Sick Dog Who Won't Eat or Drink?

After nine years, my dog has finally gotten sick enough to be cause for alarm.  Normally, she drinks water constantly and will lie to me just to get a second helping of food, so when she refused to eat or drink I was concerned.  It all started off with what appears to have been a sinus infection.  After about a day, she was becoming lethargic and disoriented.  I noticed she was drinking significantly less water, so I figured she was just dehydrated.  We switched her food to chicken soup, which she loves.  Fever ensued.  After about another day, she refused to even eat that.  What with the arthritis on her back legs, she was just stumbling around sideways like a drunken camel.  Not so good.

We took her to her doctor and he prescribed her an antibiotic in a pill form, which is hard to feed a dog who doesn't want to eat.  I snuck it in with the eggs and tuna that I had to actually put inside her mouth, but after another day she wouldn't even accept that.  Even after her fever broke, she still refused to eat or drink.

Running out of ideas, I went online to look for some more information about dogs who won't eat or drink, and I stumbled upon this article, which talks about feeding dogs maple syrup and water or chicken broth via syringe or turkey baster.  I must say, I felt strange injecting a maple syrup and water solution into the back of my beast's cheek, but she liked it.  After a few minutes, she was willing to take a short walk, which opened up her appetite for a little more tuna and turkey (in which I hid her pill).  She even ate some by herself out of her bowl and then had a little water.  This morning, she had more maple syrup, plenty of water, and some puppy treats with a few bites of tuna.  The puppy treats she's willing to eat on her own.  We will take another stroll soon and hopefully open up her appetite a little more.  She's definitely on the mend.

Awesome Tip of the Day:  Spoil your dog when they're sick.  Just give them whatever is necessary to get them to eat and drink and take their medication (if applicable).  Try not to think about how impossible they will be once they're both healthy and well-accustomed to eating gourmet dodo bird eggs drizzled lightly in unicorn tears and served up on a gold platter.

Update:  Osa is eating just fine now and drinking plenty of water.  Now it's just a matter of weening her from being picky, now that she's used to all the special treats.  I let her be hungry all morning and she finally ate her food.  We had some blood drawn a couple of days ago to test for Lyme Disease, which is quite possible in coastal California, just in case.  Just waiting for the results.

Update on Lyme Disease:  Results- negative.  (No more excuses... ;) )

Furry Pets and Hot Days

We're having a nice heat wave right now in S. California.  Great for me.  Not so great for Osa.  As you may know, German Shepherds have two coats of hair.  That extra undercoat they have is for insulation in cold weather.  On hot days she can really suffer, especially now that she is getting old.

I'm assuming that not everyone has a chance to take their dog to the beach half the day and let them play in the cold ocean.  Probably, most of you have jobs or other matters to attend.  Before you leave your canine pal outside in the heat, please consider that he/she will be there, wherever you leave him/her, until you get back.

Make sure you have a dog house or umbrella or something outside for them to have shade.  Fill up the water bowl before you leave with fresh water.  If you can, fill it half way with ice and the rest with water.  Then, make sure the water bowl is somewhere in the shade.  They really appreciate it.

Awesome Tip of the Day:  What else is all that fur good for?  Absorbing water.  On hot, dry days, I like to chase my dog around with the hose for a few minutes.  It's a fun game for her and good target practice for me.  All that water helps keep her cool until it's time to bring her back in the house.  With this heat, she is dry enough to come in by then.

What Not to do When Feeding a Snake

Awesome Tip of the Day:  Thinking about getting a pet snake?  Remember never to feed your snake inside its cage.  The reason is that your snake will learn that, when it is feeding time, you open the lid and stick your hand in its cage.  See where I'm going with this?  Your snake will learn to bite your hand every time you reach inside its cage.  Not good.  Get a separate feeding box for feeding your snake to avoid this situation altogether.

Arnica Montana for Joint Pain Relief in Dogs

My dog has old joint injuries (thanks to squirrel holes) and arthritis due to age and size.  A regular low dose of arnica montana in her food and regular, mild exercise has kept her walking and playing at the beach for the last three years.  I originally was recommended these tiny pills to treat my mom's arthritis, but I was desperate one day to treat my dog when she had a bad sprain.  She has never displayed any visible side effects and appears to be much happier and active when she is receiving her 30X treatment.

If your dog has arthritis, I suggest further researching the use of arnica in treating inflammation.  A regular low dose could reduce pain and inflammation and improve the quality of your dog's life.  They don't live very long, but the years they do have are best spent active and happy.