Bobbie blogs about dogs as she lives with mostly hounds. While no longer rescuing, she maintains Silverwalk Hounds Sanctuary for the remaining Sanctuary dogs as well as occasional fosters. She enjoys talking about dogs, including rescue, fostering and adoption.

Allie Mae needs the Power of the Paw!

Posted Sunday, September 4, 2011, at 2:56 PM

Allie Mae won't eat. She is anemic, had worms which have been treated; had some minor surgery, is recovering but she wasn't eating before the surgery and isn't now. She will drink water. She lets me help her outside to pee but she won't eat. I am making her a gruel which I force-feed toward the back of her mouth. Unlike horses, dogs don't have that lovely gap in the teeth through which one could squirt their worm medicine and then duck when they (Cy, I know you are in heaven but you know I am talking about you) spit it back out all over your face and shirt. Cy was an expert. Allie Mae doesn't spit but man, can she clamp down her mouth. Previously, she has had two periods of not eating; they were short-lived and I just had to give her a different type of food to eat for awhile before going back to our normal.

Dooz, a very elderly German Shepherd mix whom I adopted at age 15, lost most of his teeth at age 17. He never recovered his ability to eat; even though I force-fed him, too, I finally sent him to heaven - this gallant old dog who stayed at the side of his elderly owner as she died on her floor in their home - who went to Louie Beagle's rescue from the neighbor dog, tottering down the low hill despite the odds against him. He broke my heart; I fear the same will happen with Allie Mae. A rescue friend sent some recommendations but she won't even eat on her own; well, maybe if I try fresh chicken and rice with chicken broth. I have unexpected time available - things happen for a reason - perhaps Allie Mae will live where Dooz was unable to...I pray. Please remember us, my friends.

P.S. Since publishing this post, Allie Mae lapped 3 times her chicken broth; the rest and the chicken itself, again, was fed to her. She does spit.

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I will pray for you both.

-- Posted by jpb2 on Mon, Sep 5, 2011, at 5:42 AM
Thank you, jpb2!

-- Posted by silverwalk on Mon, Sep 5, 2011, at 2:03 PM
Nutrical, a high calorie syrupy looking paste in a blue tube, usually sold at vet's office will add some fuel for her. Have you tried carafate? Mix with about 5cc of water in a syringe, it dissolves almost immediately. Give one hour before feeding or any meds. That med settles my dog's super sensitive stomach.

-- Posted by stardog on Mon, Sep 5, 2011, at 5:19 PM
You can actually sustain a dog on Nutrical...just so happens I have extra!

Hang in there Ms Allie Mae.....

-- Posted by Melanie Coy on Mon, Sep 5, 2011, at 7:08 PM
Thanks to you all. Allie Mae went to ER vet Monday night when I saw her super white gums. Her HCT (number of red cells in blood volume) was 18; low normal is 37. She looked so bad instead of leaving her with very kind strangers, I took her home to sleep on my lap. She then went to LaCroix at her reg. appt. (no eating at home at all but did get up finally walking from her bed to get water) and left her there with IVs. I was OOT today. She has perked up but is still internally bleeding. I will go in tomorrow, Thursday, to send her to Heaven. Thank you for your kindness and suggestions. I will remember you have Nutrical, Melanie!

I do so love old dogs but I hate, hate losing them :(. I wanted Allie Mae to have the benefit of the doubt. I have done that; she is now ready for the Bridge, if she doesn't cross it before I get to her tomorrow.

-- Posted by silverwalk on Wed, Sep 7, 2011, at 9:03 PM
Sorry for the loss. One of the toughest things for sure.

-- Posted by jpb2 on Thu, Sep 8, 2011, at 12:00 PM
Hold on! We are giving Allie Mae another day to rebound :). Apparently, she will now eat room temp. cat food on a plate or paper towel; her HCT is up a small bit. So, instead of saying good-bye today, I said - let's give her one more day. Rock on, Allie!

-- Posted by silverwalk on Thu, Sep 8, 2011, at 1:24 PM
Go girl go !!!!!!!!! Prayers !!!!

-- Posted by jpb2 on Fri, Sep 9, 2011, at 1:53 PM
Stopped to see Allie Mae today - she almost walked to me, looked much better! I believe she has turned the corner thanks to good care, lots of prayers and cat food. I plan to bring her home tomorrow. Do I expect her to live for years? No, but she was not ready to go yet :). God has more for her to do here.

-- Posted by silverwalk on Fri, Sep 9, 2011, at 2:36 PM

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