Loving my Oldies

After being simmered for 24 hours, the chicken bones just crumbled at the touch, Yonjuro, although I did give them a workout with the pestle and mortar just to be on the safe side. In fact, it occurred to me last night that chicken bones have been a part of their diet for a long time as for years, my dogs have been fed a mixture of raw: beef, chicken and roo. I would also regularly boil up chicken and use the broth to cook their vegetables and, occasionally, rice. Just thinking ......... this morning, I don't feel very well, just a bit yukky in my tum mainly because not enough sleep. The first thing I do without fail when I get up is to have a cup of coffee and, at times when I feel like I do this morning, it is an absolute necessity. I am on my second, which is unusual. Normally, one cup does the trick. If everything I read would tell me that this is partly because I have become addicted to caffeine, it made me wonder if there would be any equivalent in the doggy world that, when he feels queasy or unhappy in the mornings, Danny would "need" and have no trouble drinking or eating. LOL. I just gave him a try with a desert spoon of my coffee on a saucer which disappeared in a trice. He has so far this morning turned his head at Gussy Cat's food, bone broth and bone meal + broth (all of which he wolfed down late last night). But he has now had his caffeine shot, I'd better get my running shoes on.

Sounds like regurgitation then. I'm not sure if it had been mentioned already but feeding with the bowls slightly raised may help. There's multiple,potential causes for the licking including anxiety, pica, pain etc etc Speak to your vet about the appropriate dosage of Maxalon if you intend to use it. Yes, I am sure it is regurgitation. Have tried the raising bowls and it didn't seem to make any difference, but I will start doing that again. I wouldn't use the Maxalon without getting correct dosage from the vet; but I will insist we give it a try. What is pica, please? ETA: looked it up. Very interesting. I wonder if Danny's difficulties are psychosomatic. Working that out would be like working out what came first - the chicken or the egg Have an appointment with vet tomorrow, so will be bring all this up. Thank you again :)

See update in the Danny thread :D :D

I've made the Bone Broth. It is all strained and put into small containers in the freezer. I've already given Danny some and pulverised the bone/meat residue to mix in with the broth. He has eaten quite readily a good amount for a little dog who hasn't eaten much more than a few crackers that he insisted I share with him. He would have eaten more, but I will wait a couple of hours to see that it doesn't come up and if that is the case, I will then give him some more. So excited, not only because he has eaten it, but also, and mostly, because he has eaten something so nutritious. Bunter would have eaten the lot including the couple of litres of broth, so whether or not he eats is not an indication of its tastiness or otherwise LOL. Jeune loved it and didn't spend 1/2 hour staring at it and walking around it and away from it while she decided it wasn't poison. She ate it immediately. Tamar - well what can I say? Anything new or out of the usual for Tamar is something to be treated with fear and suspicion So sad. She won't touch it. Maybe tomorrow. And Gussy Cat loved it too. Looks like my culinary efforts might be focussed on bone broth for now LOL.

LOL. I'm a vegetarian. I have to handle meat for the dogs and Gussy Cat, so I go through a lot of food handling gloves . Have gloves; can do anything.

Thanks VM. Yes, I have a stick blender..... didn't think of using that

I've made up some bone broth. 2 chcken carcasses, apple cider vinegar and duly simmered for 24 hours. The bones were all smashed and then returned to broth and simmered for another 1/2 hour. I'm just wondering because they are so soft and mushy, can I fee the bones to the dogs. They crumble to the touch. One recipe said they could be usd as a dog food supplement, so I imagine they are alright, but wanted to check here first.

Jemappelle, his stomach has practically nothing in it. He hasn't had the milk/honey mix for days and he would have had about a desertspoonful maximum this morning. The only chicken he has eaten since he refused the last lot were the dried pieces that Valbitz included in her Christmas/Easter/Thanksgiving rolled into one "hamper". Oh, sorry. I've re-read your post properly . No, I've not tried him on chicken since we started the injections. Once the bone broth is finished, I'll have a bit of chicken from the carcasses and I will also get a roast to try him. I've tried him on a few different things today, but although he looks happier, his tummy or oesophagus isn't, because apart from lapping a little of the milk/honey, he hasn't been interested. And, yes, he obviously feels better later in the day and sometimes last thing at night, he will eat a small meal of kibble.

I've seen Augustine Approved mentioned in a thread here (I think). His grass eating is rare and following today's couple of episodes of eating greenery (not grass strangely enough) he is now asleep on a mat beside me. And he didn't throw up after the greenery snacking such a mystery.

As with so many issues, it really depends on the dogs. Some don't know their strength and some will be fully cognisant of the need to adjust their behaviours around a very small dog. I'm sure most of us here have seen examples of each. If you want your little one to play with other dogs, you could consider going to parks and sussing out the dogs and owners there to see if there were any suitable candidates remembering too that dgos can play differently in different places and under different circumstances. Or you could get another one :D :D

So many people have suggested Maxalon, so whether my vet approves or not, I am going to try that. ETA: still going with the licking - up to 7 minutes now. At least with that, his tail is up and he actually seems to be enjoying himself, which I can't imagine is the case. He seems a bit desperate.

