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Post by jaspersgroupie on Apr 27, 2016 21:06:02 GMT
My Jasper loves his food soaked in hot water. It started when we had a visitor staying who had her food done that way and now he looks disgusted if I offer him dried food! He's not interested in treats either, especially if we're out - which made recall training very difficult to begin with. It took him about 3 months to get the treat thing even at home, so don't give them away just yet!
Grace, on the other hand, will eat food in any guise - dry, wet, hot, cold... she's not bothered! I have difficulty keeping the weight on her, so she has more than the guideline amount and extra treats. I think portion size comes down to knowing your dog with a heathy helping of trial and error :-)
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 27, 2016 21:42:39 GMT
@ Rowlfsmum Spot on. We can know nothing of her history and so its very much a case of going with the flow and being guided by Margot. @ Jaspersgroupie I shall try the hot water trick for breakfast. Once her sutures have been removed next week I am going to give her a professional pamper with a schoolfriend of my sister @ link.
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Post by daisydip on Apr 27, 2016 21:44:00 GMT
Hi Kaaren, give her time with food, she may just be a little anxious about eating in the open depending on how she survived before she was rescued. If you are anxious about her not eating she is likely to pick up on that too. I've never known a dog starve themself. Be careful making too many changes to diet as she will get an upset tum. One of mine took a long time before she would take treats or even eat with me in the same room. I feel that you are trying to do everything right like a new mum and I think most of here have been there... try to relax and make the most of her calmness because I am sure she will soon be keeping you on your toes You really are doing a fab job. Xx
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 27, 2016 21:53:05 GMT
@ daisydip. Yes, I agree it is very early days, (even though it feels like she's always been here), so easy has been her assimilation into our family. I haven't made any radical changes to her *diet*. Jenny's advice has been followed to the letter.
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 28, 2016 8:50:41 GMT
Hmmm. Margot slept in today...on my bed. I took her out for a call of nature and she climbed onto the super muddy newly horse manured raised bed and produced liquid stools. It might have been her chicken lunch yesterday. I did try the wetting down the Burns dried with Butchers which mixes into a gravy for breakfast and she was having none of it.
I have left it in her bowl, in case. Theres always fresh water.
So, I'm not sure whats going on but she's due to see The Vet today for a wound check so I do have help on hand. She's fast asleep now and doesn't seem to be in any discomfort. Perhaps its a one off and related to her 1st immunisations on Saturday afternoon, the nil by mouth in prep for the GA on Monday and she did have trouble producing a poo yesterday, which was her first since her operation. Now her bowels have gone to the other extreme. I shall have her checked out and I shall keep you posted.
It could be the Inflacalm, (Neurofen for hounds), the non steroidal anti-inflammatory pain meds. She has been given it with food and the exact dose, all as per instructions. Maybe it doesn't agree with her. She has been nibbling grass so I knew something was up...
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Post by rowlfsmum on Apr 28, 2016 9:04:59 GMT
I would suspect that is a reaction to the anaesthetic. Maybe just chicken and rice for a few days will settle it. You don't know what she has been eating before and any sudden change if food can cause dire rear (our words to save spelling it!!!) I am sure the vet will advise you.
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Post by echo on Apr 28, 2016 10:38:13 GMT
It could just be a reaction to the anaesthetic as Rowlfsmum says but do be aware that the non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs can cause dire rear so it may be worth holding back on that until you have spoken to the vet. Sometimes potato is better with fish or chicken as it's more easily digested than rice. Good luck today.
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Post by PawTrax (Jean) on Apr 28, 2016 10:43:23 GMT
When we first got our Saluki cross (sadly no longer with us)I used to put his bowl down and he would just look at me. I thought he was waiting for a command to eat, so I said all the ones I could think of (including get your laughing gear around that) but none worked, so I left the room and Hey Presto he would start eating!!
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Post by lovemushy on Apr 28, 2016 10:58:15 GMT
Margot is a great name!!. A beautiful ginger girl too!. Flo only eats if alone. And Noodles we fostered had obviously never had a bowl and use to pick it up and take it out in the garden to bury it!. We fed him chappies by hand! And then spread it round the bowl holding so he could lick it. In the end he learnt to eat out the bowl. I'm sure she will get there when she is feeling well and hungry again. Well done for Ff!!! X
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 28, 2016 11:19:47 GMT
We're back from seeing Gavin The Vet. Margot was given a thorough exam, (including her temperature ) and her wound is healing beautifully, must be all those +ve vibes you lovely people at SLR are sending. She is fine. Very comfortable, apparently. Now, the *dire rear* , by a process of elimination, (boom boom!), is likely to be caused by the NSAID, Inflacalm. So, shes gone hardcore and she's been prescribed Tramadol 50mgs X daily for 4 days. The capsules are bitter and she's not likely to be a compliant patient with these. (If I can administer a wormer to an extremely unwilling horse, she should be a doddle.) She likes chicken, and I will cook some rice. Thanks for the tips. The tramadol will help with the dire rear if its ongoing as they have a constipating effect. The position of her bowls might be too 'public' so I might have a re-think on that too. I was given permission, (now she's day 3 post op), to take her for a 20 minute walk which she enjoyed and she's been roaching, rolling and wiggling about on the grass. Now sprawled flat out on her cushion on the patio in the warm and glorious sunshine. Her pink camo post op suit raised a few smiles and Gavin was impressed and will be recommending to his patients. Margot will be going back to check her hopefully healed wound next Thursday to ensure her dissolvable sutures have done their job.
