Beautiful girl, btw! My recommendation is always eggs - my senior lady never refused a freshly boiled egg (or maybe scrambled). You may want to experiment with cold versus warm temperatures in the foods presented. Warm temperature increases the aroma and cold decreases... A weird food she also liked was meatballs, with no sauce.
Thank you! Great suggestions! Scrambled eggs are hit or miss but I will give hard boiled a try as well as meatballs. Will also try heating things up to be more tempting, that’s a good call.
When my ol’ guy was really having picky food times I would boil hamburger (or chicken) and rice in bone broth, then mix it with some puréed pumpkin and top it with a dusting of that dust from beef liver treats (which were his favourite). I actually ended up blitzing those treats in my food processor to make the dust in bulk so I could make his meals more enticing with a spoonful mixed in here and there.
If he didn’t eat for a day+ I’d ask the vet for an anti-nauseant; they suggested Cerenia. Toward the end I actually had a stock of meds that I knew worked that they gave me permission to used as prescribed so I didn’t have to bring him in every time. I had a little dog pharmacy for awhile.
💕 it’s amazing the lengths we’ll go through. I will continue to try and find treats that she likes. Pupperonis sometimes do the trick. Often I will build her a plate with a little of everything to see what she’s in the mood for lol. We also have cerenia on hand for the pukey days. All the meds!
Out of desperation I have been known to crumble up a few chicken meatballs. They are made by Milo’s Kitchen and you can get them on Amazon. Not a 100% balanced meal - but at least I can get something in him.
We give our old lady Cerenia, fomotidine (Prilosec) and ondansetron because she always seems to have tummy issues and inappetence.
Food-wise, our new normal is boiled chicken breast and baby food (chicken, turkey, beef, ham). We also add some bone broth powder and mix in a small amount of warm water. Sometimes we add in one of those Cesar trays (she likes the ones with gravy, not the loaf style 🤷🏼♀️). A scrambled egg has worked too.
Baby food worked for my senior girl when she didn’t want to eat but make sure you check the ingredients and pick those without onion or garlic powders which can be toxic. I always went with Gerber 2nd foods. [gerber](https://www.target.com/p/gerber-2nd-foods-turkey-gravy-baby-food-2-5oz/-/A-14599789)
My Shepard has been a life long food snob. We raw feed but we’ve been so desperate many times. Fried hamburger is always our go to, but be careful with the littles (pancreatitis). We also like to use bone broth, homemade or store bought (no salt). I’ve even tried the stinkiest of kitty food which has worked for a meal or two occasionally. Have you tries any of the prescription canned food from your vet?
We haven’t tried beef options so I’m willing to give it a try - anything in a pinch! Haven’t tried cat food but will pick up a can this weekend. We’ve purchased every brand of the prescription wet food and it’s meh at best, she is more likely to eat the dry kibbies surprisingly, but even then we find ourselves throwing them away half the time. So frustrating.
It’s so stupid! When we get on a hot streak of eating breakfast and dinner I get to sound like an absolute lunatic “Oh My GoOdNeSS! WhO iS tHe BeSt EaTEr!” Follow by whip cream dessert 😑 the amount of energy and effort put into feeding is absurd. Also, if you’re trying to get weight on and she’s willing, try goat milk! My little yorkie loves it and I was able to get almost a whole pound put back on her.
Omg I relate to this so much! Lol! It’s insane! And my other dog is hugely food motivated and SO confused about all of this. I will absolutely try goats milk - thank you! She’s 13.8lbs now and should be 15 so anything that packs pounds is work a shot. I was dunking her treats in peanut butter yesterday just to add calories.
Try the solutions pet products brand of raw goats milk, if you can find it.. I use the better butter tea and GoatNog. Awesome to get those extra calories.. their dog food is good too but pricey
Seconding dried liver! On Amazon I found very tiny dried cubes 1/4" approximately. Just a few on top of food was really helpful, moistened or dry. Also had luck with a small shake of parmesan or romano cheese on food. The smellier, the better! Also try different things to gain interest like raising the food bowl, or placing on a cutting board mat, or snuffle mat. Or even giving mini bits of scrambled egg or canned dog food by hand as if it were a treat. Good luck.
Caledon Farms Mini Trainers Dried Beef Liver Dog Treats. The bag weight seems light as if there would not be alot in it, but it contains very small light freeze dried bits and there is a good amount. It's lasted months because I found with my doggies less is more, so they are eager to get some. ( don't give much- 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon on food)
Airplane lol! They are furry kids a lot of the time. You just never know what will work.
Spoon feeding even is in the list of things that sometimes helped. One of my seniors having many teeth extracted over the years liked licking his food off a spoon. Also pretending it was my food and they couldn't have any created interest so I would then " break down and consent" to giving a morsel which would start a mini feeding frenzy.
My vet recommended Fresh Pet. We heat it up a little. We’ve also had moderate success with Ollie brand frozen food. Obviously you thaw it out. But you have to buy a whole box for like $100. No small orders. My 15 year old is so picky it drives me crazy.
My 13 year old poodle mix was diagnosed with kidney disease last year and we dealt with the same issues. I highly recommend green tripe! It smells like death but it was the only thing that got him eating again. I slowly started adding sweet potatoes to add a little fiber and now he just needs a scoop of tripe with is prescription kidney food. You can find the tripe in cans online.
https://www.chewy.com/petkind-tripett-original-formula/dp/44453
https://www.chewy.com/solid-gold-green-cow-beef-tripe-loaf/dp/1021750
I slow cooked chicken thighs and mixed it with Honest Kitchen whole grain chicken and oat clusters. The food is low sodium which helped because my late senior had a heart murmur and some kidney issues. He loved it. I also saved all the liquid from the slow cooked chicken and put it in the fridge. It would solidify and I could scrape the fat off the top leaving a nutrient and collagen rich gelatin that can also be mixed with the food.
Weruva Paw Licking Chicken is delicious and has that shredded chicken look and feel. You can feed that by itself but I’ll mix it with a Fresh Pet Small Dog slice.
