Dog food help

Chicklet

My BF's dog was attacked by two other dogs this past weekend.  She's in rough shape and has been staying with me since her surgery.  She has been nibbling some of the food I have for my dog but has been vomiting everything.  She is on an antibiotic and pain med so I know that can cause some nausea.  
She just won't eat the food I have.  She has taken small bites of some PB and oatmeal dog snacks and a bite or two of some pork I made with her meds but that's all she has eaten.  She just pooped for the first time yesterday with help from an enema.  I am a great nurse for people but being a doggie nurse ain't easy!  

I've been feeding my dog the same food for nearly 15 years so I'm not really knowledgable about other foods out there.  Are there are better foods on the market that might be good for me to try?  

DoubleEgger

When my dog had kidney failure, the vet instructed me to give him Mylanta to sooth the stomach. Also, they had some Science Diet "prescription" type wet food that was good for the stomach as well. Sorry to hear about the attack. Scary stuff

tarheelmatt

I know when my German Shepard was getting to her final days, I bought some good canned food and hand fed her.  

DoubleEgger

You can see the scorn in that woman's eyes, she's pissed! 

Dobie

Cook chicken and rice. I give my Dobies some high quality dry food and a scoop of chicken, carrots and green beans that I pressure cook for them. I can buy that cheaper than quality can food and its better for them. There are no left overs. Hope your pooch heals fast. 

henapple

Man that sucks. ..

marysvilleegger

I always go with rice and cottage cheese when my golden has diarhea

Chicklet

@Dobie  I have given that some thought.  Today is my only off day this week and will probably make this for her.  
She also has an open wound in what would be her groin area that we couldn't suture.  It is basically a "skinning" to that area.  I know she is hurting but I also know that she has to eat!  

And yes, @DoubleEgger, she is a scorned pup for sure!  We aren't going to take her back to the farm until the thug dogs are handled.  

Dobie

I make a good sized batch by putting a whole 5 lb bird in the pressure cooker for an hour after it comes to temp. It will fall off the bone at that point. I pull the bones out with a pair of tongs and leave the meat in the water that is now chicken stock. Then I add the veggies or rice and pressure cook another 15 minutes once its to temp again. Then put in a large bowl with a lid in the fridge. I do this about every three days but have two Dobermans to feed. Since your pooches appetite is low go with rice instead of veggies for added calories to heal. If she wont eat that you've got other issues going on. Good luck. 

cazzy

Dobie said:

Cook chicken and rice. I give my Dobies some high quality dry food and a scoop of chicken, carrots and green beans that I pressure cook for them. I can buy that cheaper than quality can food and its better for them. There are no left overs. Hope your pooch heals fast. 

Yep...that is the staple for upset dog tummies.  Diarrhea, vomitting whatever.  Start with very small portions and let her build up her appetite.  Free feeding might be good too...she will eat what she needs.  Just make sure she has lots of fresh water available.

NDG

sorry to hear that and the picture makes me melt.  Like others have said, I have had good luck boiling bone-in chicken breast and the pulling the meat from the bone after.  Combo it with white rice that is moist from some of the "chicken water" from the boil.

fishlessman

boiled chicken and rice, raspberry tums. some dogs cant handle changing their dog food all at once, you might be better off getting the food that the dog was eating and not giving it your dogs food. if the dog is itchy, benadryl, but ask a vet for dosage and if it conflicts with the other drugs, dont buy benadryl knokoffs though

berndcrisp

Try some fish and rice with a bit of milk. Bowel movements for her are probably very painful, given the extent of her wounds and meds. Antibiotics destroy the good probiotics in the gut usually causing constipation.
 Your loving care and patience will get both of you through this. God Bless. 

Chicklet

@fishlessman I cannot believe I didn't even consider that changing her food would be an issue. I *know* that...just so focused on her injury!  