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Post by han on Apr 28, 2016 11:40:57 GMT
I think you can tell a lot about a dog's past by their eating habits. Kevin will not touch his food if anyone is about, he has to be put in a separate room and have it dampened. He will also go on voluntary hunger strike if he is fed too much out of his usual time and if Neil feeds him when I usually do. He was badly abused when we got him. Zac just scoffs everything and anything and was an ex traveller and he begs/steals like nothing else so has probably gone hungry. Louie and Sidney are totally 'normal' and are not bothered when or what they get fed Hope your girl continues to improve and I am sure she will be a happier princess when she is fully healed and allowed her normal exercise regime. Mine also love a bit of pasta if they have upset tummies or need some extra weight putting on them xx
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 28, 2016 11:42:31 GMT
The cunning plan worked, with no drama nor stress for Margot. I sneakily hid the capsule in a piece of cheese and she delicately nibbled it from my hand. Plus I put her food in her bed and she ate from there about half her food so at least the strong pain relief is buffered.
That's interesting, Han. We have scant detail on her history and only Simon has met her. It will be great to meet up with Jenny and Parv in the near future so they can offer me their opinion of Margot's temperament. All I can say is that she's an absolute dream, the perfect hound to a newbie like me.
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 28, 2016 15:28:34 GMT
Margot barked! Twice too. She was telling me off as could smell raw chicken and wanted me to get a move on with hers, (which was cooking in the oven).
I gave her one cooked Chernobyl breast with cooked basmati rice and she delicately picked out all the chicken before looking round for more. Demolished that too. Thanks to all who suggested this 'motivator'. I will not however be cooking coley as it absolutely stinks. This is the most I've seen her eat since she's been with me and I am pleased to say she has flaked out in her bed. One satisfied hound. I'm relieved.
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Post by rowlfsmum on Apr 28, 2016 16:03:28 GMT
I am glad she has found her voice and enjoyed the chicken.
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Post by daisydip on Apr 28, 2016 16:28:43 GMT
I think she's liking chicken little minx. I bet you're relieved. and 2 barks! I think you two are going to have fun learning together. Keep healing vibes for Margot. Xx
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Post by Romi on Apr 28, 2016 18:07:57 GMT
Sounds like Margot has got you exactly where she wants you!
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 28, 2016 18:23:52 GMT
Guilty as charged! I'll be popping into Makro tomorrow for their boned, skinless chicken thighs as they have more flavour She needs building up plus she's been through so much in the short time I have, *cough*, "fostered" her because within 36 hours of my exchanging her for Tilly on Saturday, she was being spayed. And she was 3kgs underweight then. Do not worry, this young lady will not be a porker.
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Post by jinjili on Apr 28, 2016 18:32:53 GMT
Ours are fussy too. Willow prefers to eat alone and is selective, leaving most of the dry stuff on the floor. Jake just knows what he likes!
Our regular feeding now is made up of roast chicken (we buy two small ones at time from Aldi £2.39 each) and mix some of this with a handful of Eden complete and perhaps half a cooked sausage. To this we add diced carrot and sliced green beans - tonight it all disappeared in two minutes or less. Haven't found a tinned food that they like.
Every other evening they share a pigs ear treat, which they adore. Day treats are tiny pieces of dried liver from Nutriment (this also goes down very well with all the other hounds at Meet and Greets!)
So glad that you are totally smitten by Margot - she certainly got lucky with her choice of "foster parents".
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2016 18:33:13 GMT
It really sounds as though you're enjoying bonding with Margot and learning about her!
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Post by Margot's Corps de Ballet on Apr 28, 2016 19:12:26 GMT
I'm fully prepared to be her Catering Corps She is a "private eater" and I would rather she eat well than attempt to enforce a tinned/ dry regime. Her character is emerging and when she wants something she *asks*with a paw, or a bark. Bless... Her tummy has settled too.
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