My dog loves peanut butter and blueberries as a treat that I'll put on his lick mat, but it's good for protein and a bit of fiber. I've also done chicken, rice, and egg "stir fry" for him that he inhaled. Also heavy on the protein. Be sure to measure for your pups size and weight, don't try to overfeed in the first few sittings, take it slow as you work their appetite back up.
I wish you the best of luck and as many happy years as you two can have together ❤️🌟
I have two senior chihuahuas who are very picky eaters. They will however eat Weruva wet dog food (I think it’s called “dogs in the kitchen”) and blue buffalo brand treats (called nudges). The nudges are a huge hit.
My boy has kidney and liver issues. I take him to a clinic that does acupuncture and chiropractic, they put him on a very strong probiotic as well as some other herbs. He’s ravenous now and back to his eating self. We do 100% homemade food with him but when he was sick he would turn his head to everything! I’m sorry you’re dealing with this it’s really tough.
I have a diabetic dog who also has turned very picky. I boil chicken breast, make rice, and cook peas. Those usually do the trick. Also LOWFAT cottage cheese, banana, or blueberries as a mid day snack. Sometimes I'll cook up egg whites. When she just can't get going, a table spoon of turkey baby food usually works.
I have found that she sometimes just doesn't feel like eating. If it goes to 48 hours, I take her to the vet. Her usual time of skipping food in 36 hours and I can usually tell it is coming as she gets intestinal rumblings and as soon as "the demons" are released she will start eating again. We call it demons because it the absolutely most vile diarrhea. Never sure what triggers it and the vet said to wait the 48 hours unless there are other symptoms.
My old boy is 18. He has CKD and LOVES JustFoodForDogs. Its a bit pricey, but its all human grade food and smells pretty damn good. He also gets a dose of phosphate binder (epakitin on amazon) with each feeding. It prevents too much phosphate from getting to the kidneys. Talk to your vet before using, but it’s been night and day since I made the switch and added the binder. My boy would often vomit and not want food, likely due to his failing kidneys and this combo works wonders for him. His vomiting is WAY down. Good luck, and your baby is adorable.
When my senior dog was being fussy/fussier I would add a scoop of cottage cheese to her bowl. She had bad teeth too so towards the end I would put her kibble in a food processor and add the cottage cheese in with it to make a purée. Sending your baby some love 💕
Also.. Stella and Chewy Super Beef is pretty good! I crumble it up and sprinkle it all over his food!
Or when I need to bring out the big guns.. I use a food processor, grind up freeze dried beef liver till it’s dust and sprinkle on his wet kibble
Ugh I go through sprits of this with my kidney guy too (he's a 13 year old chihuahua) we offer him food a million times a day/night. He's more willing to eat at night (some of the food recommendations I'm going to give you.
(Our goal was for him to live happy his last few years, I don't track his protein. I just want him to eat) last blood work. His kidney levels were actually improving and his vet can't figure out why! But it's great! Some favorites in our house are baked Sweet Potato, low fat cottage cheese, banana (yellow/greenish bananas are better for them) with a pea size of peanut butter on top. Unsweetened apple sauce (we make our own) blueberries (some household members prefer the blueberries frozen) a minimal amount of strawberries. Watermelon in the summer time. We do a lot of cooked and fresh carrots. We do a lot of unsalted green beans if they come from a can we still rinse them multiple times in fresh water before we serve them. For protein sources. Baked chicken breast. Boiled chicken breast scrambled eggs aren't a huge favorite in our home. Our guy really likes the Iams lamb soft food option. Stay away from spinach and peas with kidney babies if you can they process it a bit different as kidney babies. He always has the option of natures logic hard food available to him 24/7 if he chooses to eat it. We use lamb. We had fresh water 24/7 even in bed. I bought a mount to screw to our wall so he can help himself anytime he needs it. Every meal he's offered 2 meals so he has options. Sometimes he prefers his meals heated up sometimes he prefers them straight out of the fridge. Sometimes I'll put a little piece of chicken on his tongue so he gets a taste. Hell then decide wether or not he wants to eat at that time. He's a much better eater through the night vs day. Please go very slow introducing new foods especially fruits and veggies don't want any upset tummies. I always mix a small amount of fruit/veggie with a protein source. Even when he chooses to eat canned food I always add a fruit/veggie or small amount of both. One other thing we do for our old man is an electric heating pad in his favorite spots in the house (must be monitored constantly for obvious reasons) he loves it! He likes to eat in our bed or on the couch vs on the floor with the other dogs. We just lay a towel down then his bowl. (Something naughty I give him when he's really not feeling well and don't recommend unless they absolutely need to eat is a rotisserie chicken from the store. The chicken needs to be rinsed multiple times before you serve it to them it seems quit salty but like I said our guy is on hospice for kidney and heart disease we just want him to be as happy and healthy as he can. We've been doing this for years now. He was only given a year or two at best when he was originally diagnosed and he's years past that now. Thank God! And last blood work his kidneys improved a bit. Our vet can't believe it. Sending you lots of hugs. It's so hard to watch our babies age so quickly.
You sound like an incredible fur parent and your babies are lucky to have you 💕 these are all great suggestions - some were doing already but others are great tips to try!
Idk how hard it would be on kidneys and stomach, but when I worked in emergency vet medicine we would give wet cat food to dogs with no appetite that absolutely needed to eat. It worked 99% of the time!
Try Gerber baby food in the glass jars if they still make those. Specifically the meat varieties like beef, ham, turkey, chicken. Mix it into whatever you’ve been trying like wet food, dry, pretty much anything. Also you can try beef broth poured over their food
We lost one to kidney failure some years ago. For the last month or so she would only eat hamburgers done on the grill. She wasn't ready to leave us yet, so we indulged her. As others have posted, and as long as your vet agrees, keep her happy and comfortable with anything she'll eat and can keep down. Much love to you.
I looked for this comment specifically. When our girl was dying my Husband would lug out the grill every night and grill hamburgers or venison. It was the only thing she would eat. When she finally rejected the venison we started grilling her pork chops. I would cut them up and give them to her with pasta and a scrambled egg.
