Dog still won't eat, vets can't figure it out either. **Update - he's eating!**
i had originally posted about this last fall
http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=78032
well, the problem still continues, unless i change his food every couple days, or change up what kind of soft food i mix in, he will not eat. and i'm talking, he has gone up to 6 days without touching his food. yet he still will run and act normal outside, gets excited for people over, etc.
hes now down to about 69 pounds(always maintained at 79-81 lbs) and starting to lose muscle mass.
i've had him to two different vets, both well recommended, and have had every test run on him that i can, they cannot find anything medically wrong with him. the last vet said it may be a psychologic disorder of some point, since we have our first child in the house, even though its been a year now.
he will sometimes eat ok for a couple days on his own, and then the only way i can get him to eat is by hand feeding him 1 kernel at a time, otherwise he will turn his nose away.
i've done the feeding pattern someone recommended on here, with giving him a short time to eat, and if he does not finish it, cut the next meal in half, etc. he simply just won't eat, and will go 6-7 days without eating.
exercise does not change anything either. last sunday, i had him out on the river with me, it was 8+ hours of him running on the islands, swimming, retrieving, chasing critters etc. I figured for sure he would eat that night - Nope, didn't touch his food at all, wouldn't even eat one piece.
he literally is wasting away before my eyes, and nobody can figure out whats wrong with him. it is embarrassing to take him on walks in the neighborhood because of all the looks and comments from people. you can see his entire rib cage, most of his spine, shoulders and hip bones, etc. he is actually getting "gross" and looks like something you see on those humane society commercials.
why would he starve himself like this?
i had originally posted about this last fall
http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=78032
well, the problem still continues, unless i change his food every couple days, or change up what kind of soft food i mix in, he will not eat. and i'm talking, he has gone up to 6 days without touching his food. yet he still will run and act normal outside, gets excited for people over, etc.
hes now down to about 69 pounds(always maintained at 79-81 lbs) and starting to lose muscle mass.
i've had him to two different vets, both well recommended, and have had every test run on him that i can, they cannot find anything medically wrong with him. the last vet said it may be a psychologic disorder of some point, since we have our first child in the house, even though its been a year now.
he will sometimes eat ok for a couple days on his own, and then the only way i can get him to eat is by hand feeding him 1 kernel at a time, otherwise he will turn his nose away.
i've done the feeding pattern someone recommended on here, with giving him a short time to eat, and if he does not finish it, cut the next meal in half, etc. he simply just won't eat, and will go 6-7 days without eating.
exercise does not change anything either. last sunday, i had him out on the river with me, it was 8+ hours of him running on the islands, swimming, retrieving, chasing critters etc. I figured for sure he would eat that night - Nope, didn't touch his food at all, wouldn't even eat one piece.
he literally is wasting away before my eyes, and nobody can figure out whats wrong with him. it is embarrassing to take him on walks in the neighborhood because of all the looks and comments from people. you can see his entire rib cage, most of his spine, shoulders and hip bones, etc. he is actually getting "gross" and looks like something you see on those humane society commercials.
why would he starve himself like this?