Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi guys, my Catahoula Leopard dog, Buddy, has stopped eating his dog food and is drinking very little a day. He had his back leg amputated almost 2 weeks ago after being ran over by a truck at work. He wont touch his usual dog food and wont even touch it when i mix it with canned wet food. He will eat any human food i have tried giving him but no dog food. Does anyone have any suggestions for me to try with Buddy? I am a little worried at this point.
Sorry to hear Buddy is having issues. I'm not a vet but I have a finicky drinker....who refuses water.
Since he is eating people food, I wouldn't be as worried since he still has an appetite for food. But if he's not getting enough liquid, you can try mixing something yummy in water...like pieces of chicken. Or tuna water.
It may be worth a visit to the vet to ensure he doesn't have something else going on. If he was reluctant to eat anything, I would be concerned but some dogs are pretty smart about getting people food. Have you tried a different tastier dog food? We like Wellness Stew in a can (turkey, duck, beef, lamb). It's a bit pricey but very good. We mix water with it.
Another trick for water is mixing can food with water and freezing it in a small container. It is more a treat than food.
Good luck!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Our Abby was very picky right after her surgery (well, she was never much of a food dog though) so we really spoiled her for the first week or 10 days. If Buddy was eating the kibble before, but now is only eating the human food - he may have just figured out the human food is tastier than his dog food. You might have to tough love him back into eating the dog food. (Tripawds have a way of making us spoil the heck out of them... Abby sure got away with murder...)
The drinking is definitely a bigger worry, and Cometdog has given you some good ideas. I'd also think maybe at least a phone call to the vet is in order. Especially if he was drinking fine before, but now isn't.
Keep us posted. Good luck!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Was/is Buddy on a lot of pain meds after surgery? Does he have a history of a sensitive stomach? It could be that all the meds and the stress have irritated his stomach lining. We ran into non-eating with Zeus during recovery and it turns out he had pancreatitis. They weren't sure if it was from the meds or his first round of chemo, but upon exam he was definitely sensitive in his stomach/abdomen area. I agree that a call to the vet would be worthwhile; ours prescribed Pepcid and Cerena (sp?) and it helped tremendously.
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Is Buddy still on anitbiotics? They can play havoc with their tummy. Daisy was an amp due to being hit and was on anitibiotics for about 6 weeks (she had 2 surgeries). If he is eating people food, thats a good sign. At one point we were making pot roasts and roasting turkey for the dog while we were eating hotdogs.....we were eventually able to mix in dog food to the good stuff and then wean her off of it after a few months.
Spirit Samson was Spirit Tripawd Daisys four legged "brother" and ruled as the self proclaimed head of the Monkeybutt Federations East Coast Division. Lady Chunky Monkey stayed from Oct 2011 and left for the bridge in Apr 2012. Miss Perdy is left and has some big pawprints to fill.
Do you have what it takes to be a Monkeybutt? Find out more at the Monkeybutt Federation
Hey Darren, I would definitely talk to your vet about this, because you just don't know if something else is the culprit. Also, ask about getting your pup off the pain medication, that Tramadol can cause a decrease in appetite for sure. Until then, try the stinkiest canned dog foods you can find; gamey ones like rabbit, venison, etc., are good ones to try. Adding low-sodium broth to his water, or even a splash of gatorade, can also help.
Hope he's feeling better today! Catahoulas are pretty indestructible, I'm sure he will be fine. Hang in there.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I would at least call your vet to make sure that they are not concerned. It is not unusual for some dogs to get picky while they are healing, and if he is on meds that could also be the problem. If he is vomiting or if he won't eat or drink anything and appears lethargic then you should worry.
Pam
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