Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Each day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the seventeenth day of the month is "Method."
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Hannah the Dog has recently gone on a bit of a hunger strike. Right before I left to go out of town for a couple of days last week, she refused to get up from laying down to eat and once she actually did get started eating, she'd only eat about half of her food.
For reasons having to do with the fact that Zelda the Cat WILL eat Hannah's food if we leave it out, Dr. BB and I decided that if she hadn't finished her food within 30 minutes, we'd throw it out.
When I went out of town, though, she refused to eat an entire meal and she would very politely take food from Dr. BB's hand when he hand fed her, but then she'd walk a couple of steps away and spit it out. (This is both hilarious and infuriating and if you were here in person to see it, you would see up both being very concerned and yet sort of laughing. I mean. She's so POLITE.)
For every meal she'd refused to eat, she'd eat the next one no problem, so now we're trying to figure out what's wrong. It's challenging when it's so inconsistent, but we're trying to make sure she's good.
Here are the options of potential problems:
1) We're feeding her too much and she's not hungry enough to eat. This seems unlikely since she's desperate for treats, like chicken and sweet potatoes.
2) She's uncomfortable when she's eating. Maybe the bowl is dirty? Maybe her back hurts? She's nervous that the cat is trying to steal her food? This is my working hypothesis. There's just something about the feeding station that's not working for her. We washed the bowl. We sanitized the bowl. We lifted the bowl up from the ground a little bit so that she doesn't have to lean down so far. We make sure that the cat is not in the same room with her when she's eating and then close the baby gate so the cat can't get in there.
We are methodically trying to fix this because a dog should not just stop eating, right?
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| Look a her wagging her tail! She's a happy girl with her elevated, clean bowl. |
3) There's something medically wrong with her beyond her back issues. I'm trying to ignore this as a possibility because I have been really enjoying having a healthy dog and don't want to go through the process of figuring out a new diagnosis if there is something wrong.
Happily, changing around the food station has been working and she has been eating normally for the last three meals. Fingers crossed it stays this way.
Have you ever had a pet go on a hunger strike? Did you figure out what was wrong?
We have this with one of our cats sometimes. In the mornings the cats will meow and meow for wet food, but then when I put it down Muffin sometimes will just look at it and walk away. What? Why??? Then she'll come back a little later and eat some dry food. And when we give them the rest of the can later, she'll eat it. This happens... several times a week? I have no idea why she goes on these mini hunger strikes, and it's not like she's in danger of being too thin (ahem) so I'm not too worried about it. But it does make you wonder.
ReplyDeleteI hope your new food station setup works! If Hannah is behaving normally otherwise, I doubt it's a medical issue. So this is why, in those "would you rather" questions, if the question is "would you rather speak every language in the world, or be able to speak to animals" I always choose animals! It would be amazing to finally know what they're thinking.
Yes! I'd much rather be able to talk to Hannah or Zelda than speak every human language. There are human translators, but not cat/dog/wolf/giraffe translators. I'd love to hear how they're feeling, although maybe not exactly what they think of me!
DeleteZydrunas--the granddog--goes through this once in a while. My son Sam waits for a while and then changes his food. This usually perks Z's appetite back up. The vet said that many dogs simply get sick of the same food over and over after a while. Since Z was still happy and playful overall, and he was exhibiting no signs of illness or injury, changing the food was the route to go.
ReplyDeleteHannah is so dear and so sweet. You can tell she wants to please you both. What a love.
Ah, yes. This is actually probably the answer. Hannah's food is gross. She's on a prescription food and every time we've tried to change it, she's gotten sick. (One time I used her kibble at a training class and the woman next to me ran out of treats and asked for some and her dog just spit it out. Apparently it does not taste good.) We do doctor up her food with boiled chicken on top of it (Every. Meal.), but changing her food is just not an option at this point. Or any point, really. Poor girl.
DeleteSo Barkley never refused to eat in his life, he was such a little piggy. I didn't even realize that a dog could NOT eat their food. Barkley ate like he was raised with a pack of starving dogs and like he thought if he didn't inhale his food within seconds, some other dog would eat it. So I was totally unprepared for a dog like Rex who sometimes goes off his food. We don't have a cat that would eat his food so I just put his bowl in his little stand and he usually will eat it after a long walk, but not always. Little things can throw him off, like extra excitement in the house or being given breakfast at a slightly different time. He didn't eat at all when we were at my parents' place the first time with him, which was alarming, but then he eventually did. You can imagine how I am feeling about MOVING to a new house. Ai-yi-yi. I'm preparing for some chaos. Sometimes I put those expensive "meal toppers" on his food and that always works a charm. He hoovers down his food when I do that. But I don't want him to get used to it - he's very smart (and so is Hannah) and I don't want him to think that if he just doesn't eat he gets the really good stuff. So, as long as Hannah DOESN'T have a medical issue, I wouldn't be too worried. But given her past medical stuff I probably would be, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteOh, no! Rex! He's going to be fine. You're going to be fine. It will be a bit of an adjustment, but as soon as he realizes that he's still going to be with his people and his stuff, the new house will just be another place he lives. And hopefully he'll eat during the transition!
DeleteAlthough, I agree with you that sometimes using the extra inducements to eat just convinces me that I'm going to have to do those inducements for the rest of Hannah's life. *sigh* Why can't I be as smart as a dog?
Oh Hannah! This sounds so endearingly aggravating while also slightly worrisome. I am very glad that your strategies to address points 1 and 2 seem to be helping.
