"Is Your Older Dog Becoming Indifferent To Meals? Perhaps THIS Might Help!"

“Is Your Older Dog Becoming Indifferent To Meals?  Perhaps THIS might help!”

 

 

12/02/12

 

 

To my very, dearest friends, and always, kind readers,

 

Sometime, about five months ago, now, my dear canine companion—“Daisy”—began to evidence a particular indifference to her food.

 

For the past thirteen years since she adopted my late mother and me, Daisy has always been finicky about her food, and was, in fact, what I would like to refer to as a, ‘nibbler’.  Rarely did she approach her food to gulp it down (as many dogs seem to do; it is actually a, ‘natural’, behavior of dogs to eat rapidly and large, as they never know when their next meal will be, or so they think!).

 

Oh, when she first, ‘found’, us, she was as a starving and lost little waif, having been on the, ‘run’, for so long before, whenever I first put food down for her, she could not inhale it fast-enough.

 

But, my dearest friends, as she found a way into our hearts, and into our home, she soon settled-into what I can only liken to, ‘wedding-reception eating’, a bite here, a taste there; and over the course of the day and evening, would almost casually stop by her food dish to sample the contents therein.

 

I understand—fully—that both dogs and cats can be fairly particular about their food, and so, over those thirteen years (and how quickly they did pass!), I must have tried at least ten, different brands and flavors of canned dog food; and probably fifteen or more various kinds of dry kibble for her.

 

On occasion, it really was quite maddening to see what I thought of as perfectly good dog food picked at, or ignored completely, until the food had become a dried, dark, and hardened mass no one would eat; and I cannot add-up the amount of untouched dog food that went into the garbage can.

 

Further, Daisy seemed to require a lot of persuasion, cosseting, and almost begging—even—to convince her to try her food.

 

Perhaps my late mother and I were more than partially to blame by supplementing the, ‘Dais’s’, food with human food, AND a lot of treats.

 

After years of experimenting, I finally settled on, “Alpo, Select Cuts: ‘beef, and gravy’, and, ‘lamb with rice’.  I finally abandoned all attempts to give her dry kibble, as she would not eat them.

 

In fact, whenever Daisy was given something she did not like, she was more than apt to place her nose under the dish…and…flip it, sending food everywhere and— in general—making a royal mess in the kitchen.

 

So finicky was she that, while she would turn her pretty, little nose up at regular, “Milkbones for Dogs”, she WOULD descend to chew upon the miniature version of Milkbones that came in assorted flavors.

 

And, now, she will not even nibble at them.

 

I have noticed that—as she has gotten older, and is now in declining health, and in some pain, besides—meal times have become a battle, with her often refusing to eat ANYTHING, while I tear-out my hair, trying to find some little something that she WILL eat.

 

Now that I have become older, ill, and am very nearly always in great pain, I know my own approach to food has changed; many times, I simply do not feel as if I can even stomach food, or the smell of it, or the taste.

 

When I am particularly ill—as I am at present—I hardly want to have to, ‘cook’, anything, and so have become sort of a nibbler myself!

 

However, some months ago, Daisy began ignoring her food, sometimes for a day or two at a time; while I know that Daisy is ill, and in pain, too, still, her not eating for two or three days at a time scares and alarms me.

 

When I asked Dr. Weston (Daisy’s wonderful Vet.), if there—by chance—might be a medication that might actually stimulate Daisy’s appetite, she first said no, but that there was such a medication for cats.

 

About a week or so later—after some research, and careful reconsideration—Dr. Weston told me that there—indeed—was a medication that would help improve Daisy’s appetite.  And, that is what I would like to share with you today!

 

While I may have mentioned it in a diary entry before, the name of the medication is, “Cyproheptadine” (in Daisy’s case, for weight), 4 mg. tablets, that I now give Daisy once or twice a day with her other medications.

 

Cyproheptadine is an unusual medication; in humans, it is used as an antihistamine, for sinus congestion.

 

In dogs, the very same medication somehow triggers a dormant appetite!  My Primary had prescribed it for me—at 4 mgs, once, at bedtime to help me to breathe better at night.  Dr. Weston ordered for Daisy, 4 mgs, taken TWICE a day.

 

My dearest friends, I have to tell you that while I am still in some despair about Daisy’s nutrition, the Cyproheptadine is absolutely amazing, and helped to turn Daisy’s appetite around.

 

Instead of indifferent, ‘nibbling’, or ignoring her food altogether, I have found that about an hour-and-a-half after I’ve given Daisy the Cyproheptadine, her interest in food perks right up, and she seems to eat better and longer, much more so than she did without the medication.

 

Of course, if you are fortunate, you will have a dog that will eat almost anything, and take medications without fighting like a dozen, wild alligators!

 

For my Daisy, I have to break her medications up with a, ‘pill-splitter’, and then render them into a powder with a pill-crusher I bought.

 

Dr. Weston sent me a number of large, 65cc syringes (without needles!), and into one I put her liquid arthritis medication, and her fish oil; I have discovered that if I use a little beef gravy (that can be purchased, already made in a small jar), and put it all most carefully into the syringe, by holding the syringe upside-down, with my finger over the front hole, so that nothing will escape. 