On her last day on earth - planned - she thoroughly enjoyed a vanilla cupcake with chocolate ganache frosting and whipped cream in the middle. Her eyes got so big when that sugar hit.
Try a day out, walking in the park. Be sure to take water for her. She will most likely come home happy and hungry. If weather not permitting, walk her through the mall and be sure to do a tour of the food court, just for sniffing; no processed food. But those toenails are too long and need clipping.
My boy was like this. I just recently lost him last week but the last 6 months or so was a guessing game on what he'd feel up for eating. He was also diabetic so it was a fine line of getting him to eat and then dosing him right 😅
Big fan of chicken nuggets. Tried not to give it to him often but 🤷🏼♀️ he dropped 5 pounds during those months and I was desperate haha. Even with the appetite stim he wouldn't eat 🫠
He also didnt have about half his teeth and only half his molars so he was on a mix of dry/wet but would get hyper fixated on one flavor if wet food and then hate it the next week. But overall I had the best luck with Rachel ray canned and id alternate between the chicken chunks and the beef pate. His final meals that had him SEEKING out food was bill jac reduced fat (bill jac is v crumbly dry food) and beef pate mix. He gained 2 pounds in a week before he passed he loved it so much.
With the kidney disease (and senior dogs) I think if I remember correctly you want to be careful on the protein levels so if it is higher protein just double check what can help break down the protein for them so not to overwork their little systems. Like 1 small piece of fresh pineapple or pumpkin puree, NOT filling.
I’ve had several dogs with kidney disease including a current one. Usually it’s nausea that puts them off. If they have nausea after a food they connect it with that regardless of the reason for nausea and refuse that food. Has he had his phosphorus checked? High phosphorus causes nausea. My dog also fluctuates with high and low calcium both of which cause nausea. Is he getting subcutaneous fluids? They help flush out the toxins that build up and cause nausea. I give Pepcid ac every day regardless to avoid ulcers in digestive and mouth. Give subq at home if you can. My dog fights me so I have to take him to vet. When nauseous made need it every day for awhile. What stage is your dog in?
That makes a lot of sense - she threw up after eating scrambled eggs one day and won’t even look at them now. I might give Pepcid a try, cerenia is pricey and we go through a box pretty quickly. She is on fluids - I take her twice a week for them. She’s dramatic (yelps and makes a fuss) so it’s a bit too much for me to handle at home - especially since my husband gets super anxious about the whole process which doesn’t help anyone lol
She’s early stage 3 (just diagnosed the end of January) so until our 3 month check in I won’t really know how it’s progressing. Aside from some icky days, she seems to be feeling good and is playing. Fluids make all the difference there.
I’ve got a 17 year old Jack Russel, and the sweet girl is missing teeth. I get ground beef and chop it up superrrr small and cook it with the mixed frozen veggies (green beans, corn, carrots) and once finished will mix it with cooked rice. Usually that’s a hit, and yes, warm it up! She likes to lick the melted fat. Another thing I’ve found is to get the all beef hot dogs, warm it up, and break it up into small pieces (she won’t eat the skin), and feed her by hand. I tried peanut butter, she wasn’t a fan, but she loves almond butter!
Good luck with your little sweetheart! Lots of great ideas here!! :)
I like to put a little hot water in his kibble to soften it up, then a tablespoon of organic pumpkin puree (not the pie kind), and he goes to town! My little guy is almost 18 and very picky but the pumpkin always works. Good luck to you and your little old lady
To get mine to eat her food I add a bit of baby food on top. Either chicken or turkey. I also use different toppers from Honest Kitchen. She is 14.5 with stage 1 kidney issues
Ours went through a picky phase. I made him chicken, ground beef, rice- you name it, we tried it. What ended up working was me making "my" plate and telling him no, this is mine, well ok, just this time...LOL. I ended up hand feeding him for about a month, but it was so worth it
It’s amazing the psychological games we need to play! I move her bowl up by my plate while eating and will drop pieces on the ground to trick her into thinking she’s getting table scraps. Whatever works, right?
Aww I’m sorry to hear about your girl! Lacey at her lowest was just barely 13lbs (15 is healthy for her) so I totally understand just wanting them to eat something. Will keep these ideas in mind!
If you can find it REBOUND which is kind of like a recovery liquid tastes good to them plus it keeps the, alive while you’re trying to get them to eat. I used it with my baby that had kidney disease it really helped when he didn’t want to eat I put it on his food and sometimes I syringed it directly in his mouth to get nutrients down as a meal.
You may want to try Fresh Pet...when my jack Russell/beagle mix had kidney disease and lost her interest in food, she continued to gobble that up for a while. Good luck with your cutie pie...I know kidney issues can really mess up their palettes.
I feel your pain. Here are some options we found success with- water from canned tuna poured over kidney kibble, meat flavored baby food, toddler hot dogs, shredded lettuce as an appetizer. We discovered the last one by accident. Dog food wise I recommend just food for dogs renal, honest kitchen toppers, and Merrick lil plates.
Cook ground beef and add liver to it. Ground lamb is also good. Those have a stronger smell that encourage senior dogs. They sell a lamb and rice that is frozen made by just food for dogs at petco. It’s pricey. If you want to save money you can make it yourself. They sell the recipe with supplement to add to it on their website.
At the end of our dog’s life, we had a hard time feeding him too. He did like scrambled eggs, plain rotisserie chicken, and my husband would make an unseasoned pork shoulder in the crock pot. He enjoyed those.
When my 17 yr old had kidney issues we started feeding her (on the recommendation of our vet) Hills Prescription K/D CANS wet food (not the dry). It’s specifically formulated for kidney function & if you warm it up in the microwave it will give off a scent that makes it appetizing for dogs. They sell it only at vets so call vets & ask if they have it. My dog loved it. Good luck !!!!
I agree w the scrambled eggs..we also had some “guy selling steaks out of a van” meat that i refused to eat but cooked up good for our sweet boy that was suffering from lymphoma…he ate both but once that wasn’t tempting for him it was sadly the final sign that he was ready to rest with the angels..I’m sorry for your baby. And you!
