[MoChloBer]

O.K. I have an 8 lb. 11 year old peek-a-poo who has had 2 mast cell tumors removed in the past 5 months. I have spent many hours in those months researching to find out what I can do to lessen her chances of re-occurance. It seems that cancer cells need carbs and sugars to grow, so the general concensus is to starve the cells by feeding hi-protein/ lo-carb foods. So....for awhile I did Origin then Evo. Thing is, the stinker will not eat just plain kibble. She will eventually eat SOME if I mix it with Natural Balance canned. (won't touch any othe the other canned stuff I tried). I know the NB is not great and filled with potatoes and such, but she needs to eat SOMETHING.

I tried home cooking for awhile. I'd make a stew out of chicken, beef. organs, etc. She ate it for a while, but then would smell it and walk away.

For the past month I've been trying raw. She loves beef cubes (for stew), but will not touch chicken, raw organs, turkey etc. She will NOT touch bones either. I figured out a little trick last night. If I hand feed her the beef cubes and add a little glob of ground chicken to it, she ate it. But I know this is still not a balanced diet. So what do I do? I'm thinking of doing the raw beef/chicken 2-3 times a week and the grain free kibble/canned the other days???? She only eats once a day. I can barely convince her to eat once. (She has always been this way, so it's not the recent health issues.) Any advice would be much appreciated. I want her around for a long time!

Oh, I've also tried eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt and sardines. No-Go!

 

[whiteleo]

RFD, this one is all yours to explain!:biggrin:

 

[JayJayisme]

Wow...that dog owns you. Maybe it's time to let her go hungry for awhile. She's totally got you trained.

 

[RawFedDogs]

It seems that cancer cells need carbs and sugars to grow, so the general concensus is to starve the cells by feeding hi-protein/ lo-carb foods.

No, its best to feed high protein/NO carb foods.

So....for awhile I did Origin then Evo. Thing is, the stinker will not eat just plain kibble. She will eventually eat SOME if I mix it with Natural Balance canned. (won't touch any othe the other canned stuff I tried). I know the NB is not great and filled with potatoes and such, but she needs to eat SOMETHING.

I tried home cooking for awhile. I'd make a stew out of chicken, beef. organs, etc. She ate it for a while, but then would smell it and walk away.

Man, you have really created a picky eater. This dog has you wrapped around her little finger(do dogs have fingers?) Picky eaters are made, not born. Stop catering her her whims and decide what to feed her and insist she eat it. You are the human. It is your responsibility to decide which diet is best for her. It is not her decision to make.

Here's how you fix your little problem. Decide what to feed her. Of course the best diet for her is a prey model raw diet of meat, bones and organs from a variety of animals and nothing else.

Put her food down and walk away. Allow her 10 minutes to start showing interest in it. Don't beg, cajole, or in any way try to get her to eat. If she isn't eating in the 10 minutes, pick up the food until next meal time. If next meal time is tomorrow, then that is when it is. Put EXACTLY THE SAME food down next meal and try again. Repeat the process until she eats. She WILL eat. I guarantee it. No dog will starve itself in the presence of food.

Don't go on a guilt trip and think you are starving your dog. You aren't. You are offering food every meal time. It is her decision whether or not to eat. Do this whenever she refuses to eat and she won't refuse more than once or twice again in her life. She will learn she eats what you give her or she doesn't eat. It's always her decision.

For the past month I've been trying raw. She loves beef cubes (for stew), but will not touch chicken, raw organs, turkey etc. She will NOT touch bones either.

She acts like that because she gets extra attention when she does. She is being rewarded for being a little bitch.

I figured out a little trick last night. If I hand feed her the beef cubes and add a little glob of ground chicken to it, she ate it. But I know this is still not a balanced diet.

Stop the tricks and games and just feed her. You know how now.

So what do I do? I'm thinking of doing the raw beef/chicken 2-3 times a week and the grain free kibble/canned the other days????

No need to dumb down the raw diet with kibble/canned foods. Check out my web page in my sig for my suggestions on how to feed a dog a raw diet.

