12 year old not eating

pmrc wrote: »

Hi
Looking for advice.
Our 12 year old lab cross is not eating.
He has been to the vet and we got antibiotics, which are now finished the vet said he has liver problems.
According to the vet if we can get him to eat he might be ok.
So far we have tried cooked chicken, pork, sausage,
All chopped up or purried with veg gravy.
He gets fresh water several times a day.
He drinks very little and eats less.
He still wags his tail when he sees us but he no longer greats us with a lick.

Any tips would be appreciated.

Sorry to hear this and as a dog lover myself I feel your pain . Lack of appetite can be several things but with your dogs age and vet diagnosis he could be in pain or not feeling very well.. We had similar problems with our dog a few years back and she eventually started eating again after a few days so hopefully so will yours .. I think chicken and rice was what we got her to eat .. If I were you I’d phone vet and ask him what does he think . .Finally our dog was kept by vet for a few days at the time she wasn’t eating and was put on drip as she was very weak at the time .

It might be in his head rather than anything physical. It's possible he associates eating with feeling sick. Break the routine completely, try putting his usual bowl out of sight for a bit. Feed him by hand, chatting to him and giving loads of attention to take the focus off the food. Could you bring him out for a wee and produce a morsel when he least expects it? Don't overdo it though, a few small mouthfuls and leave him wanting a bit more. Tiny handfuls throughout the day might be easier for him to manage until he gets his appetite back. Don't leave food in front of him, take it away if he's not interested. You're trying to trick him into thinking he's hungry. Keep it all very friendly and cheerful. It takes patience!
My chap decided after a bout of pancreatitis that he wasn't going to eat anything that in any way resembled his usual dinners, which were luxury home-cooked meals he had been happily scoffing for a few years. He would only eat tinned dogfood for the rest of his days. He also would only drink fresh rainwater. Such notions.