Buelah is five years old and seems to be slowing down a bit. I'm hoping that this is a normal progression but she is my oldest and I am a little bit worried. Lately she seems to want to just pick at her dinner. She WILL finish it but it takes a lot of coaxing. She used to just inhale her meal like the other two wolves... sorry...dachsies in my house. Sometimes she flatly refuses and I just put it up and bring it to her a bit later. She will usually eat then although there are times that I have to actually hand feed her. She has also been drinking a LOT more than usual. Of course, we have had a really hot summer and although they do have access to the air conditioned house during the day, she likes to lie in our screened room and snooze in the sunbeams. I'm thinking that being outside that much is just making her really thirsty. She has also had a really rough summer with the allergies. She has been to the vets twice. Once she had the steroid shot and both times she was put on antibiotics for the skin infections which result from her allergy outbreaks. So my question is this. Has anyone else experienced these sort of changes as thier furkids get a little older? Am I worried for nothing? Both times I've had her to the vets she has been examined and seems to be okay.
Any thoughts???????
:ambulance: Get her to the vet. If she's drinking a lot and off her food she could have problems.
Does she eventually finish her meal? How long is lately? Over the last month or two or in the last week? I'm not trying to worry you, but when a dog goes off its feed, there's usually a good reason. It may be due to the steroids, I have no experience with them with dogs.
Keep us posted - our Beulah girl gets mega-Balmer rays, even from the Bunny Stalkers!
Love,
Auntie Karen
:pray: :heart: :pray: :heart: :pray: :heart: :pray: :heart: :pray: :heart: :pray: :heart: :pray: :heart:
(And D'Niel's two Betas too! :pray: :heart: :pray: :heart:
Hmmm... Well, Penny has slowed down a bit and she is turning six in December (:crybaby2:). With Buelah I'm wondering if it is the steroids/allergies or something more serious. With the increased drinking and non-interest in food I'm wondering if it is something like diabetes...not to freak you out. Maybe you should have her checked out with the vet just to make sure. Rays headed her way!
Sarge is slowing down but he is 9 and 3/4 years old. He likes to sleep a lot more, however, he will still play with his toys (on his terms) and on Wednesday, chase the lawn monsters although not with the gusto that Duggie does. He and Duggie will also still play together....when Sarge feels like it. In regard to his eating his dinner, he will inhale his food but not all the time. He has slown down when eating as though he is enjoying it more while Duggie inhales his. There have been times where he will pick at his dinner and has to be coaxed which sometimes results in me hand feeding him thus giving him a lot more of one on one attention while Duggie sits and watches. That is the one time that Duggie will not attempt to horn in on the attention. Sarge doesn't do the "I need coaxing" constantly but I would say at least once a week. For my boy, I'd say it's his way of getting attention because he knows Duggie will not horn in. During the hot weather, both boys' water intake increased. They both love to lay in the sunbeams in the house or on the deck (which with the deck, I monitored and wouldn't let them stay out long). When they get warmer than usual, they will drink a lot of water which then means they need to go out and pee which means, they sneak in laying in the sunbeams. They drink more water when they have been outside for a period of time than inside in the air conditioning.
Also, when both boys received steroid shots and antibiotics recently, the doc said that their drinking water would increase quite a bit.....and it did! Now we are back to normal -- no medications and no hot weather....our temps have cooled down.
Steroids tend to increase appetite in my puppers. They definitely drink a lot more too. Have you changed foods or has the formula changed? That could be what is going on with the not eating. Or it could be that the extra attention is a reward in itself so she doesn't want to eat by herself. It couldn't hurt to have a glucose curve done on her to rule out diabetes. It's pretty easy to treat, but you have to know about it before you can treat it!
I would get her checked for diabetes. I worked in a vet clinic and we had a couple of diabetic dogs and both dogs had those symptoms. Like humans, diabetes in dogs can be treated.
Rays heading Buelah's way.
Annie & the New Jersey Doxie Gang
I thought of diabetes too when I first read your post. I would probably have her checked just in case. Also since Porky is on steroids, I can tell you he is drinking at least twice as much as he normally does. My brother's dachshund Bandit, who is about 7, has slowed down a lot too once he turned five. He doesn't eat as well as he used to either, but he still is interested in his food. I would talk to your vet about her needing extra water and her lack of interest in food ust to be sure nothing's wrong. We're hoping for the best for her!!
I'm terrified of Porky getting old too! He's only three, but the years are flying by.
Brandy has slowed down a lot and I have really noticed it in the last year... but she is 12 yrs old !!!
Just to be safe, I would get your baby girl checked for diabetes - since several here see a pattern in her symptoms. Also the meds would attribute to the drinking. If the vet checks her bloodwork and all comes back ok..... then Buelah just may be settling in to *gasp* middle age.....
Don't you just hate it when they won't eat? I have been struggling with Brandy eating for the past 6 months or so.... just very worrisome !!!
Sending rays to Buelah that all is ok with her !!!!
Thanks everyone.... I feel a lot better knowing that the steroids can cause excessive thirst but I am still going to have them do a blood workup to see if there is anything else going on. I appreciate all the input. Our appt. is on saturday morning so I will post what I find out then!
Oh, and I messed up. Buelah is actually just six years old...not five.
Terri, she is still young. Along with the blood work get her teeth and ears checked Ollie the other year had a loose one and he was not happy about eating.
Roberta
ps often wondered where you got her name from as I think its Scottish Gaelic
Rays coming to Buelah... Hope there is nothing serious... I will cross my fingers... :xfinger: :comfort: :pray:
Oh no, lots of rays for Buelah!
:xfinger:
Keep us updated!
Dawn
Many rays on the way to Buelah. We hope it is nothing serious :pray: :pray: