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January 2013 Moms
KatieM558
member
Still having issues with my dog. Could it be pregnancy related?
KatieM558
member
I posted a week or so ago about my 7 year old golden who began refusing meals or only eating a small amount. This began during a case of diarrhea while I was out of town. We have been to vet twice since then, no issues other than possible hypothyroidism (which should actually cause the opposite, overeating and weight gain.)
He is not vomiting or lethargic, he has normal stools. He is not as active as he used to be due to some arthritis, but he will still go for walks and play with other dogs a little when he sees them.
We switched him to raw food over the weekend to get him to eat something as he started completely refusing the crunchies. It worked for a few days, now he will only sometimes eat it. He will eat it if I pick it out of the bowl and hand feed or toss it to him. (a horrible habit to start I know.)
Our next step is an ultrasound to check for cancer.
My husband's theory is that the dog is reacting to the pregnancy. I just don't know. Everything I've read doesn't mention a thing about eating habits of dogs and pregnancy. But of course my husband is the eternal optimist thinking this is nothing and it will just go away. I am not so sure. Even though our doggie could stand to lose a few pounds he lost 3 last week and that's not good. I'm finding myself resorting to desperate measures like the hand feeding to make sure he is eating.
I don't know if I'm venting or looking for advice/thoughts at this point. With the exception of something very serious, like cancer, we've ruled out possible medical causes. What do I do???????
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Re: Still having issues with my dog. Could it be pregnancy related?
I noticed both my dogs (age 7, large dogs as well) have started behaving differently since I became pregnant, their food intake changed for a little while first with one then the other but they've gotten back to normal now. They've mostly just started barking at stuff outside and following me around a lot more (especially my boy). However their changes started when I was about 6 weeks pregnant and have been pretty consistent since then. As far as what to do, I would do anything for them so if I was in your situation I would be hand feeding them as well and taking them in for an ultrasound but I know a lot of people aren't that invested in their animals.
Invested isn't the right word, I don't know what else to use though!
I work with veterinarians as part of my job and I can assure you that losing 3 lbs in a week is NOT normal. I don't want to alarm you, but you really need to follow up on the testing.
I highly doubt this behavior is related to pregnancy. Animals that lose their appetites have something medically wrong with them. Even though it's sometimes a long, tedious, and expensive process going through all the testing it is our job as their caretakers to make sure we get them the care they need. It's made especially hard for both vets and pet owners because obviously pets can't tell us where it's hurting. So sometimes it takes a while to get to the bottom of the issue.
3 IUIs to get BFP w/baby #2
Lost baby #2 at nearly 12 weeks (D&C on 9/19/14)
If the ultrasound rules out cancer, I'd probably blame it on the pregnancy. Are there a bunch of new baby things in the house yet or are you spending less time/attention on the dog because you're preoccupied?
My dog has taken up a new hobby of constantly licking the upholstery of chairs or bed spreads lately because she's bored. I'm trying to entertain her more and not let her become an afterthought because I'm focused on getting the house ready for baby.
Thanks for your thought and ideas ladies. We are most certainly going to do the ultrasound. We have sent a blood panel out for the potential thyroid issue and the doctor is thinking it could be having an impact. The vet wanted to do the thyroid stuff first and then see but I think I'm going to request to get the ultrasound now. I just can't wait around wondering to be honest. My husband is in denial I think, he has never had pets before so he doesn't know the warning signs. I will literally do anything for this dog. He has been my "baby" for 7 years. And yes I will probably continue to hand feed him if that's what it takes until I rule out all medical possibilities.
I really don't think it's pregnancy because this didn't start until way late and we really don't have any baby stuff in the house yet at all.
I know that my dog is aware that something is "off" with me. She always follows me around and whenever I sit down she jumps next to me and puts her head in my lap. Not normal behavior for her and she did the same thing when I was pregnant with DS. Her appetite isn't changed at all so I have no experience to offer for that.
I think you're doing the right thing checking every possibility. It's very stressful when our furry friends have medical issues and I hope you figure out what's going on soon! (FX that your dog is just super sensitive to your pregnancy like your DH guessed!)