Dog Community

Gibson a week later

dyan

Posted : 7/17/2009 8:40:16 AM

Just a little update on Gibby. He is still eating boiled beef/rice and I can see now he is not getting enough at 2 cups 3 times a day. You can not tell how much is too much or too little when you feed him because he is a chow hound...loves to eat, will eat TOO MUCH and always look for more. But last night while he was laying on the floor we decided he is looking pretty skinny. Then this morning he came into bed with me ( on my days off he lays by me for about 20 min. before getting up ) and his back bone seemed to hurt as he was laying into me.

But his stool for the past few days has been firm ( Callie, you were right that his stool could firm up while eating bland with calcium added ) and he is only going once a day. I really have a feeling it was his food that started this. I will add kibble back in a couple of days...starting with a little at a time. And I will not give him the new formula that he was eating when this all started. I guess it shouldn't take too long to figure out if that is the problem.

You know....reading in a thread from someone elses dog ( from last week ) that had diarrhea and cramping......I honestly never thought about cramping.....( bad Mommy ) but I guess Gibby was. And you know...for a while he was asking to go out a lot and was just taking a pee and coming in......he has not been doing that at all the past week. HHHHmmmmmm THATS interesting.

He has had no dog bisquits or any fresh bones now either. He always gets a fresh marrow bone ( with the marrow pushed out ) on the weeks start and only chews on it while I am getting ready for work until the end of the week when he can have it all the time. But he hasn't had one at all, so I want to give him one again. He was pretty lost while I was getting ready for work, looking all over for his bone...one the sink counter, in the tub etc etc etc. But he is doing really well...but probably hungry. I have to up his food until getting him back on dog food.........gee its amazing how fast I went thru an extra large package of beef and added rice.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 7/17/2009 5:35:24 PM

I'm glad to hear that he's doing so much better. Those pounds will come right back, when he starts eating a little more normally, I'm sure.

jessies_mom

Posted : 7/17/2009 6:49:35 PM

dyan
I have to up his food until getting him back on dog food.........gee its amazing how fast I went thru an extra large package of beef and added rice.

Cooked food has less calories than dog food. For example; the diet I'm cooking for Jessie has about 180 calories a cup; she gets about 4 and a third cups a day and about 780 calories total. Now, I don't know how much beef you're feeding Gibby, and it probably has more calories than the turkey I'm cooking Jessie, but what you're feeding is probably less than 300 calories a cup. I'm so glad he's doing better; good for you staying with the cooked food a little longer. Yes

dyan

Posted : 7/17/2009 9:47:59 PM

Thanks guys!

dyan

Posted : 7/18/2009 8:32:30 AM

Wanted to mention..... since Gibby has been on a diet of ground beef and rice I think its weird that he has brown or black eye junk in his eyes each day. Why would I expect more of something like that with dog food rather than real food??

jessies_mom

Posted : 7/18/2009 10:13:47 AM

Maybe because he's not getting any fatty acids, which help with allergies. This has been a very bad season for allergies. He's also not getting many of the vitamins he needs so his immune system may be more stressed. It's also possible he's allergic to beef or rice. If so, he should start showing more signs such as itchy ears , rubbing his mussle, or chewing his feet. Do you give him Benedryl? It helps Jessie when her eyes are watering from her allergies.

dyan

Posted : 7/18/2009 12:24:30 PM

jessies_mom
Maybe because he's not getting any fatty acids, which help with allergies. This has been a very bad season for allergies. He's also not getting many of the vitamins he needs so his immune system may be more stressed. It's also possible he's allergic to beef or rice. If so, he should start showing more signs such as itchy ears , rubbing his mussle, or chewing his feet. Do you give him Benedryl? It helps Jessie when her eyes are watering from her allergies.

I have givin him Benadryl. His eyes are not watering..or he is not scratching or chewing too much......although everyonce in a while I clean out his ears because he seems to scratch at them a bit.... but not noticing that he is doing it now....... . Just black stuff on his eyes in the morning never had before.