Loss of Appetite After Spaying (and other stuff)

    • Gold Top Dog

    Loss of Appetite After Spaying (and other stuff)

    So after Harley's spay yesterday - her vet told me that she wont have any appetite tonight or today (this morning). He said that if it continues for two days bring her in.

    Well - she really didnt want anything to do with her food yesterday evening. She did drink water. So this morning, I wake up to her throwing up bile (yay again). She has had two pieces of boiled chicken - and she wont have any more than that.

    Is there anything I can do or just ride it out? Just try to give her pieces of chicken throughout the day? Tough love isnt going to work right now on her because I do want her to have some food in her belly. (she did potty yesterday evening even without food - it was softer than normal).

    Also, just to add - she keeps fighting her e-collar and manages to take it off. So far she hasn't been picking on her stitches and she is wearing a shirt as a blocker. She just naps a lot. Any advice for this one as well?
     

    • Gold Top Dog

    Anesthesia usually makes Pi pretty peckish too. I wouldn't worry until tomorrow or so if she's still not hungry. For times when he's particularly icky feeling, or having a bout of upest tummy, I make a pot of instant rice, and stir in about 1/2 a lb. of ground turkey or lean beef when most, but not all of the water is absorbed. The meat cooks and it's apparently pretty tasty.

    If she's not bugging her stitches I wouldn't make her wear the cone.

    • Gold Top Dog

    The only purpose for the e-collar is to keep her from bugging the stitches.  Leave it off as long as you can trust her.

    did you ask the vet WHY she said the dog wouldn't eat?  That's not typically a rsponse, so I have to wonder what type of anesthetic the vet used.

    If the dog is throwing up bile the tummy is TOO empty.  I'd try a jar of lamb baby food -- dilute it just a bit with water and if you can't get her to eat it any other way use a baby medicine syringe and just squirt it in her mouth.

    Hold her mouth loosely shut.  Park the tip of the syringe behind her canine tooth and squeeze gently.  Allow her to have her mouth open enough so she can swallow but don't let her just fling her head to spit it out.

    VERY VERY well cooked white rice (you can literally cook white rice and lots of water until it's liquid) is a great thing to use on a sick tummy.  And yes, as meg says add a bit of meat -- ground beef is nice (it's usually well tolerated).

    You can also add just a bit of minced garlic -- typically they like garlic and it may make it smell more appetizing.

    don't put down a big bowl of food.  Keep food in TINY amounts.  You'll have better luck offering a small spoonful in a small dish than a whole bowl of food. 

    If this continues call the vet tomorrow.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Well shes eating normal now! Yay.

    She (after napping the whole day  yesterday) woke up in the afternoon and decided to have more pieces of boiled chicken. In the evening she was wanting her regular food but I kept it minimal. She hasn't been throwing up anymore but her poop is still kind of wet.

    When the vet told me that he said that I can feed her minimally but usually they dont have any appetite - I called a vet hospital and they confirmed that as well and said it was normal too (and they told me to bring the pup in if it hasnt eaten in 3-4 days which makes me like my vet more since he said by day 2 to bring her in).

    But she is eating so I am glad.

    I put the e-collar on her for a few minutes every day a few times a day just so she gets used to it more - but so far it seems that I can trust her without it.

    • Gold Top Dog
    That's great that she is feeling better! Loss of appetite is very common with all types of anesthesia. I usually warn patients that it can be up to two weeks before their appetite returns to normal. Food just doesn't taste good for awhile due to the medications. Many give you a wierd metalic taste in your mouth too that doesn't help.
    • Gold Top Dog

    I wish my vet would have given me an e-collar for Misty.  I'm glad your pup's feelin' better.  They say the anesthesa (sp?) is harder on smaller dogs, so it probably hit your baby hard.  She's tiny, so the poor little thing was really knocked for a loop off of that stuff.  Good Luck!  Give her lots of lovin's and attention.  She's been thru a lot!   Smile