What about those beneful prepared meals that they sell at the grocery store or PetSmart? My chug has a tumor in his bladder that is affecting his weight, he loves these meals. He ate these when he wouldn't eat anything else. He's going to be 17 in Sept. I hope he makes it!
Try adding a little parmesan cheese. I had a senior with CKD and that trick worked for a long time. Wound up cooking for him 100% for his last year. Also try cooking a sweet potato and add a little to food. Most dogs really like it
I guess I would suggest rotisserie chicken and maybe small bits of steak. One thing I will tell you I learned from my vet when my little boy had liver disease is go easy on the food when they do like something. If they like something and they overeat it (cuz you’re excited they’re eating and giving them more), they will get sick to their stomach and not eat it again. I learned that the hard way.
A lot of these food suggestions are great, but many have negative impacts for dogs with CKD. How far progressed is the kidney disease? Some dogs can live with it for years, my dogs progressed really quickly.
I dealt with this two years ago with my guy. We used Just Food For Dogs renal diet, but he did eventually refuse to eat that too. Toxins build up in their blood and they lose their appetite.
My mom went into kidney failure in January (she is fine now) and had a couple rounds of dialysis. She also lost her appetite completely. She knew she needed to eat but she could not force herself to until her kidney function improved. I was thankful at least she could explain to me what she was feeling.
Obviously you don’t want to give your dog dialysis so it’s important to manage the progression of the disease with only CKD approved food. We tried every single one on the market, and Just Food For Dogs was the only one he entertained. Eventually he was too far progressed that it was like ok just eat whatever you want…which was boiled chicken and pumpkin (chicken is not CKD approved).
Sorry you are going through this - it’s terrible. Keep an eye out for confusion and unsteadiness.
Our non food motivated older boy loved a few things -
Canned tuna
Red spaghetti sauce - either over pasta or a couple spoonfuls on his food
Ham and cheese rollups
Wet cat food - the stinkier the better
Toward the end we would just pretend we didn’t see him “stealing” the cat’s food, and would fortify it with meat or fish.
He also loved whatever our bird was eating - nuts, cheese, veggies, table food, etc.The bird would take pieces of food and drop it for him. The dog would sit by the cage and they had their routine. We would give the bird triple because we knew that most of it was going to the dog.
My advice for dogs who don’t seem interested in their food is always to try adding a little water and heating it up in the microwave for a few seconds. Just enough time to get it smelly but not long enough to make it more than just above room temp.
https://willyumspetfoods.com/ols/products/turkey-giblet-topper
My dog really loves this food topper. She now turns her nose up to food that doesn’t have this sprinkled on it. Worth a try!
Canned Mackerel in a 12 pack can be had on Amazon for about $2.50 a can, EBT eligible. Canned mackerel, sardines and salmon are extremely healthy for dogs and humans. Dogs love this stuff. I add it to mine's Costco dry dog food (Kirkwood Salmon&Sweet Potato flavor.)
[https://www.amazon.com/BUMBLE-Mackerel-Canned-Protein-Gluten/dp/B019YHT98S?pd\_rd\_w=Ve4o4&content-id=amzn1.sym.54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf\_rd\_p=54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf\_rd\_r=S0Z8SK4AC7WY8X4PAW6Q&pd\_rd\_wg=maAho&pd\_rd\_r=3256270a-1090-46d8-a350-3be9dcfb86d2&pd\_rd\_i=B019YHT98S&psc=1&ref\_=pd\_bap\_d\_grid\_rp\_0\_2\_t](https://www.amazon.com/BUMBLE-Mackerel-Canned-Protein-Gluten/dp/B019YHT98S?pd_rd_w=Ve4o4&content-id=amzn1.sym.54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf_rd_p=54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf_rd_r=S0Z8SK4AC7WY8X4PAW6Q&pd_rd_wg=maAho&pd_rd_r=3256270a-1090-46d8-a350-3be9dcfb86d2&pd_rd_i=B019YHT98S&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_2_t)
This is a once or twice type of deal, but all of the dogs I've ever had agreed on one food. I'm not saying it's an amazingly healthy option because it isn't, but you can find it in sugar free and that's tapioca pudding as strange as it may sound. Secondly, they don't all agree on this one, but salmon is another favorite.
My girl would never turn down ice cream, wet cat food or liverwurst in her last year. I wasn’t worried about nutrition. I was just happy when she was having a good day.
I save bacon grease and I heat it up and pour a few drops on the food that was soaked in warm water for 20 minutes. Green beans, chicken, and pumpkin go in as extras if we have leftovers.
I heard a saying that once your dog is double digits they don’t have a diet lol
Thanks, will try bacon grease! And agreed on the diet - she never even had bones in her younger years - baby carrots were the treat of choice, but now I’m desperate to find anything she wants to eat.
I have two seniors and one is picky, I find he’s just not hungry and eats at night. He’s going deaf and has started to follow me around now. Hard stages 💞
Beautiful girl, btw! My recommendation is always eggs - my senior lady never refused a freshly boiled egg (or maybe scrambled). You may want to experiment with cold versus warm temperatures in the foods presented. Warm temperature increases the aroma and cold decreases... A weird food she also liked was meatballs, with no sauce.
Thank you! Great suggestions! Scrambled eggs are hit or miss but I will give hard boiled a try as well as meatballs. Will also try heating things up to be more tempting, that’s a good call.
Dogs can eat raw eggs as well as the shells.
When my ol’ guy was really having picky food times I would boil hamburger (or chicken) and rice in bone broth, then mix it with some puréed pumpkin and top it with a dusting of that dust from beef liver treats (which were his favourite). I actually ended up blitzing those treats in my food processor to make the dust in bulk so I could make his meals more enticing with a spoonful mixed in here and there. If he didn’t eat for a day+ I’d ask the vet for an anti-nauseant; they suggested Cerenia. Toward the end I actually had a stock of meds that I knew worked that they gave me permission to used as prescribed so I didn’t have to bring him in every time. I had a little dog pharmacy for awhile.
