Food fussy at fifteen

[alixb]

Maxxie just turned 15 & he is starting to be a bit fussy with food. Normally he eats a beef stew that I make. he has had that for years. Now he sniffs it & turns away. I tried some kibble this morning which he ate a bit of. He is apple crazy & wouldn't eat one today. Mornings seem to be the time he is most fussy. He will eat most treats.
any helpful hints are welcome. He has no real health issues except arthritis. Thanks

[Maxx&Emma]

Baby food meats, different canned foods, anything! Did this start suddenly? Is he on any meds?

[POPTOP]

Age presents it's challenges. If not done recently, a full senior checkup with a senior blood panel would be good to check to make sure nothing is going on medically. He also is probably smart enough to know if he puts his nose up to his regular foods, he's going to get goodies. That's a lab.

Please keep us updated.

[Berna]

If not done recently, a full senior checkup with a senior blood panel would be good to check to make sure nothing is going on medically.

This.

[alixb]

It has not been suddenly. Just different each day. He was at the Vet a month ago so.........don't know what else to say. I wondered about the mornings. That seems the time he is not too interested in food. Of course I am concerned, given his age, as everyone says when they stop eating, be concerned.

[alixb]

It has not been suddenly. Just different each day. He was at the Vet a month ago so.........don't know what else to say. I wondered about the mornings. That seems the time he is not too interested in food. Of course I am concerned, given his age, as everyone says when they stop eating, be concerned. He has not stopped but just no consistency.

[JenC]

Hudler's 13 and going through that now too. We took him in and had an xray done, we had no clue but he had pneumonia!! After about 2 weeks of meds and fussing with his eating, he's starting to feel better. We had NO CLUE. We were floored he was that sick.

A while back he was just drizzling a little pee here and there, and turned out he had a bad kidney infection. Somehow these old guys hide being sick better since they are slow and tired and sleep a lot as it is.

What did the vet do and look at a month ago? If I hadn't insisted on the xray (fear of maybe a tumor inside since he had vomited a few times recently), we would never have notice the pneumonia.

If you haven't had bloodwork done in the last year, I would do it. I would also consider a good look at his mouth and throat, and then possibly an xray of his chest. Good luck.

Hudler at his worst of refusing food loved fish, dehydrated liver and McDonald's hamburgers "plain". Now he's back to eating a can of Salmon (dog food...Wellness 95%) on his own without me having to spoon feed him.

[Maxx&Emma]

I would be concerned as well. If you are certain there are no medical issues I would try different things. The canned, baby food, scrambled eggs, broiled chicken, what ever works.

[DuryLane]

At his age, quite frankly, I'd feed him whatever he wants. Some senior dogs tend to lose their sense of smell as they age, especially as their years become quite advanced, as is your guy at 15.

As others have said, when they are at an advanced age, keeping an appetite can become troublesome....as soon as they stop eating, things can go downhill very quickly.

My senior dog's (age 16) sense of smell had deteriorated to the point that foods she used to like, she didn't have any interest in anymore. In the end, she ate mostly cooked meats....beef, pork, cooked chicken and turkey. She went off eggs, yogurt, fishes, some cheeses, and her baby carrots, which she used to enjoy.

Protein is good and is used to maintain the immune system and muscle mass, so if he'll eat it, I'd try him with various protein-rich foods such as meats, cheese, eggs, etc.

Trial and error.....try him with various nutritious foods and see what he likes...however, I wouldn't stock-up on anything though, because what he eats and enjoys one day, he may turn his nose up at on another day.....

[alixb]

Thanks for the great suggestions. He had blood work in the last month. He went to the Vet 3 times in a row with another problem with his back legs & they did blood work on the first appointment. I will call my Vet & make sure.