My Pet World: My dog is being a 'picky' eater. What do I do?
Dear Cathy,
My Havanese will not eat the chicken breasts I give him. I have tried about every kind of dog food. One time he will eat; the next day he won't. The vet says don’t worry; he can go weeks without eating. I guess he is just picky. He is always begging for my food. If I give him chicken in his bowl, he doesn't want it. What should I do?
— Jim, Schererville, Indiana
Dear Jim,
I am not sure your dog is just being a picky eater. It’s not normal for a dog – picky or otherwise – to go weeks without eating. Not eating can be a symptom of many illnesses that need to be ruled out. Some cancers, for example, may present as a lack of interest in food, even though the dog may also appear hungry. So, I recommend another visit with a vet to determine why your dog is not eating.
In the meantime, other foods you can try to encourage your dog to eat include plain waffles, plain cooked pasta or rice, sardines, scrambled eggs, ground hamburger or turkey, carrots, green beans, or baby food.
If your dog gets a clean bill of health and your vet feels without a doubt that your dog is just being picky, then try one of these foods as a topper on dog food to encourage him to eat.
Also, try an alternative protein source, like salmon, duck, or bison, in case your dog is sensitive or allergic to beef or chicken by-products, and not eating is his way of letting you know he can’t stomach certain foods.
Dear Cathy,
Twice in recent columns, readers have mentioned using shock collars on their dogs. Your responses did not comment on the advisability of using this device.
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