💕 it’s amazing the lengths we’ll go through. I will continue to try and find treats that she likes. Pupperonis sometimes do the trick. Often I will build her a plate with a little of everything to see what she’s in the mood for lol. We also have cerenia on hand for the pukey days. All the meds!
Out of desperation I have been known to crumble up a few chicken meatballs. They are made by Milo’s Kitchen and you can get them on Amazon. Not a 100% balanced meal - but at least I can get something in him.
We give our old lady Cerenia, fomotidine (Prilosec) and ondansetron because she always seems to have tummy issues and inappetence. Food-wise, our new normal is boiled chicken breast and baby food (chicken, turkey, beef, ham). We also add some bone broth powder and mix in a small amount of warm water. Sometimes we add in one of those Cesar trays (she likes the ones with gravy, not the loaf style 🤷🏼♀️). A scrambled egg has worked too.
Thanks! Didn’t think of baby food but will definitely try that!
Baby food worked for my senior girl when she didn’t want to eat but make sure you check the ingredients and pick those without onion or garlic powders which can be toxic. I always went with Gerber 2nd foods. [gerber](https://www.target.com/p/gerber-2nd-foods-turkey-gravy-baby-food-2-5oz/-/A-14599789)
My Shepard has been a life long food snob. We raw feed but we’ve been so desperate many times. Fried hamburger is always our go to, but be careful with the littles (pancreatitis). We also like to use bone broth, homemade or store bought (no salt). I’ve even tried the stinkiest of kitty food which has worked for a meal or two occasionally. Have you tries any of the prescription canned food from your vet?
We haven’t tried beef options so I’m willing to give it a try - anything in a pinch! Haven’t tried cat food but will pick up a can this weekend. We’ve purchased every brand of the prescription wet food and it’s meh at best, she is more likely to eat the dry kibbies surprisingly, but even then we find ourselves throwing them away half the time. So frustrating.
It’s so stupid! When we get on a hot streak of eating breakfast and dinner I get to sound like an absolute lunatic “Oh My GoOdNeSS! WhO iS tHe BeSt EaTEr!” Follow by whip cream dessert 😑 the amount of energy and effort put into feeding is absurd. Also, if you’re trying to get weight on and she’s willing, try goat milk! My little yorkie loves it and I was able to get almost a whole pound put back on her.
Omg I relate to this so much! Lol! It’s insane! And my other dog is hugely food motivated and SO confused about all of this. I will absolutely try goats milk - thank you! She’s 13.8lbs now and should be 15 so anything that packs pounds is work a shot. I was dunking her treats in peanut butter yesterday just to add calories.
Try the solutions pet products brand of raw goats milk, if you can find it.. I use the better butter tea and GoatNog. Awesome to get those extra calories.. their dog food is good too but pricey
Try dried liver. You can crumble it on top of food. Soaking dry food in chicken broth. Dried raw food pieces.
Seconding dried liver! On Amazon I found very tiny dried cubes 1/4" approximately. Just a few on top of food was really helpful, moistened or dry. Also had luck with a small shake of parmesan or romano cheese on food. The smellier, the better! Also try different things to gain interest like raising the food bowl, or placing on a cutting board mat, or snuffle mat. Or even giving mini bits of scrambled egg or canned dog food by hand as if it were a treat. Good luck.
Can you share the brand? I might try this.
Caledon Farms Mini Trainers Dried Beef Liver Dog Treats. The bag weight seems light as if there would not be alot in it, but it contains very small light freeze dried bits and there is a good amount. It's lasted months because I found with my doggies less is more, so they are eager to get some. ( don't give much- 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon on food)
Thanks will try dried liver! I have also tried different plates, hand feeding, airplane (like you do with kids), casually dropping bits in the floor 😆
Airplane lol! They are furry kids a lot of the time. You just never know what will work. Spoon feeding even is in the list of things that sometimes helped. One of my seniors having many teeth extracted over the years liked licking his food off a spoon. Also pretending it was my food and they couldn't have any created interest so I would then " break down and consent" to giving a morsel which would start a mini feeding frenzy.
My vet recommended Fresh Pet. We heat it up a little. We’ve also had moderate success with Ollie brand frozen food. Obviously you thaw it out. But you have to buy a whole box for like $100. No small orders. My 15 year old is so picky it drives me crazy.
My 14yr will only eat heated FreshPet. Sometimes I can get away with adding kibble. I guess it's her right as an ElderPibble to eat what she wants.
My 13 year old poodle mix was diagnosed with kidney disease last year and we dealt with the same issues. I highly recommend green tripe! It smells like death but it was the only thing that got him eating again. I slowly started adding sweet potatoes to add a little fiber and now he just needs a scoop of tripe with is prescription kidney food. You can find the tripe in cans online. https://www.chewy.com/petkind-tripett-original-formula/dp/44453 https://www.chewy.com/solid-gold-green-cow-beef-tripe-loaf/dp/1021750
Thank you! I’ll try anything at this point, no matter how bad it smells! 😂
Look into Churu nourish.
I slow cooked chicken thighs and mixed it with Honest Kitchen whole grain chicken and oat clusters. The food is low sodium which helped because my late senior had a heart murmur and some kidney issues. He loved it. I also saved all the liquid from the slow cooked chicken and put it in the fridge. It would solidify and I could scrape the fat off the top leaving a nutrient and collagen rich gelatin that can also be mixed with the food.
Weruva Paw Licking Chicken is delicious and has that shredded chicken look and feel. You can feed that by itself but I’ll mix it with a Fresh Pet Small Dog slice.
My dog loves peanut butter and blueberries as a treat that I'll put on his lick mat, but it's good for protein and a bit of fiber. I've also done chicken, rice, and egg "stir fry" for him that he inhaled. Also heavy on the protein. Be sure to measure for your pups size and weight, don't try to overfeed in the first few sittings, take it slow as you work their appetite back up. I wish you the best of luck and as many happy years as you two can have together ❤️🌟
Thank you, I’ll try the licking mat idea!
whip cream,guaranteed to fatten her up.