Rappie, there is generally no warning. He does not have all the retching and abdominal contractions, or any noise. He'll just open his mouth and out it comes. I timed him with the licking and it went on for 15 minutes and stopped only when I opened the door and he went rushing straight to the potplants and pulled at the petunias and lobelias. I let him do it for a while and then brought him back inside≥ He is back to the licking; I've made a video, but don't know how to attach here. It is full on licking with his whole tongue. I have the stopwatch ticking over to see how long he continues this time.

He is now going all around the house licking. I've had to go downstairs twice to stop him eating the plants. I don't mind the plants, but I don't know whether they will harm him He is licking the floor and the mats. A couple of days ago, he was eating the petunias and the palnts he is now eating are succulents, big fleshy leaves. I've shut him inside and in between licking he is pacing up and down in front of the glass doors and pushing against the doggy door which I've locked.

Thanks Jed. He has just thrown up the small amount of Goats Milk and Honey that he lapped happily. There is definitely something mechanicallly wrong. I guess it is the hiatus hernia. Poor little man.

That is the opposite to "nothing", SM - that is everything. I think if it hadn't been for the support and suggestions Danny and I have received from this thread and from private messages, I might have given up or, if not, Danny would not be in the slightly improved state he is this morning. Danny hasn't had his last Cerenia injection this morning as my vet suggested we try him with the tablet again. There is no doubt that his demeanour seems much more "up" than even three or four days ago, so I really think the Cerenia might be working. Holding my breath on that one. I have to wait a while before I give him that to put the appropriate distance between that and the Carafate. He also had a late night supper of Gussy Cat food last night, so I guess his hunger has been appeased as well. (He wouldn't touch it this morning although he watch me prepare it with almost slavering eagerness.) The bone broth continues to bubble very slowly on the stove with all windows and doors open as it is raining and has been all night and it nicely coolish. :laugh: :laugh: Only another 7 hours to go

Yes, a beautiful picture of beautiful Big Girl Kluska. Missing our loved ones becomes a constant companion Hugs to you and Pappa, Kajtek.

Thanks, Rachel. Don't worry - you'll all hear :laugh: :laugh:

Not a good day, cavNrott He did lick the bowl in which I'd mxed up my omelette at lunch time, but everything else I offered him through the day he just pushed around the plate. He has thrown up, but he licked it down again. I'm making bone broth as recommended by the people Valbitz referred me to and sent me samples of their food. Chicken carcasses simmering for 24 hours :laugh: :laugh: It won't be ready until tomorrow afternoon, but it will be super super nutritious.

Oh, I didn't know about that. Thank you very much. Is it on the left coming from St Ives?

That is a beautiful story VizslaMomma. Congratulations on your new avatar

Why are they in a supposedly caring profession,then, I wonder. I once had a vet call me "a neurotic mother". I had a tiny little female Maltese who had heart disease and used to catch regular infections. She died at three and a half of heart failure, but I was "neurotic" because I cared enough to ensure she was given the best treatment possible. I didn't say anything to the vet hospital owner and that I have always regretted.

She didn't even know me at the time, she was just in the reception area. I have forgotten the details whether I told her or whether Bunter's transformation had been discussed in house, I don"t recall. But I sure as hell remember what she said.

She is always on on Saturdays and I would NEVER have her for a consultation. She is the one who, if she cracked a smile, the world would probably end. That sounds awful, but how you can not greet someone with a smile (all the others do) is beyond my comprehension. She also told me I was crazy to have "a rescue dog" given an operation to restore his sight . She said she wouldn't even do that for her own dog. How a vet could even think that let alone say it is gobsmacking.

Thanks cavNrott. Everything kept down from yesterday. All his Meds today kept down as well. I have not tried him with food as he very rarely wants to eat in the morning and after the upset at the vets, I just wanted to let him to sleep and settle. He has reached the stage that he is pulling back when we go to the vets, now. Still feel sick. Haven't had anything to eat myself yet, so about to change that LOL.

Thank you, Rappie. No one has explained that to me After Danny's experience at the vet this morning for his injection No. 4, your cubby house is sounding very attractive : mad My usual vets weren't on and I had to have a vet who, I have to say, has not impressed me in the past. I thought it would be okay because it was only an injection. How wrong could I be. She came into the consulting room with a vet nurse and I didn't give much thought to it, maybe just crossed my mind for a nano second that she was there to watch. Anyway, I was just holding Danny on the table, unclipping his harness when the vet said as she prepared the needle, that it stings. I told her that it was injection No 4 and Danny had been fine. The next thing, before I realised why she was there, the vet nurse is holding Danny in what can only be called a head lock and is forcing his head down he was yelping in surprise and pain (he has had neck and back problems in the past) and I said to the vet nurse in shock to let him go. I was absolutely shocked. Here is Danny, a 16 years old, 5kg sick little dog being treated as though he was 40kg bruiser. Anyway, we had a "discussion" about the way he was treated and I have spoken to the owner of the hospital. I had to stop by the side of the road on my way home to try to control my shacking. I am still shaking and just want to cry.