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Tough as it is Josie you’re doing the very best you can do for him,it’s so hard leaving them at the vets but hopefully they’ll find a solution for your lovely boy , will be thinking of you both and keeping everything crossed xx
 
Any news Josie? Been thinking about you both xx
 
Hi @Mayblossom

Aw thank you, that means a lot.

We picked him up at 1 and he’s now at home. We have 3 lots of tablets to give him but because he still won’t eat we’ll have to make him swallow them :-(

Although he’s on pain meds I think he’s still feeling it, he went upstairs and I found him just standing in the bathroom in the dark.

I’m hoping that he’ll want to eat a little bit when he stops feeling so sore.
 
Jasper isn't right for at least a couple of days after sedatives/anaesthesia - I hope Dennis feels better soon. I read recently that drinking plenty can help get the drugs out of their system - would Dennis be tempted by chicken broth?
 
Oh poor boy :( is he eating anything? You feel so sorry for them when they’re not well. Have the vets shed any light on what’s causing his problems? Do hope he picks up with his meds ( if you can get them down him) xx
 
Jasper isn't right for at least a couple of days after sedatives/anaesthesia - I hope Dennis feels better soon. I read recently that drinking plenty can help get the drugs out of their system - would Dennis be tempted by chicken broth?

Molly wasn’t right for a few days after having 8 teeth out , was very dopey and disoriented, does take it out of them x
 
I’ve tried him with chicken broth but I’ve left it down for him. Can understand why he doesn’t want to eat! And that makes me feel a bit better @JudyN knowing that.

They’ve shed no light at all @Mayblossom - we are none the wiser why this is all happening which is so frustrating. Even if it’s terrible I hope the biopsies tell us something and then at least we’ll know this isn't all for nothing
 
It's maybe been said before so sorry if I'm repeating something. But dogs that have been nauseous sometimes stop eating because they associate the feeling of nausea with eating.

Have you tried breaking down his meals into twice as many/half as much food just to keep something in his tummy?
 
It's maybe been said before so sorry if I'm repeating something. But dogs that have been nauseous sometimes stop eating because they associate the feeling of nausea with eating.

Have you tried breaking down his meals into twice as many/half as much food just to keep something in his tummy?

We’ve literally tried everything. Small portions etc

He’s even gone off food that hasn’t made him sick but maybe it’s been going so long he doesn’t trust anything.
 
Long wait till Wednesday....
Just standing in the dark - that's heart breaking in itself.
Meanwhile, if he feels lethargic and not moving right, I would be checking his paws. If they feel cold - blood may not be reaching, which in turn may mean heart is not pumping blood enough, this was the case with out first boy.
Fingers crossed. Thinking about you, this is trying time, but that they saw nothing obviously wrong after keeping him overnight is as good as it can be for now, I would think.
 
That is a long wait for you :( have you tried porridge or Weetabix? Maybe something sloppy and sweet may tempt him....trying to think of anything that may give him some enthusiasm to eat.
 
One lady I know had a dog once that went off its food, as you she tried everything she could think of then, as it was warm she was eating an ice cream the dog looked a bit interested so she tried a bit and it ate it. So she gave it the rest. then for a few days all it would eat was ice cream, so that's what it got. not a good food at all but she decided that it was better than nothing. eventually she managed to get it to eat small bits of other foods. gradually building up so it was actually eating ok. Now obviously I have no idea if it would work with any other dog.
 
Josie, I had a thought last night - some drugs, such as diazepam, can increase hunger. My vet prescribed some for occasional use for my long-haired cat who hated being groomed and fought back tooth & claw, and he would practically fall asleep with his face in his food bowl. I don't know if it's possible to give a dose that won't sedate Dennis but might make him think 'Mmmm, food, I'm starving!' - it might be worth discussing with your vet.
 
One lady I know had a dog once that went off its food, as you she tried everything she could think of then, as it was warm she was eating an ice cream the dog looked a bit interested so she tried a bit and it ate it. So she gave it the rest. then for a few days all it would eat was ice cream, so that's what it got. not a good food at all but she decided that it was better than nothing. eventually she managed to get it to eat small bits of other foods. gradually building up so it was actually eating ok. Now obviously I have no idea if it would work with any other dog.
Mine can be funny eater and sometimes she just goes too hungry to be interested of food at all..or if her tummy gets really empty (like during night), she might even throw up a little 'bio' up in the morning. That's when I have to get rich tea bickies out. But she won't eat a piece just like that...on no! I have to dip the bickie into my hot drink first...eat the soft bits out and then break a very small piece for her. She will sniff at it a moment and then take it into her mouth, eating it like it is forced upon her :rolleyes: But once she has had few teeny bits, that is usually enough of a appetizer to make her interested of food again.
When they are poorly and properly off food then bit of glucose powder in water will help them to perk up and get over the worst nausea.
 
Josie, I had a thought last night - some drugs, such as diazepam, can increase hunger. My vet prescribed some for occasional use for my long-haired cat who hated being groomed and fought back tooth & claw, and he would practically fall asleep with his face in his food bowl. I don't know if it's possible to give a dose that won't sedate Dennis but might make him think 'Mmmm, food, I'm starving!' - it might be worth discussing with your vet.

Exactly what my vet told me Judy if we couldn’t get Lily to eat, Diazepam are brilliant for all sorts of things, I always have a few for Ibs and Labyrinthitis that I suffer from occasionally :) definitely worth a try with Dennis :)
 
Thanks @JudyN @Mayblossom

Oliver’s sister is friends with the leading dog specialist at a big vets near us (you may have heard of it, Langford) and she’s been very kind in speaking to us.

She said it sounds like he has a bowl disease (all the signs full small intestine, low B12 etc) and that most likely the biopsies will come back negative.
She said it can be underlying and that something has set it all off. Like the bad bug that was going round.

Her next advice would be steroids which works like diazepam making him very hungry.

She said wait for results and go from there but this is the first proper bit of information we’ve had.

Apparently steroids aren’t good for the immune system so need to let him recover slightly.
 
When Sally was off her food when she was very ill she loves cheese and potato pie she loved the stuff but only if it was warm with a crusty cheese top I would sit on the settee with her and pretend it was my food and start by giving her tiny bits then once she got the taste of it she would eat the rest I know this isn't a good diet but I needed to get food in her somehow:)
 
Hi Josie sorry Dennis hasn't been so good , poor guy he must be fed up x
I hope your results come back ok and I hope you get to the bottom of what's stopping him eating. Thinking of you both x
 
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