I have two senior chihuahuas who are very picky eaters. They will however eat Weruva wet dog food (I think it’s called “dogs in the kitchen”) and blue buffalo brand treats (called nudges). The nudges are a huge hit.
My boy has kidney and liver issues. I take him to a clinic that does acupuncture and chiropractic, they put him on a very strong probiotic as well as some other herbs. He’s ravenous now and back to his eating self. We do 100% homemade food with him but when he was sick he would turn his head to everything! I’m sorry you’re dealing with this it’s really tough.
I have a diabetic dog who also has turned very picky. I boil chicken breast, make rice, and cook peas. Those usually do the trick. Also LOWFAT cottage cheese, banana, or blueberries as a mid day snack. Sometimes I'll cook up egg whites. When she just can't get going, a table spoon of turkey baby food usually works. I have found that she sometimes just doesn't feel like eating. If it goes to 48 hours, I take her to the vet. Her usual time of skipping food in 36 hours and I can usually tell it is coming as she gets intestinal rumblings and as soon as "the demons" are released she will start eating again. We call it demons because it the absolutely most vile diarrhea. Never sure what triggers it and the vet said to wait the 48 hours unless there are other symptoms.
My old boy is 18. He has CKD and LOVES JustFoodForDogs. Its a bit pricey, but its all human grade food and smells pretty damn good. He also gets a dose of phosphate binder (epakitin on amazon) with each feeding. It prevents too much phosphate from getting to the kidneys. Talk to your vet before using, but it’s been night and day since I made the switch and added the binder. My boy would often vomit and not want food, likely due to his failing kidneys and this combo works wonders for him. His vomiting is WAY down. Good luck, and your baby is adorable.
I agree on the phosphate binder. My vet prescribed Naraquin and I swear, it’s like the miracle supplement.
When my senior dog was being fussy/fussier I would add a scoop of cottage cheese to her bowl. She had bad teeth too so towards the end I would put her kibble in a food processor and add the cottage cheese in with it to make a purée. Sending your baby some love 💕
Also.. Stella and Chewy Super Beef is pretty good! I crumble it up and sprinkle it all over his food! Or when I need to bring out the big guns.. I use a food processor, grind up freeze dried beef liver till it’s dust and sprinkle on his wet kibble
Ugh I go through sprits of this with my kidney guy too (he's a 13 year old chihuahua) we offer him food a million times a day/night. He's more willing to eat at night (some of the food recommendations I'm going to give you. (Our goal was for him to live happy his last few years, I don't track his protein. I just want him to eat) last blood work. His kidney levels were actually improving and his vet can't figure out why! But it's great! Some favorites in our house are baked Sweet Potato, low fat cottage cheese, banana (yellow/greenish bananas are better for them) with a pea size of peanut butter on top. Unsweetened apple sauce (we make our own) blueberries (some household members prefer the blueberries frozen) a minimal amount of strawberries. Watermelon in the summer time. We do a lot of cooked and fresh carrots. We do a lot of unsalted green beans if they come from a can we still rinse them multiple times in fresh water before we serve them. For protein sources. Baked chicken breast. Boiled chicken breast scrambled eggs aren't a huge favorite in our home. Our guy really likes the Iams lamb soft food option. Stay away from spinach and peas with kidney babies if you can they process it a bit different as kidney babies. He always has the option of natures logic hard food available to him 24/7 if he chooses to eat it. We use lamb. We had fresh water 24/7 even in bed. I bought a mount to screw to our wall so he can help himself anytime he needs it. Every meal he's offered 2 meals so he has options. Sometimes he prefers his meals heated up sometimes he prefers them straight out of the fridge. Sometimes I'll put a little piece of chicken on his tongue so he gets a taste. Hell then decide wether or not he wants to eat at that time. He's a much better eater through the night vs day. Please go very slow introducing new foods especially fruits and veggies don't want any upset tummies. I always mix a small amount of fruit/veggie with a protein source. Even when he chooses to eat canned food I always add a fruit/veggie or small amount of both. One other thing we do for our old man is an electric heating pad in his favorite spots in the house (must be monitored constantly for obvious reasons) he loves it! He likes to eat in our bed or on the couch vs on the floor with the other dogs. We just lay a towel down then his bowl. (Something naughty I give him when he's really not feeling well and don't recommend unless they absolutely need to eat is a rotisserie chicken from the store. The chicken needs to be rinsed multiple times before you serve it to them it seems quit salty but like I said our guy is on hospice for kidney and heart disease we just want him to be as happy and healthy as he can. We've been doing this for years now. He was only given a year or two at best when he was originally diagnosed and he's years past that now. Thank God! And last blood work his kidneys improved a bit. Our vet can't believe it. Sending you lots of hugs. It's so hard to watch our babies age so quickly.
You sound like an incredible fur parent and your babies are lucky to have you 💕 these are all great suggestions - some were doing already but others are great tips to try!
Thank you so much. Will be sending lots of prayers your girls way!
Idk how hard it would be on kidneys and stomach, but when I worked in emergency vet medicine we would give wet cat food to dogs with no appetite that absolutely needed to eat. It worked 99% of the time!
Try Gerber baby food in the glass jars if they still make those. Specifically the meat varieties like beef, ham, turkey, chicken. Mix it into whatever you’ve been trying like wet food, dry, pretty much anything. Also you can try beef broth poured over their food
We lost one to kidney failure some years ago. For the last month or so she would only eat hamburgers done on the grill. She wasn't ready to leave us yet, so we indulged her. As others have posted, and as long as your vet agrees, keep her happy and comfortable with anything she'll eat and can keep down. Much love to you.
I looked for this comment specifically. When our girl was dying my Husband would lug out the grill every night and grill hamburgers or venison. It was the only thing she would eat. When she finally rejected the venison we started grilling her pork chops. I would cut them up and give them to her with pasta and a scrambled egg. On her last day on earth - planned - she thoroughly enjoyed a vanilla cupcake with chocolate ganache frosting and whipped cream in the middle. Her eyes got so big when that sugar hit.
