Why is My Dog Not Eating?
Most dogs love to eat. So if your furry companion loses his appetite or becomes a picky eater, there may be an underlying problem.

It could be his teeth: Your dog may be experiencing dental problems. His dog food may be too hard for him to chew - and eating becomes too painful. Try adding water to your dog's food. This will make it easier for him to chew. Also, check with your veterinarian, an oral exam can help determine if there is a problem with his teeth or gums.

Medical problems: There are many medical reasons why a dog stops eating. Problems with the digestive system, metabolism or even a virus can result in loss of appetite.

Emotional effects: Sometimes changes in a dog's environment can cause him to lose his appetite. For example, the addition of a new pet or a baby can cause emotional stress on a dog. Even moving to a new home can impact your dog's appetite.

Too many snacks: If your dog has gotten used to getting little treats under the table then he may not want to eat his own food - or he might be full. Make sure that no one in the house is feeding your dog people food at the dinner table - or in between meals. Not only is it unhealthy, but feeding him at the table reinforces begging behavior. Also, remember that even doggie treats can fill him up, so limit the number he gets each day.

Sneaking food: Sometimes a dog ends up finding other ways to fill his belly! Dogs may eat garbage, scraps or even steal food from countertops. Make sure that you don't leave food within your dog's reach, and that he isn't tearing holes in your garbage bags to steal a snack. Also, watch out for dog-friendly neighbors - they may think they're being kind feeding your dog, but it's not good for him.

Here's a Trick:
To get your dog eating, offer him a dish of food but don't force him to eat. If you notice that he is not eating then take it away. Wait some time and then try it again. If your dog still hasn't regained his appetite after 24 hours then contact your veterinarian. A dog should not go without eating for more than a few days before he sees the vet. Also remember, that if your dog is not eating, it's essential to keep him well hydrated. So keep his water bowl filled and encourage him to drink. 





Dogs with Anxiety Separation
Some dogs may become anxious when left home alone. Keeping the TV or Radio on can help your dog to remain calm while you run your errands.

Buying puppies online may be the latest trend, but you may be supporting the cruel "puppy mill" industry by doing so. "Commercial kennels" become "puppy mills" when animals are housed in inhumane and filthy conditions, offered little in the way of proper medical care and disposed of when they're no longer productive as breeding stock.

WHAT IS A 'PUPPY MILL'?

The appeal of puppies as a retail item goes back at least as far as the old song "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" But cruelty in the high-volume breeding operations that feed the pet trade has been documented for decades.

While there are operations that practice husbandry at least as humane as that offered to livestock, other breeding businesses care little for their animals. And even the "good" commercial breeders do not offer what behaviorists argue is essential for a temperamentally sound family pet: constant in-house exposure to normal family life and gentle socialization by all manner of people.

"Commercial kennels" become "puppy mills" when animals are housed in inhumane and filthy conditions, offered little in the way of proper medical care and disposed of when they're no longer productive as breeding stock.

There's really no way to determine what misery may exist behind the puppy you're buying unless you investigate. At the very minimum, buy only from people who are happy to show you their kennels in person.  Also from people who can show you either the Mother or the Father.  Even better is when the puppies aren't kenneled at all, but raised and socialized in the house with plenty of love and care.
Also do yourself a favor and ask for references before you write that check for that new puppy.

Why Does My Dog Eat Poo?

It may sound strange, but the truth is that a lot of dogs exhibit coprophagy (eating feces). Whether it’s their own feces or that of another pooch, some dogs just acquire this habit. But why?

A dog will eat feces for any of the following reasons:

He’s hungry: A dog who is hungry may choose to eat feces. This is especially true with dogs who are underfed or stray dogs who will eat just about anything to survive. Dogs with digestive enzyme deficiencies and those on certain medications will often be extremely hungry, also.
It’s appetizing: Sometimes a dog does not always digest all of his food and so his feces may contain nutrients that are appealing to other dogs.
Incomplete digestion can happen with dogs that are overfed as well as with those who have medical issues that affect digestion.

He’s Bored: A dog will eat feces because it’s a habit that was picked up as a result of being bored. This is normally seen in dogs who spend a lot of time in kennels.
While coprophagy is usually a behavioral problem, there are some disease processes that can worsen the tendency. They include pancreatic enzyme deficiencies and diseases and medications that cause an increased appetite. Your pet should be examined by your veterinarian for any underlying medical problems.

Although this behavior is typical for dogs - it’s not pleasant. The following are some suggestions you can follow to get your dog to stop eating feces.

Deny access: Always take your dog out on a short leash, and immediately clean up after him.
Change his diet: A diet change is helpful for some dogs. With the permission of your veterinarian, try switching your dog to a high fiber diet.
Add ingredients to his food: There are several products that can be added to your dog’s food that may make his feces less desirable. Please discuss any options with your veterinarian.
Train him not to eat feces: Try to train your dog to shake this habit. For example, when you let your dog out to relieve himself, watch from the window. As soon as he is done defecating open the door and wave a treat in front of him. This will train your dog to come inside as soon as he is done defecating – and will keep him occupied with something other than eating his feces.
Because coprophagy provides immediate gratification, it can be a difficult behavior to eliminate. 

Dog's Eating Raisin's

Written by: Laurinda Morris, DVM Danville Veterinary Clinic Danville , Ohio

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it, but.... Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give I V fluids at 1 1/2 times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 ( 1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We pl aced an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At th e point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220.. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to
euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern. 

Dog's Eating Raisin's

Written by: Laurinda Morris, DVM Danville Veterinary Clinic Danville , Ohio

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it, but.... Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give I V fluids at 1 1/2 times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 ( 1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We pl aced an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At th e point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220.. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to
euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.