This recent letter is such a perfect example of what can happen if you let your neuroses and anxiety spill over onto your pets. The answer I gave to Bev was basically, “STEP AWAY FROM THE BOWL!” Has anybody else eperienced food issues like this with their dogs? And how did you solve them?
Tracie-
Thank you for your attention…..I am losing my mind with my 8 yr old male yorkie-poo. He has always been a fussy eater and in the past has gotten stubborn about eating for no more than a week at a time…this time it has been 4 months….I have taken him to the vet, blood work perfect, stool sample negative….haven’t done the ultra-sound yet….might be useful!!
He will not eat his dog food…tried different brands…usually eats dry with canned mixed. He seems to like the dry cat food but the vet says that’s not good for him….this refusal to eat problem has turned into a problem that he won’t even go near his food dish because he fears I am going to stand over him or force feed him like I have been known to do in the past out of desperation!!! He weighs 6.2 lbs now…was almost 7 lbs four months ago when this problem started. Sometimes he even refuses people food. The vet has put him on a appetite stimulant…worked for a few wks and now replaced that with valuim….for the anxiety he displays going to his food dish…the valium doesn’t seem to do anything.How long can a tiny dog go without eating and how do I get him to go back to his food dish without fear??? Do I put the food down and walk away, ignoring him and the food..I have tried that but as the day goes on I worry that he is starving and “try” to get him to eat…I think that is what is giving him the anxiety around his food dish.
PLEASE HELP ME……TIME IS RUNNING OUT AND I AM AFRAID HE IS GOING TO STARVE HIMSELF TO DEATH!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!
Bev
