Old Buffy

Buffy has CHF along with kidney problems and is on KD kibble and canned (ugh). Lately she has developed a great dislike for both and refuses to eat either. I'm slipping her some Solid Gold canned but I insist she eat the KD kibble. She tells me she DOESN'T like it and she won't eat it. How important is it, at her advanced age, that she eat the kibble? She has to eat something and I'd buy, cook, make, serve anything for her but I also realize the awful KD would be keeping her alive longer. No idea of her real age but predicted by vets to be about 17. I've had her for about 7 or 8 years. She's my one eyed sagging sweetheart. Oh yes, before she ate tonight, she threw up (& she's never done that before here in all the time she's been here). It was a ghastly yellow/green slimy stuff. I wonder if it's bile from her empty tummy. Of course, it's the weekend and my usual vet isn't in on Saturdays.

Sometimes you have to balance quality of life with quantity of life. For me with Bailey and Tiny Tim the last year of their life I fed them whatever they wanted and enjoyed. In my eyes, quality of life for a pug is 1)food 2) 3)more food. Their eyes just lit up when I fed them the special things they loved, like salmon. That's just my humble opinion.

Pugsavers wrote:Sometimes you have to balance quality of life with quantity of life. For me with Bailey and Tiny Tim the last year of their life I fed them whatever they wanted and enjoyed. In my eyes, quality of life for a pug is 1)food 2) 3)more food. Their eyes just lit up when I fed them the special things they loved, like salmon. That's just my humble opinion.

I have to agree with Roxane. Think of how you would feel, what would you
choose for yourself.

I agree with Roxanne. The vet griped at me one day for letting Kayla eat bird seed (she had pooped in the office and it was covered in bird seed), but I had long ago decided that if she felt good enough to walk to the far back corner of the yard (where the bird feeder is) and then felt well enough to stand there for half an hour to eat bird seed, then by golly, she could do that 12 times a day for all I cared. We knew she wasn't long on time on earth, so why not let her enjoy every second she had left.

dieselsmom wrote:I agree with Roxanne. The vet griped at me one day for letting Kayla eat bird seed (she had pooped in the office and it was covered in bird seed), but I had long ago decided that if she felt good enough to walk to the far back corner of the yard (where the bird feeder is) and then felt well enough to stand there for half an hour to eat bird seed, then by golly, she could do that 12 times a day for all I cared. We knew she wasn't long on time on earth, so why not let her enjoy every second she had left.

Yep. Honestly, for me when I know we only have so much time and letting them eat whatever they want isn't going to kill them or kill them any faster than time already is, who cares what they eat? End of life is precious. I'd want them to go out as happy as possible.

I also agree. Same with humans. My FIL is coming up on 92 and has type-2 diabetes. I say if he wants dessert now, what the hell. With my old pugs who were on their way out, I often indulged them with what they liked rather than what was good for them.

just a thought.....have you checked her teeth or her mouth lately?
If her mouth hurts for some reason, she might not want to chew the hard kibble.....

Yep, I'm with everyone on the "feed 'em what they want" bandwagon, although Stephanie's suggestion is a good one. Hugs to you and your beautiful Buffy, Joanne.

When we got home this aft., Buffy had soiled herself and her crate & blankies with bloody diarrhea, poor thing. She's now enscounced on clean soft blankies. My daughter who has the Giant Schnauzers told me not to feed her for a while to settle her tummy. Buffy agrees, she didn't want anything anyway. She's going to the vet Monday. She's acting OK & seems normal, just not eating. This aft., I gave her food (before daughter advised me not to) and she was messing around with it in her crate. Before I know it, Willow had opened the crate and chomped down the food. I separated the dogs, put Buffy back and lo and behold the dog I call slow opened it again. It has the slide opened and if I'm not mistaken, Buffy herself had opened it this week (from the inside). I'm going to have to get a snap so it can be shut securely.

If it's the flavor, there may be a different brand that is equivalent to the k/d. K/D is the Hills kidney diet, right? I think Royal Canin makes a Renal LP 21 diet your vet may be able to prescribe. But, I also agree with the others on feed whatever makes her happiest or works best. Hugs to you both. I'm sorry she is feeling so poorly.

Poor sweet Buffy has gastroenteritis! She's had bloody diarrhea & has been vomiting. Vet gave her IV fluids, medicine and some probiotics. No food for 24 more hours. Vet asked if her activity levels were different, I had to say "Look at her, this is the height of her activity level" as she sat there quietly shivering on the table. She's always been very calm and laid back but is still following me around the house as she always has. I'll be anxious to start feeding her but vet said to start her off with a tablespoon of food and gradually work into more. We are leaving this weekend and I hate to put this on my boarding kennel friend.

Sorry to read that Buffy is having tummy troubles. I hope she was feeling a bit better today

Trish

Poor old girl! I hope some meds and TLC see it clearing up before the weekend. These oldsters.....there's nothing we won't do for them, is there?

I hope Buffys tummy feels better soon, what a trooper!

Buffy seems to feel much better today, handfed her some people food, then she polished off her chicken/rice/bit of tuna. She ate eagerly and seemed to perk up. She is doing her duties fine now &hasn't had diarrhea last night or today which is a relief to me and the washer! I feel much better about leaving her tomorrow with my boarding kennel friend (who works for a vet BTW) so I do have backup for her. I just hope she keeps improving today. Last Sunday I wouldn't have given much for her chances to make it this far. She is such a gentle, sweet Pug who had a terrible first ten years of her life. Her eye hung out for a year until my friend (the one with the boarding kennel) took her in to get the eye out and get her spayed. I didn't know Buffy then but wish I had.

Glad to hear Buffy is feeling better today and I hope she continues to improve.
I agree with others, feed her what makes her happy

Princess, here. I eat soaked Orijen only if served on fragments of provolone cheese. I am also partial to cheeseburgers from McDonalds, tuna from the can and mackeral. Oh--and anything else that is not dog food. At 18 I get what I want and whenever I want it.