So Fustrated..

[Jennifer and Jack]

I have been going through this with Jack for so long.. He has never been a good eater.... and by that I mean he won't eat hardly anything....Now at the very very most, he is eating about 1/4 of a cup of food every 24-48 hours//

 

I switched Jack to orijen a while ago, not that he ate what he was on before, but now it has been a few months and Jack's poop is terrible.. Once in a while it is okay, but for the most part, it is pure liquid. He strains and strains to go potty and often times nothing comes out.

 

Pumpkin, yogurt, green beans are not an option. He won't eat it. I have left his food on the floor for days. I have dumped food and offered him fresh food. He is willing to eat if it is something he wants, such as cooked chicken, cooked beef. or occasionally a piece of cheese.

 

From a digestive stand point, Jack does have an enlarged intestine, only slightly at this point. My vet does not want me to switch his food.. but I am wondering if maybe he needs something different??

 

I hate to see him struggle to go potty, often times on his x rays it has shown him to be backed up. Would grains in a diet help him with bulk in his stool?

 

He has has the million dollar work up, liver enzymes, pancreatic enzymes, albumin, pre-albumin, and every other test for digestion has come back normal.....

 

The only abnormal thing is his slightly enlarged intestines.....

 

What can I do to help my boy?

[Anne G.]

My pup used to be fussy and I worried about her not getting enough so when I put the food down and she showed no interest, I would take a kibble out and toss it on the floor a few feet away. This was a game to her and she'd eat it. Then I'd take another on and toss it closer to the bowl. Same thing, she'd eat it. Then I would place one right next to the bowl and she'd eat it. Most of the time she would then go to the bowl and eat her food. I'm not sure if this game is a good idea long term but it does make you feel better that more food was eaten. Since my pup has gotten older she's better about eating so I no longer have to do this.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I can sympathize with you as I went through the same thing with a standard poodle some years ago.  I spent more time cooking for him that I did for us!  Then I started using the book Barker's Grub by Rudy Edalati and I actually enjoyed cooking for him.  The book is quite informative with lots of easy recipes which are very healthy.  You might check it out.  Each recipe is for a small quantity and then also includes a week's recipe for the same meal if you do not want to cook everyday.  With your little one, I would think you could use the regular recipe and it would last for a couple of days.  The recipes are simple and quick.  

This book also includes healing meals for specific health problems, as well as special diets for different life stages.  It also has a wealth of canine nutritional information.

Good luck. Your Jack is so darn cute!