ReplyDeleteI don't think my parents' dog ever went on a full hunger strike, but sometimes after and injury (he was VERY accident prone) or a tummy bug (he liked to eat things outside that he shouldn't) he would stop eating and my parents would have to boil chicken for him. He was fine eating the gourmet food, just not his regular kibble. Sigh.
Hannah gets boiled chicken With Every Meal. Or she won't eat at all. Ha. She really does have us trained.
DeleteI have to admit that the taking of the food from our hands and then spitting it out a few feet away is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen a pet do. She doesn't want to hurt our feelings, but she doesn't want to eat it, either. The equivalent of pouring out a drink in the potted plant, right? So funny, but kind of sad.
Oh, Hannah! Enough with the mind games! They really do know how to get to us, don't they? I am the last person to give advice, as Maggie has me wrapped around her little finger in terms of feeding, but I'm glad the tweaks you're trying seem to be working. Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what's going on. She's slow to get started eating, but she IS eating, so maybe it's just that it's warm out and Hannah is not a dog who likes the heat? Pets. Why can't they talk to us?
DeleteI've never had a pet on a hunger strike but I have had kids do it several times as toddlers. It was so scary...and then after a week or so, they'd eat like crazy. The paediatrician said it was very normal and part of development so I didn't worry as much after the doctor said not to worry.
ReplyDeleteBut that doesn't explain Hannah's behaviour. It sounds like a great sign she has eaten three meals well in a row. Maybe she had a little tummy upset and that's worked itself out of her system!?
Keep us posted and good luck <3
Oooh! Toddlers not eating! My nephew refused to eat for like three days when he was tiny (less than a year, I think). My SIL was so worried! Kids.
DeleteOof, nothing with Hannah is easy, or is it? But I love that you're trying to figure things out (oh, if only she could talk).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad she's eating well again, hopefully your adjustments have solved the problem. We have always had Golden Retievers who eat everything they possibly can so certainly haven't had issues with not eating, apart from that one time our dog ate the kids skipping rope and he had an obstructed bowel.
ReplyDeleteRetrievers are so reliably food motivated. It must be awesome to train a retriever. LOL.
DeleteThis seems more like typical cat than dog behaviour. Not that our cat behaves that way. You never know what is going on in their tiny brains. 😀
ReplyDeleteOh, really? Our cat LOVES food and will demolish anything. The dog is definitely picker than the cat in our house.
DeleteI am glad changing the station up helped and her appetite is back! I hope it still is! We have had our pets go on hunger strikes. Usually right after seeing the vet (not feeling good) or right after we have guests (stress). And one time because of a medical situation.
ReplyDeleteI mean, she's eating, but she's not eating enthusiastically. I still have to hand feed her a few kibbles before she starts eating and she's been willing to leave it in the bowl for 45-60 minutes at a time. *sigh* We'll figure it out eventually.
DeleteBeatrix used to go on a water strike if her bowl wasn't cleaned to her liking. She needed a SUPER CLEAN bowl, and she needed us to switch the water and food bowls every week (No idea why!)
ReplyDeleteOh, dogs! Why do they have to be so persnickety?!
DeleteDutch would go on these hunger strikes. He was a prissy pants and it was usually when I changed his food and he would let me know he was NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. But he would eventually eat. That's what a vet once told me when I talked to them about his hunger strikes. Just to wait them out. They will eventually eat - and he always did. Obviously, it's a little different for you since you can't leave the bowl out but she'll learn she better eat or the bowl will be gone! If everything else seems normal, it's probably nothing too alarming. Just like people will sometimes go through periods of lower appetites, so do animals! I hope her appetite returns soon enough!
ReplyDeleteSweet Hannah. Always keeping you on your toes!
I honestly think/hope that it's just too hot for Hannah right now and her appetite is pretty low. At least, that's what I hope!
DeleteWe haven't had to throw away much food, which is good because it's so expensive, but she does seem to understand that if she leaves food in her bowl, she doesn't get anymore until her next meal, so that's good.
I only have experience with a cat and she has never gone on a hunger strike. She is the hungriest cat and snarfs down her food - often too fast and then she throws up. But the interaction between Zelda and Hannah reminds me of a picture book that we own about a cat and dog. The cat will often eat the dog's food, so the dog gets upset and moves next door. Eventually the cat sees the error in her ways, apologizes, and the dog and cat live in peaceful harmony. It's pretty cute.
ReplyDeleteOur cat has NEVER refused food, either. LOL. Bless her little kitty heart. If she ever refused to eat, there would be no debate - I'd take her to the vet ASAP. I guess that's the thing with Hannah's food strikes - is it worth it to take her to the vet? Her appetite has changed, but she's never been the best eater. *sigh* I wish I could talk to animals.
DeleteOh, man. Pet hunger strikes. They stink. To say the least. Here's hoping Hannah is over her funk. I do hope that if it's just the heat, that the air quality hasn't similarly affected her appetite. I know I've been feeling bleah all week. I'm glad it's a bit better today - and hope Hannah feels the same.
ReplyDeleteUgh. This dog and her food. It's ups and downs. We've done some rearranging - two meals instead of two, about a quarter cup less each day, and a 30-minute time limit. It's had mixed results, but we'll figure it out. She's mostly eating.
DeleteI do think it's the heat that's the problem, though. Poor baby is just too hot and she's carrying around a fur coat. I wouldn't be hungry, either.