She only eats once a day. I can barely convince her to eat once. (She has always been this way, so it's not the recent health issues.) Any advice would be much appreciated. I want her around for a long time!

It doesn't matter how often she eats. I have raw feeding friends who only feed every other day. Some only feed two or three times a week. Most feed once or twice a day. The frequency is very unimportant.

Oh, I've also tried eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt and sardines. No-Go!

Eggs are good. Sardines are good. Cottage cheese and yogurt are pretty useless.

 

[MoChloBer]

I will do this. I guess my big concern was her 'fragile state' and I worried about her not eating anything at all for any length of time. She is thin. Not too thin, but nothing to spare.

What about the bone? Will she eventually eat that too, even if she has never in her whole life? Should I try a chicken wing first? Should I cut it up?

 

[EnglishBullTerriers]

I will do this. I guess my big concern was her 'fragile state' and I worried about her not eating anything at all for any length of time. She is thin. Not too thin, but nothing to spare.

What about the bone? Will she eventually eat that too, even if she has never in her whole life? Should I try a chicken wing first? Should I cut it up?

My suggestion...
Try a chicken wing or leg, the way that RFD said to feed and leave the bone in and the leg/wing whole. NO SPECIAL 'fixings'. If she doesn't eat it, don't give anything else till she does, you can even make 2 attempts a day at this point if it helps you feel better. (not being mean about it, just saying it the way it is) I had an issue with my dog not wanting to eat fish for a while. I would put the fish in his crate where he eats, he would walk in, sniff it and snub his nose at it. It took him about 3 days or so and he finally picked at it. Next thing I know, the fish was gone and this time, he didn't hide it. He ate it. He didn't get anything until he ate what was given to him. He would eyeball the other dogs food, but not eat his, so, when he got hungry enough, he ate it.
I promise that your dog will not die from a little tough love, she might even start loving even more the she already does because of it!
Good luck and please don't hesitate to ask all the questions that you need, that is what we are all here for. If we don't know the answer, we will help you find it!

 

[RawFedDogs]

What about the bone? Will she eventually eat that too, even if she has never in her whole life? Should I try a chicken wing first? Should I cut it up?

Yes she will eat the bone. Maybe not all of it and maybe not at first but pretty quickly she will be eating the whole thing. Don't cut it up. A wing would be fine to begin with. I feed my cats wings and drumsticks. One cat eats most all the bone, the other about half, sometimes less.

 

[MoChloBer]

Well, I did what you said and as expected, she refused it. It was a bit funny though. She looked at it, started to walk away then stopped and looked up at me as if to say "aren't you going to try to talk me into it?" She continued on into another room so I packed it up and put it in the fridge. She's been following me into the kitchen and staring at me this morning, but I'm waiting to put out the food at her normal feeding time.

Now, I didn't put out a chicken wing, as I don't have any now. (I stupidly threw out a whole pack last week when I figured she wasn't going to eat it). I put out the beef cubes and ground chicken. Remember, she got used to being hand fed and babied, so this is a start right? I won't give in. (at least for a few days anyway

I do know this is for her own good. I do believe that raw is the best for her and gives her the best shot at beating this cancer, so......we will prevail!!!!

Thanks for your help and I'll keep you posted. Now if I only knew how to post pics so I can show off my 3 fur kids! :wink:

 

[RawFedDogs]

I put out the beef cubes and ground chicken. Remember, she got used to being hand fed and babied, so this is a start right? I won't give in. (at least for a few days anyway

I do know this is for her own good. I do believe that raw is the best for her and gives her the best shot at beating this cancer, so......we will prevail!!!!

Thanks for your help and I'll keep you posted. Now if I only knew how to post pics so I can show off my 3 fur kids! :wink:

You are doing great!! I would prefer feeding some chicken with bone in it to help minimize the chance for digestive upset. For now, keep up with what you put down this morning but I suggest getting some more wings for the next meal. You are definately doing what is best for her. :smile: