit in and adjust. The Dobe now eats well (I'd still like another pound or so on him but I'll take what I've got it's an improvement) as long as I do everything the same. He eats fine if he's in his crate, and eats at night. I've even got to the point where I can usually eliminate the canned food. He won't eat most people food, but I finally convinced him that meat was good and now he's crazy for it. Cooked or raw. That might be an option as well. Look into the raw diets. I don't prefer to feed that way but I was willing to do it for a dog that obviously didn't enjoy eating. Now he's just like the other dogs and gets excited about dinner time

[jmann4]

As mentioned one of the reasons she's being picky is she might still be adjusting to her new home.

Also, exercise might play a role in getting her to eat. Exercise her more but feed her the same amount of food. She may eat more after a good work out.