She doesn't seem to be in a lot of pain and no itching so far.  She has a drain tube with 32 stitches.  I am going to take the drain tube out on Sunday which will leave her with a jagged puncture wound we couldn't suture.  I'm sure that will be an issue and I may add the benadryl to her med list then.  For now, she is thankful she does not have to wear the cone of shame.  

m

Fred19Flintstone

Go with the bland diet of chicken & rice. Once the strength comes back a bit, start including the food the dog is used to ( your BF's brand).  The dog may not like the stuff you feed your dog.  If your BF uses cheap crap, then give the dog some decent food and school the BF on proper doggie nutrition.

tksmoke

I'll add one to the rice camp, but add a vote for lamb. Dogs really dig it, and it's very easy to digest. Good luck - best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Skiddymarker

Agree with @fishlessman - find out what she was eating. If you can, get her bowl and don’t wash it, it is home for her and her place of comfort. Lots of water. Good luck, give her ears a rub for me. 

fishlessman

was just rereading your post and saw you fed the dog pork, i had a dog that couldnt digest it and would vomit 12 hours later everytime, it never digested at all, always looked just like he just ate it. stick with boiled chicken. dogs really do like the raspberry tums

Eggcelsior

What are the laws in your municipality on the attack? If you can, make sure you file a complaint(complaint being a witnessed attack). Around me, first complaint means the dog needs to be on lead when outdoors. 2nd complaint, the offending animal is put down. Not sure if that is what you mean by "thug dogs getting handled", but it is certainly what we did after 2 dogs went around and attacked a bunch of animals in my parent's neighborhood. They were dead the next day and the owners were fined(they killed 5 family pets, including one of our cats. They ripped a Scottie out of the owner's arms and broke it's neck). 

On the diet part, is she drinking? If shes vomiting make sure shes getting relatively wet food. Canned wet food is around 70% water. I would add broth to anything you cook her.

cazzy

fishlessman said:

boiled chicken and rice, raspberry tums. some dogs cant handle changing their dog food all at once, you might be better off getting the food that the dog was eating and not giving it your dogs food. if the dog is itchy, benadryl, but ask a vet for dosage and if it conflicts with the other drugs, dont buy benadryl knokoffs though

Oh, totally missed that there was a food change.  Changing food without weaning off is never good.  Definitely think that's part of the problem.  Good catch fish.

Chicklet

@Eggcelsior She is drinking.  I added some Pedialyte to her water.  She seems to be drinking fine.  It is the eating that has me concerned.  

@fishlessman - I only gave her a quarter-sized bite of that pork.  It was the only meat I had on hand and needed to get her to take that med!  That was also last night and the only night she hasn't puked!  I think we are on the mend but gotta get her some calories!  

Dobie

If you need to give oral meds hotdogs work great. 

noregard

All very good advice here regarding the food.  I'll just say that I'm sorry for all involved , and wishing for a speedy recovery.  It's so hard to see them in pain.

saluki2007

When my boxer had cancer and wouldn't eat his regular food I boiled chicken breast, rice, and veggies.  Throw in a blender with whole raw eggs and make a "smoothie".  He really liked that.

Phatchris

You could give some greek yogurt for probiotics to counteract the antibiotics...

Legume

agree with the comments on food change - when we've had issues with our dogs, we usually first try mixing a raw egg into the kibble they usually eat. You can let it sit and soften the kibble a bit before you put it in front of them.  they usually eat this up and seem to digest it really well, although I've never had to deal with a dog not keeping food down unless they're doing the grass eating thing.

evie1370

When my Lab had cancer we fed her roast chicken and sweet potatoes. Roast/pressure cook however you want to handle, then run through a food processor till dog food consistency (use stock from the chicken as needed). It worked wonders and she ate it. Good luck!

johnkitchens

@Chicklet I am so sorry about the dog. The older I get the more I love dogs. Hopefully the dogs that attacked her will be dealt with (and the owner if there is one).

In our little town every couple of years we have a huge stray dog problem that crops up. They will travel in herd of a dozen or more. They have attacked pets here as well. 

When enough people complain the city will trap them. With that being said it is the dog owner that doesn't spay or neuter that is at fault for the stray problem. 

mahenryak

@ChickletFirst, I'm very sorry about the dog.  I hate to see this.  I had a dog that had a bout with pancreatitis once and he had to be on special canned dog food (next to nil fat content, as i recall).  Basically, the enzymes in the pancreas goes on overdrive and begins secreting too many digestive enzymes into the gastrointestinal tract, and fat was the trigger.  My only point is that if it is something like this internally going on then you really need to know exactly what you should be feeding this little guy.  It's not guess work.  I sure hope she comes around no matter what.

Zmokin

marysvilleegger said:

I always go with rice and cottage cheese when my golden has diarhea

My vet has always recommended the above for a diet after surgery, you can cook the rice in chicken stock to give it some flavor and make it smell like good food.  As her appetite improves, add some chopped up cooked chicken meat to increase the protein content.

Sorry to hear and see her problem, hope she heals up soon.

Dobie

@Chicklet did she eat today?