One of my Basenjis is also diagnosed with early kidney disease. The vet prescribed Enalapril Maleate (generic for Vasotec). My vet allowed me to choose whatever prescription food I wanted to use. After some research I chose Blue Buffalo BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet KS Kidney Support. I looked into and tried a more holistic food, Dr. Harvey's - a dehydrated food, but Kushika couldn't manage to eat it without getting it all over the walls, kitchen floor, and herself so we went back to the kibble. I liked the Dr. Harvey food AND you can call to talk to Dr. Harvey, who asked me to send Kushika's lab results to him so he could make specific recommendations dependent on those results. Kushika came to live with us at almost 10 years old and was immediately diagnosed with kidney disease. At age 12+ she is still with us, going strong and looking better than when she arrived.
Not eating or drinking water
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Well I got desperate this morning and I took the shredded chicken I cooked last night and started force feeding it to Cody. I would take little pieces and pry open his mouth and force it down. Only very small pieces and a little at a time. I have been feeding him every hour to hour 1/2. The food is staying down which is a good sign. I am getting ready to leave the house to run errands. I will pick up the baby food etc. My husband is on board with force feeding if we have to get the food in him to settle his stomach.
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I 'm sorry to hear that you have had to force feed him, but if he is keeping it down great. I will keep my fingers crossed that he is taking well to the force feeding and that he is on the mend..
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How is Cody doing this afternoon? I would really go to the vet Monday. Let us know how you all are doing…
Rita Jean
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Remember too with people and food poisoning.. it take quite a while to get over it… as long as he is drinking that is the main and most important thing. And that he is keeping the water down. Don't rush the food and I know how fustrating it is wanting your dog to eat....
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Good sign Cody met me at the door when I came home from my errands. He seem much more energetic. I brough home a treat for my hubbie (he's been remodeling the bathroom) a strawberry ventician ice. Cody seemed very interested so hubbie put some in a cup and he ate it! Just a few ounces. I tried the banana baby food he seemed interested but wouldn't eat it. I forced fed him about 3/4 of a jar. He told me he was done b/c he walked away. The vomitting has all but stopped and his body language is much more relaxed b/c his tummy is not in pain. Hopefully this is a turning point and he will start eating on his own soon.
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Pat, thanks for the caution. My vet said the same thing. I am trying to go slow. Small amounts over time. it had been so long since he had any food on his tummy I know I need to go slow.
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Happy news, yeah Cody. I am very relieved to hear the he is doing better..keeping my fingers and toes crossed he will stay on the better front.
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How is Cody doing today? How all is well lets all know. Thanks
Rita Jean
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Great news, hope Cody continues to improve
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You may want to get some NutriCal. It is a high calorie gel. That way he starts to get some calories in him and hopefully starts to feel better. You can get it at places like Petsmart and Petco.
And when it comes to baby foods, I would stick with the meat flavors if you really want to entice them to eat. They have the ones that are only meat and also the ones that are like chicken and sweet potato.
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Ivoss-thanks for the idea about NurtiCal. I hadn't though of that. My main concern is getting calories in him along with water etc. Since cody loves bananas and apples I bought that first to see if he would eat it, but if I have to continue I will get the meat flavors esp. for the protein. I was also looking for a type of can dog food that maybe I can force feed him or get him to eat on his own. Any suggestions. I don't want him to become to comfortable with human food.
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There are some really good can foods that are all meat… Evo, Wysong, Natural Balance to name a few
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Great news that he seems a little more himself. Please keep us posted on his progress…((hugs)) for you, Mom...you must be so stressed!
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I would look for the highest calorie food that you can find. When my cat was going through fatty liver we had to get him to eat 200 calories a day. Not an easy task when they don't want to eat so we searched for the highest calorie foods we could find so he didn't have to eat very much to hit that mark. Canine Caviar had some good high calorie foods at the time.
I would recommend doing some label reading to find which foods are high calorie. Also, we found with our cat that he wouldn't eat the same food for very long after being ill so we had to start rotating his foods.
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I agree with rotating foods - eventually when he finds something he can eat without feeling bad he will eat it. Sounds obvious but in my experience Basenjis have very good reasons for refusing some foods when they are ill. Please try not to force feed him if he's reluctant to eat it.
I had a bitch who had been poisoned and it was many days before she got back to normal (for her) feeds. Don't be frustrated when he eats something once and then refuses it next time. I know it can be expensive and wasteful but there you go!
We eventually found that my bitch would eat fish which she stayed on for many weeks but then went back to her normal food when her body had recovered.
I have watched this thread from the beginning but didn't post as everybody had good advice for you - however I've been praying for your boy's return to health. -
Vet call me at work around 4:00 after discussing his still ongoing issues she asked me to bring in him after work. She re examined him, more x-rays. She is concerned he is still vomiting and agrees with me the force feeding should be a last option. So she hospitalized him overnight and is going to do IV fluids and nutrients. ( he had lost another 1 1/2 lbs in 3 days) Going to do a more intensive blood panel test, urinanalysis and possibly ultra sound in the morning. He had become dehyrdated again.
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Vet call me at work around 4:00 after discussing his still ongoing issues she asked me to bring in him after work. She re examined him, more x-rays. She is concerned he is still vomiting and agrees with me the force feeding should be a last option. So she hospitalized him overnight and is going to do IV fluids and nutrients. ( he had lost another 1 1/2 lbs in 3 days) Going to do a more intensive blood panel test, urinanalysis and possibly ultra sound in the morning. He had become dehyrdated again.
Poor baby.. but you did the right thing… and on fluids... They also make a doggy "ensure" product that you can get at petco or pet smart... once he is home... they are very high in calories
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I can not believe all the things poor Cody has to go through…I hope the will find something concrete to tell you so you don't have to do this wild goose chase.
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I hope Cody is all right I am very happy Cody is at the vet so find what is causing all the problem. Please try to rest and we all be thingking of you and waiting to hear. Take care.
Rita Jean
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Did they ever do the barium swallow to make sure that things are able to move through the digestive tract?