 

I always mix the gravy up with a little water, and then heat it in the micro wave, so that when I have re-inserted the plunger end, the powdered medications will be dissolved, and absorbed into the solution, so as to disguise the awful, bitter taste of the medications after they’ve been ground to powder.

 

Careful—then—to hold the front capped, I shake the contents up, until they are dissolved, and will more easily pass through the end of the syringe.

 

Then—oh boy!—I have to somehow sneak-up on Daisy, hold her collar, while almost sitting on her like a horse to keep her from jumping round.

 

Even so, I have to first remove my oxygen cannula, and empty my shirt pockets, and grab a few damp paper towels, as Daisy—in struggling-about—will invariably, ‘chuff’, some of the liquid on her face, my face, my eyes, my glasses, my shirt, and the rug under her, and I use the dampened, paper towels to mop her off, and, myself as well!

 

Believe me, dearest friends, I do not like to have to have her struggle so, as she can’t understand what, ‘Daddy’, is trying to do for her.  And so, because it does seem to disturb her so (making me feel like, ”King Shit”, in the process), I try—now—to medicate her only once a day, with slightly more pain medications, and some tranquillizer, unless—of course—she is in particularly, demonstrable pain.

 

And—dearest friends—I now focus a lot less on the canned, dog food, and a lot more on finding food that I hope she will eat more of.

 

Please forgive my silliness, but—even when I am strapped for cash—I will get a, ‘Lemon Pepper, rotisserie chicken from the grocery store’s deli for Daisy; of course, I—too—have a few bite, myself.  But—otherwise—it all belongs to Daisy.

 

Just yesterday, my neighbor went grocery shopping for me, and I had her buy just such a chicken, and prepared a large plate of it for Daisy.

 

At first, she ate only about a fifth of it; but, later in the evening, she circled-back, to leave an empty plate!

 

When—later—I happened to make for myself a small, deli roast beef sandwich, I fixed-up for my dear Daisy TWO, large paper plates of deli roast beef, which I tore in bite-size pieces, and then warmed—slightly—in the microwave oven so the meat wouldn’t be cold when I gave it to her.

 

And while I was sitting at the counter of the kitchen, still very much ill, and in pain, and trying to manage to eat a little something, Daisy ate BOTH plates of roast beef.!

 

And…when all the deli roast beef is gone, I have a pound of deli, sliced ham that I will at least share with my dearest Daisy.

 

Now I realize, dear friends, that I am without doubt spoiling Daisy to ruination, with such, ‘treats’, as to make regular dog food quite unattractive to her, but—frankly—I no longer particularly care.  As it makes my heart so very happy to just see her eat!

 

As it is, anyway, although I practically live on beef and chicken pot pies (the, “Marie Callender”, brand—while more expensive—is certainly worth it), I always pick out most if not all of the pieces of beef or chicken to give Daisy as a treat.

 

Sometimes, whenever I have occasion to cook-up a pound of ground beef, I save at least half of it to give to her.

 

Am I shamelessly spoiling her?

 

My thoughts—however skewed are this:  Daisy has been my most loyal companion, and (except for the brief times during which she is, ‘pissed’, at me, especially after medication times!) has—I hoped—loved me unconditionally—considering ALL my faults—for over thirteen years, now. She has always been, ‘my little buddy, and my pal’.

 

She may—as they say—‘cop attitude’, from time to time, sometimes ignoring me when I call her; but she does keep track of me wherever I may be in the house.  Wherever I happen to be, more than likely, Daisy will be there, nearby, coiled-up, and sleeping on the rug beside me.

 

I realize that she has long since outlived three out of four, breed-specific genes she carries, and is—somehow—coasting-along on the 10% or less of poodle D.N.A., as poodles are generally the longest-lived dogs.

 

The three, other specific breeds that constitute Daisy’s D.N.A., usually only live for 8-11 years.

 

So that Daisy—who might well be fourteen or fifteen years old, now—has managed to somehow, ‘outlive’, over 85% of her D.N.A. frankly astounds and amazes me.  And makes me ever so grateful for that 10% or less of Daisy’s ‘Poodle D.N.A.’!

 

And, it manages—quite clearly—to make the time I do have left with Daisy even more special and precious!  And, dear friends, anything that I can do to make Daisy more comfortable, satisfied, and—subsequently—more, ‘happy’, is more than worth the while.  At least my heart says so, anyway.

 

Both Daisy and I hope that this information may prove to be of help to you, and to your loving, older pet!  It is our hope that you AND them will be able to enjoy so many, many more years of delightful, faithful companionship!

 

I ever wish for you wonderfully, ‘pain-free’, or of much lessened pain days; in full surrounded by those (on, ‘two legs’, and well as ‘four’!) who utterly love you for who you are.  Blessed by plenty, secure, and kept safe.

 

And especially now—during this holiday season—and, really, all the year, wishes for all the happiness that your kind hearts can hold!

 

Please know that I think about you so very often.  And—my dearest friends—please always know that I love you dearly!

 

 

‘Zahc’/Charles