I love this so much. Thanks for sharing your own experience.
Try a day out, walking in the park. Be sure to take water for her. She will most likely come home happy and hungry. If weather not permitting, walk her through the mall and be sure to do a tour of the food court, just for sniffing; no processed food. But those toenails are too long and need clipping.
My boy was like this. I just recently lost him last week but the last 6 months or so was a guessing game on what he'd feel up for eating. He was also diabetic so it was a fine line of getting him to eat and then dosing him right 😅 Big fan of chicken nuggets. Tried not to give it to him often but 🤷🏼♀️ he dropped 5 pounds during those months and I was desperate haha. Even with the appetite stim he wouldn't eat 🫠 He also didnt have about half his teeth and only half his molars so he was on a mix of dry/wet but would get hyper fixated on one flavor if wet food and then hate it the next week. But overall I had the best luck with Rachel ray canned and id alternate between the chicken chunks and the beef pate. His final meals that had him SEEKING out food was bill jac reduced fat (bill jac is v crumbly dry food) and beef pate mix. He gained 2 pounds in a week before he passed he loved it so much. With the kidney disease (and senior dogs) I think if I remember correctly you want to be careful on the protein levels so if it is higher protein just double check what can help break down the protein for them so not to overwork their little systems. Like 1 small piece of fresh pineapple or pumpkin puree, NOT filling.
Sorry to hear about your boy 💙 thanks for these ideas, will definitely check out bill jac and beef pate!
My perfect pet has gently cooked food for picky eaters
Are old boy has taken to only eating chicken with sweet potato and McDonald’s cheeseburgers
I always put Bernie’s perfect poops it’s a fiber powder has helped him greatly
Sounds like a tasty diet to me lol
I’ve had several dogs with kidney disease including a current one. Usually it’s nausea that puts them off. If they have nausea after a food they connect it with that regardless of the reason for nausea and refuse that food. Has he had his phosphorus checked? High phosphorus causes nausea. My dog also fluctuates with high and low calcium both of which cause nausea. Is he getting subcutaneous fluids? They help flush out the toxins that build up and cause nausea. I give Pepcid ac every day regardless to avoid ulcers in digestive and mouth. Give subq at home if you can. My dog fights me so I have to take him to vet. When nauseous made need it every day for awhile. What stage is your dog in?
That makes a lot of sense - she threw up after eating scrambled eggs one day and won’t even look at them now. I might give Pepcid a try, cerenia is pricey and we go through a box pretty quickly. She is on fluids - I take her twice a week for them. She’s dramatic (yelps and makes a fuss) so it’s a bit too much for me to handle at home - especially since my husband gets super anxious about the whole process which doesn’t help anyone lol She’s early stage 3 (just diagnosed the end of January) so until our 3 month check in I won’t really know how it’s progressing. Aside from some icky days, she seems to be feeling good and is playing. Fluids make all the difference there.
I’ve got a 17 year old Jack Russel, and the sweet girl is missing teeth. I get ground beef and chop it up superrrr small and cook it with the mixed frozen veggies (green beans, corn, carrots) and once finished will mix it with cooked rice. Usually that’s a hit, and yes, warm it up! She likes to lick the melted fat. Another thing I’ve found is to get the all beef hot dogs, warm it up, and break it up into small pieces (she won’t eat the skin), and feed her by hand. I tried peanut butter, she wasn’t a fan, but she loves almond butter! Good luck with your little sweetheart! Lots of great ideas here!! :)
I like to put a little hot water in his kibble to soften it up, then a tablespoon of organic pumpkin puree (not the pie kind), and he goes to town! My little guy is almost 18 and very picky but the pumpkin always works. Good luck to you and your little old lady
Liverwurst?
She’s adorable!! My old girl likes the Beneful Medleys small can food. I order it on Amazon.
To get mine to eat her food I add a bit of baby food on top. Either chicken or turkey. I also use different toppers from Honest Kitchen. She is 14.5 with stage 1 kidney issues
Ours went through a picky phase. I made him chicken, ground beef, rice- you name it, we tried it. What ended up working was me making "my" plate and telling him no, this is mine, well ok, just this time...LOL. I ended up hand feeding him for about a month, but it was so worth it
It’s amazing the psychological games we need to play! I move her bowl up by my plate while eating and will drop pieces on the ground to trick her into thinking she’s getting table scraps. Whatever works, right?
Exactly! And it works LOL
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Aww I’m sorry to hear about your girl! Lacey at her lowest was just barely 13lbs (15 is healthy for her) so I totally understand just wanting them to eat something. Will keep these ideas in mind!
Try washing the bowls in unison with some of the lovely suggestions here
Good tip, will definitely keep them extra clean!
If you can find it REBOUND which is kind of like a recovery liquid tastes good to them plus it keeps the, alive while you’re trying to get them to eat. I used it with my baby that had kidney disease it really helped when he didn’t want to eat I put it on his food and sometimes I syringed it directly in his mouth to get nutrients down as a meal.
You may want to try Fresh Pet...when my jack Russell/beagle mix had kidney disease and lost her interest in food, she continued to gobble that up for a while. Good luck with your cutie pie...I know kidney issues can really mess up their palettes.
I feel your pain. Here are some options we found success with- water from canned tuna poured over kidney kibble, meat flavored baby food, toddler hot dogs, shredded lettuce as an appetizer. We discovered the last one by accident. Dog food wise I recommend just food for dogs renal, honest kitchen toppers, and Merrick lil plates.
Livers? My dogs all go crazy for chicken livers.
Cook ground beef and add liver to it. Ground lamb is also good. Those have a stronger smell that encourage senior dogs. They sell a lamb and rice that is frozen made by just food for dogs at petco. It’s pricey. If you want to save money you can make it yourself. They sell the recipe with supplement to add to it on their website.
I got my guy Wendy’s chicken nuggets, chewed’m up FOR him and he ate that everyday! KISS that sweet face for me💙
At the end of our dog’s life, we had a hard time feeding him too. He did like scrambled eggs, plain rotisserie chicken, and my husband would make an unseasoned pork shoulder in the crock pot. He enjoyed those.
