[Daisy'sLady]

I have a 1 year old female Basset. After visiting the vet to discuss her shedding problem, the vet informed us that she is underweight which is likely the cause of her poor coat.


So, since then we have tried her on a number of different dry foods ( none of which she really cared for) and for the last couple of weeks we started mixing a small amount of wet food with her dry food. This worked well for the first week or so but lately she is back to only eating about half of what she should be.


Does anyone have any suggestions or methods you used to deal with a similar problem?

Thanks!

 

[monty's mom]

Hi don't really have good advise i have the same problem with Monty he gets 2 meals a day in the morning we give him just dry food (Eukanuba) and he never eats it and in the evening i am giving him wet food with his dry food he only eats the wet food and a bit of the dry food and then he walks off. The rest he leaves for the ants. <_<

 

[Soundtrack]

A lot of bassets can be picky eaters, especially when they're young. But switching foods and adding stuff to it tends to make the problem worse instead of better, since the basset learns that all they have to do is hold out and you'll present them with something different.

If the vet has ruled out a medical reason for her not eating, I suggest just getting the highest quality food you can and giving it to her without fuss. Put it down at breakfast, pick it up again 15 minutes later. Repeat at dinner time. No other options. No fussing, pleading or whatever. With no head games or emotional overtones attached to the food, she will eventually settle into eating the amount that is right for *her*.

BTW, I've had some picky eaters, who were constantly thin as young dogs, but as they aged their eating improved and they filled out some.

 

[Lightning&Stomps]

I have the same problem with Stomps, except he's in his teens and is already thin, so when he stopped eating I got very frightened. I took him to two different vets. Neither could find anything medically wrong. So I asked the second vet "Is there a particular food that no dog can resist?" To which he answered "Yes. Mighty Dog." I'd been feeding Stomps a high-quality food for years, so I was shocked when he recommended Mighty Dog! But I went out and bought Mighty Dog, and the vet was right--he eats it. I mix it with his regular dry food. (Also, Mighty Dog was listed as one of the foods that Menu Foods produces, but only the pouch foods seem to be affected--the canned food is fine.) As Soundtrack said, a young dog will often times be picky, and I don't think I'd recommend Mighty Dog at this point. But if she continues to the point of emaciation, you can always try it.

 

[Soundtrack]

Of course, a sick or old dog is a different matter, then I go all out to find things that will entice them to eat. Currently Rainbow (who has cancer on her spleen) is eating a homemade diet composed of mostly chicken or hamburger and spinach or other veggies. Right now, whatever Rainbow wants, Rainbow gets.

I find canned cat food works well too, apparently because it has a strong odor and flavor.

 

[Maggie's Mommy]

When we first got Rusty & Stickers, he was a picky eater. At the breeders house he was fine. He lived with 7 other Bassets so I guess he knew if he didn't eat he wouldn't get anything <_< He would look at his food and walk away. She told me NOT to give in to him. He was a healthy dog and he wouldn't starve himself. It was very hard not to give into that face! He held out for 3 days!!!!!!! He threw up yellow bile and looked so sad but I listened to her and didn't budge. On the 4th day he ate like a champ and has been fine every since. I agree that switching foods , adding goodies makes it harder in the long run. They learn very fast, if they hold out, they get what they want. I hope things start improving for you!

 

[2hounds]

I had my dogs on Beneful until I learned that it was junk. When I switched to a higher quality food my dogs played the "I want my Befeful back" game. I haven't given in. They don't eat as much as they used to as a matter of fact they will only eat 1/2 of their morning bowl until someone makes it home, they finish that and then they'll eat some of their dinner bowl. Before they would chow down. As long as they're eating and they're not unhealthy I'm happy. My suggestion is to find a good quality food and go for it. Your baby will eat when she gets hungry. Just stick it out, good luck.

~Heather

 

[Daisy'sLady]

Thank's everyone for your suggestions!

I completely agree that it isn't a good idea to give into a picky dog.... that's why i didn't worry about it for the first 10 months. I just gave her straight dry food. I always just figured that she would eat as much as she needed to.... i mean, the dogs not going to starve herslef right?

However, like i said when i brought her to the vet, he had a real concern with her weight and suggested to try many different foods until we found one that she liked. Soo... on my vets reccomendation that is what i have been doing, although not very successfully.

I have also heard from other dog owners that with a picky dog, the cheaper the food the better they like it because of the high fat content.

I'm just worried about her getting too thin. She's only about 36 pounds now and she turned 1 year this past Sunday.

 

[murraysmom]

Maybe I shouldn't chime in here because I've never had this problem, but-

I do add a big spoon of canned pumpkin to Murray's kibble to help his anal gland problem, a little fish just to add a natural protein source (he's allergic to everything else), and a big spoon of yogurt on the side which helps his yeast problems.

I don't think adding these things to kibble daily would be 'giving in' - all of these things serve a purpose for his overall health, but make the kibble more appealing-

Our vet also recommended 3-V caps (which contain Omega fatty oils) when our dachshund was having a problem with a dry coat.

Just my two cents.

 

[Mikey T]

I have a 1 year old female Basset. After visiting the vet to discuss her shedding problem, the vet informed us that she is underweight which is likely the cause of her poor coat.[/b]

A high protein high fat diet is more palatible, tastes better, to dogs and is more caloricly dense, that mean the same volume has a lot more calories. Most of the "performance" food fit this catagory, The higher fat content should help the coat also. I feed on a rotational bases Royal Canin Hi Energy 4700, Nutro High energy and Eukanuba Premium Performance.

There are others you may also want to consider suplementing or feeding Wysong archetype but it would be easy to go broke doing so.

 

[Aruuuu]

Did the vet run a thyroid panel, check for Cushing's, etc.?

 

[Daisy'sLady]

Did the vet run a thyroid panel, check for Cushing's, etc.?[/b]

No he did not check for a thyroid problem, he didn't even mention the possibility... although i have heard from other owners that it could be the problem.

 

[Soundtrack]

Do you have any pictures of Daisy?

 

[Daisy'sLady]

Here she is!

Little Bitty Daisy when I first got her.

Not sure how old she is here, but still a puppy

Daisy's big ears

 

[Daisy'sLady]

This is one of her most recent photos, 1 year old.

Poor girl, i woke her up from a nap to take this one... lol

She thinks she owns the place!