Problem Eater - Dobe

[wildchild]

Hi

I am hoping to get some help or assistance with a very hard to maintain dobermann

What is happening is the dog will eat find for approx 2 - 3 weeks, he puts on weight, looks good, coat is shiny, very flash and very energetic

Every couple of weeks he stops eating all together, he drops weight but his coat remains shiny, and he is still energetic

I have tried everything I can think possible to feed including

- expensive dog food

- cheap dog food

- puppy food

- working dog food

- large dog food

- water in dry food (all of the above listed)

- chicken

- lamb

- beef

- mince (all varieties)

- chicken necks, frames, wing-ets

All vaccinations are up to date as are worming etc

He has done this whilst living with me at home and also living at the kennels, he just keeps going around in circles, so it's not a 'place' thing, he is a happy dog, just doesn't eat!

Food is left with him for 5 minutes, whilst on the not eating weeks he just ignores it, wont even eat food from your hand, just not interested in food at all. We have never made a big deal over it, it's either you eat or you don't. My other dogs are all very healthy or fat, just this dobe will not cooperate

Basically this dog has been tried on everything, I don't what it is, but he will eat well for 2 - 3 weeks then stops all together and will not eat, he goes very thing and ribs start to show.

I would appreciate any help on this from anyone! I am a very stuck dog owner!!

[wildchild]

also to add

tried canned dog food, eggs, vitamins, supplements NOTHING will work with this dog

Wont eat roll meat either

[Dogsfevr]

does he have bad tonsils??

[wildchild]

thanks for your reply showdog, I have just done some quick googling and found this

What are the symptoms? As with other throat and mouth irritations, many dogs will be reluctant to eat and will drool excessively because swallowing is painful. Other dogs with the same condition may swallow repeatedly. Dogs may also retch, cough, and act depressed.

None of those symptoms exsist

The only problem is he just does not eat, it comes in cycles, some lasting a few days, others lasting months

I am to wits end over this dog

Edited June 10, 2010 by wildchild

[wildchild]

when he eats he eats like a wild pig but then will stop all together!!

[OSoSwift]

I had a male Dobe that in the end I force fed to keep weight on him, and I know MANY male Dobes like that! I don't know why they do it or how to fix it though. Hopefully someone can help. Have you tried the Satin Ball recipes that are on here?

[wildchild]

Thanks Rommi

Yes, we have tried satin balls, but as mentioned he will eat them then starve himself for a week, and loose all the weight he gained

I will refuse to force feed a dog, it creates them to have worse problems!

[Nekhbet]

how do you feed them, separate or together? What happens if you put him within view of a few dogs that are great eaters (not allow them to wander over) but either tethered or crated near each other so they can see. A little competition can induce feeding behavior

I would also introduce an eat command when the dog is eating, encourage him to eat and see if you can build enough momentum in the word that he automatically takes food. If my dogs wont eat their veges, and sometimes that is all I could afford to feed them, I told them to eat and they did. Didnt like it but they did.

Apart from that then make some satin balls up and if he gets ribby push a couple down his throat if he starts looking bad. Alfalfa and ginger can be used as an appetite stimulant it should be available in capsule form. Either that or get some Vit B supplementation into him, there are dog and horse products available.

[Erny]

Are there any other indicators? Such as loose stools; irregular bowel motions; etc. ?

My boy has digestive issues. I tend to find that if he felt physically uncomfortable as a result of eating, he'll pair that discomfort with the food, especially if it occurs more than once. At least, that's the best summation I've been able to come up with. I change food to something he's not paired that experience with before, and he'll usually eat - quite enthusiastically. Until or unless the 'pairing' happens again.

This means that, whilst I am busy trying to get food into him during those times when he won't eat it, I'm also busy with his naturopath trying to work on the underlying cause.

I can't tell you that it is completely successful, but in the past, when my boy wouldn't eat (like yours, he'll go for days - and he's lean anyway, so has no weight to lose) I'd try offering so many different things in a bid to get him to eat something. It's hard not to do that when you see the bit of weight gain you've managed to get on them, being so easily lost. Perhaps it is because my boy, who is still lean but holds his weight a bit better than before, that I've been more comfortable in NOT offering him any food once I see him turn his nose up (and it's not about him being fussy). If he doesn't indicate that he's looking very eager for food when the next meal time comes around, I don't offer any at all. I've only needed to do that once or twice and it is not something I'd like to keep doing for too long, but the next time I have offered food, he's eaten it.

This could be coincidental too. It might have nothing to do with the fact that I've not offered food. I'm not sure. But (pardon the unintentional pun) it is 'food for thought', perhaps?

In the interim - whether he eats or doesn't eat, I have vitamin powder which I mix with a little water. I make sure that he receives that daily, even if it means I syringe it to him. This has become a standard practice and he doesn't really mind it now.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Erny

[Stitch]

There are special internal medicine vets, have you asked your vet???

Have you tried a ProBiotic?? eg. Protexin??

It really does sound like their is either some medical condition causing the problem or else it is triggered by something in the environment.

I have the opposite problem with my Dobe, he is a 'hoover' but I have a lot of experience with eating issues with my other dogs.

I wouldn't discount the tonsillitis without having it checked by your vet.