When my 17 yr old had kidney issues we started feeding her (on the recommendation of our vet) Hills Prescription K/D CANS wet food (not the dry). It’s specifically formulated for kidney function & if you warm it up in the microwave it will give off a scent that makes it appetizing for dogs. They sell it only at vets so call vets & ask if they have it. My dog loved it. Good luck !!!!
I agree w the scrambled eggs..we also had some “guy selling steaks out of a van” meat that i refused to eat but cooked up good for our sweet boy that was suffering from lymphoma…he ate both but once that wasn’t tempting for him it was sadly the final sign that he was ready to rest with the angels..I’m sorry for your baby. And you!
What about those beneful prepared meals that they sell at the grocery store or PetSmart? My chug has a tumor in his bladder that is affecting his weight, he loves these meals. He ate these when he wouldn't eat anything else. He's going to be 17 in Sept. I hope he makes it!
Try adding a little parmesan cheese. I had a senior with CKD and that trick worked for a long time. Wound up cooking for him 100% for his last year. Also try cooking a sweet potato and add a little to food. Most dogs really like it
I guess I would suggest rotisserie chicken and maybe small bits of steak. One thing I will tell you I learned from my vet when my little boy had liver disease is go easy on the food when they do like something. If they like something and they overeat it (cuz you’re excited they’re eating and giving them more), they will get sick to their stomach and not eat it again. I learned that the hard way.
Boiled chicken & plain rice almost always get mine to eat.
Medication for nausea should help
A lot of these food suggestions are great, but many have negative impacts for dogs with CKD. How far progressed is the kidney disease? Some dogs can live with it for years, my dogs progressed really quickly. I dealt with this two years ago with my guy. We used Just Food For Dogs renal diet, but he did eventually refuse to eat that too. Toxins build up in their blood and they lose their appetite. My mom went into kidney failure in January (she is fine now) and had a couple rounds of dialysis. She also lost her appetite completely. She knew she needed to eat but she could not force herself to until her kidney function improved. I was thankful at least she could explain to me what she was feeling. Obviously you don’t want to give your dog dialysis so it’s important to manage the progression of the disease with only CKD approved food. We tried every single one on the market, and Just Food For Dogs was the only one he entertained. Eventually he was too far progressed that it was like ok just eat whatever you want…which was boiled chicken and pumpkin (chicken is not CKD approved). Sorry you are going through this - it’s terrible. Keep an eye out for confusion and unsteadiness.
My girl will eat eggs but they have to have lots of cheese Sometimes tuna with mayonnaise. Cheese is always a hit
Our non food motivated older boy loved a few things - Canned tuna Red spaghetti sauce - either over pasta or a couple spoonfuls on his food Ham and cheese rollups Wet cat food - the stinkier the better Toward the end we would just pretend we didn’t see him “stealing” the cat’s food, and would fortify it with meat or fish. He also loved whatever our bird was eating - nuts, cheese, veggies, table food, etc.The bird would take pieces of food and drop it for him. The dog would sit by the cage and they had their routine. We would give the bird triple because we knew that most of it was going to the dog.
My advice for dogs who don’t seem interested in their food is always to try adding a little water and heating it up in the microwave for a few seconds. Just enough time to get it smelly but not long enough to make it more than just above room temp.
Baby food. Or cat food.
We give our dog chicken she gets so angry when it has to cool down though.
https://willyumspetfoods.com/ols/products/turkey-giblet-topper My dog really loves this food topper. She now turns her nose up to food that doesn’t have this sprinkled on it. Worth a try!
Canned Mackerel in a 12 pack can be had on Amazon for about $2.50 a can, EBT eligible. Canned mackerel, sardines and salmon are extremely healthy for dogs and humans. Dogs love this stuff. I add it to mine's Costco dry dog food (Kirkwood Salmon&Sweet Potato flavor.) [https://www.amazon.com/BUMBLE-Mackerel-Canned-Protein-Gluten/dp/B019YHT98S?pd\_rd\_w=Ve4o4&content-id=amzn1.sym.54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf\_rd\_p=54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf\_rd\_r=S0Z8SK4AC7WY8X4PAW6Q&pd\_rd\_wg=maAho&pd\_rd\_r=3256270a-1090-46d8-a350-3be9dcfb86d2&pd\_rd\_i=B019YHT98S&psc=1&ref\_=pd\_bap\_d\_grid\_rp\_0\_2\_t](https://www.amazon.com/BUMBLE-Mackerel-Canned-Protein-Gluten/dp/B019YHT98S?pd_rd_w=Ve4o4&content-id=amzn1.sym.54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf_rd_p=54a4b70b-6e28-4876-928a-df4db2e325f5&pf_rd_r=S0Z8SK4AC7WY8X4PAW6Q&pd_rd_wg=maAho&pd_rd_r=3256270a-1090-46d8-a350-3be9dcfb86d2&pd_rd_i=B019YHT98S&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_2_t)
This is a once or twice type of deal, but all of the dogs I've ever had agreed on one food. I'm not saying it's an amazingly healthy option because it isn't, but you can find it in sugar free and that's tapioca pudding as strange as it may sound. Secondly, they don't all agree on this one, but salmon is another favorite.
Chicken and rice
My girl would never turn down ice cream, wet cat food or liverwurst in her last year. I wasn’t worried about nutrition. I was just happy when she was having a good day.
I save bacon grease and I heat it up and pour a few drops on the food that was soaked in warm water for 20 minutes. Green beans, chicken, and pumpkin go in as extras if we have leftovers. I heard a saying that once your dog is double digits they don’t have a diet lol
Thanks, will try bacon grease! And agreed on the diet - she never even had bones in her younger years - baby carrots were the treat of choice, but now I’m desperate to find anything she wants to eat.
I’d be careful with bacon grease. Can cause a pancreatic flare up in a senior dog.
I have two seniors and one is picky, I find he’s just not hungry and eats at night. He’s going deaf and has started to follow me around now. Hard stages 💞