[OSoSwift]

I will refuse to force feed a dog, it creates them to have worse problems!

I totally agree and wouldn't do it again. Hope you get it sorted.

[matilda1]

I would run a quick Thyroid test. Just to rule it out.

[Lab_Rat]

Have you tried him with tinned fish wildchild - something like sardines or salmon??

My girl goes off her food every now and then, by no means like your boy, and I used to find it a little disturbing! Now when she does, I just offer her food - If she eats it fine, if not I take it away and offer it again at her next feeding time. Generally when shes off food, and its mainly raw meat, fish will be eaten!

I hope you find an answer soon!

Rat

[Erny]

I would run a quick Thyroid test. Just to rule it out.

Agree - but not here in Oz though - our labs do not have the facilities to run FULL blood panel thyroid tests and IMO anything less than that is potentially a waste of money. Sending the bloods to Dr Jean Dodds in the USA isn't that difficult to do - not that much more expensive and comparative time wise to getting the results known. The worst of it is organising the International Courier (Fed-Ex) and filling out the Customs paperwork.

I'm going to be organising my boy to undergo another thyroid test very soon and it's the 'getting it sent away by courier' bit that is the most of what I'm not looking forward to.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Erny

[wildchild]

thanks for all your replies, definitely some food for thought (no pun intended)

I will continue to speak with his breeder! It's very difficult to have a hard to feed dog, it's emotionally draining as you look at the dog who apart from a bit lean is healthy looking and happy but wont eat!

I will definitely try idea's suggested and hopefully something will work, though I welcome any other suggestions or ideas!

[Andisa]

thanks for all your replies, definitely some food for thought (no pun intended)

I will continue to speak with his breeder! It's very difficult to have a hard to feed dog, it's emotionally draining as you look at the dog who apart from a bit lean is healthy looking and happy but wont eat!

I will definitely try idea's suggested and hopefully something will work, though I welcome any other suggestions or ideas!

Try Ox Cheek - it worked for Hamish (entire male Rottweiler) he had always been a fussy eater, left home at 5 months old and was fed RC, he was returned at 15/16mths and put back on a raw diet. Was a shitty few months getting him to eat properly but well worth it. I have been raw feeding for several years now - even before he left he was not eating as well as the others.

After trying just about everything you can imagine - I was told to give him ox cheek and it worked straight away. Don't know why I didn't give it to him because I usually have it in the freezer.

At 20 months old he is still a slow eater but he eats very well, I feed him Barf and lamb bones every day, he takes his time with food but he eats it. He is not keen on chicken and I don't like giving him chicken if he won't eat it quickly - but lamb is ok to leave, especially in this weather.

His mother and sister are pigs with food - it's gone so fast I doubt they would even taste it. What is normal for them is not normal for him.

Good luck getting your Dobe to eat properly - it is frustrating..

Edited June 13, 2010 by Andisa

[arrow]

thanks for your reply showdog, I have just done some quick googling and found this

What are the symptoms? As with other throat and mouth irritations, many dogs will be reluctant to eat and will drool excessively because swallowing is painful. Other dogs with the same condition may swallow repeatedly. Dogs may also retch, cough, and act depressed.

None of those symptoms exsist

The only problem is he just does not eat, it comes in cycles, some lasting a few days, others lasting months

I am to wits end over this dog

My GSD girl had some "no eating" episodes when she was a few months old - it turned out that she had an infection in her mouth - discovered under general anaethetic when she was speyed. She hadn't shown the symptoms you have listed either.

[wildchild]

thanks for all your replies, definitely some food for thought (no pun intended)

I will continue to speak with his breeder! It's very difficult to have a hard to feed dog, it's emotionally draining as you look at the dog who apart from a bit lean is healthy looking and happy but wont eat!

I will definitely try idea's suggested and hopefully something will work, though I welcome any other suggestions or ideas!

Try Ox Cheek - it worked for Hamish (entire male Rottweiler) he had always been a fussy eater, left home at 5 months old and was fed RC, he was returned at 15/16mths and put back on a raw diet. Was a shitty few months getting him to eat properly but well worth it. I have been raw feeding for several years now - even before he left he was not eating as well as the others.

After trying just about everything you can imagine - I was told to give him ox cheek and it worked straight away. Don't know why I didn't give it to him because I usually have it in the freezer.

At 20 months old he is still a slow eater but he eats very well, I feed him Barf and lamb bones every day, he takes his time with food but he eats it. He is not keen on chicken and I don't like giving him chicken if he won't eat it quickly - but lamb is ok to leave, especially in this weather.

His mother and sister are pigs with food - it's gone so fast I doubt they would even taste it. What is normal for them is not normal for him.

Good luck getting your Dobe to eat properly - it is frustrating..

Thaks for your reply

He isn't a fussy eater, he will eat everything and anything but the problem is every couple of weeks he will go completely off his food, wont look at it, not interested in food at all

I have taken the dog to a fresh meat place after calling them and explaining to them my situation (they do raw diet only at this place) they said look bring him down he will eat this food. Drove him down and nothing - wouldn't even smell it! The lady was shocked, first time she had ever seen or had this happen

He will eat everything and anything - just goes off food every now and again