Honestly..am i neurotic..or is my worry valid???
 

Hi everyone,

Let me start off by saying that I "have" made "Biscuit" a vet appt. for tomorrow morning. This will be the third vet that I have taken him to. The other two vets both stated that "Biscuit" seemed fine. They saw no reason to draw blood on him and declined to do so. They both inferred that perhaps I was a bit fanatical over my precious baby. They each suggested the prescription ID food (he hates it) I know the reason for their lack of concern is because I have no specific symptoms to report, except that he just DOESN'T HARDLY EAT A THING.

Biscuit is 6 mos old. My daughter and her close friend here in Tucson own his parents. The friend is a small breeder, very serious and only has puppies once in a while. From the day i got "Biscuit", I have loved him so deeply that I can not explain it in words. He was a timid puppy and we worked through that. He has NEVER been interested in food. The friend who raised the litter was giving him Pro Plan. Well i know this is a terrible food, however, I did not have to worry about giving it to him because he right off refused to eat it. I got on YT and every day I read all that I can about diet. I know that I have probably contributed to his finicky ways because I have literally tried every suggestion (except raw) that I have read here.

He eats so little food that I cannot believe he has grown to be 3.5 lbs. He is happy, he is very playful, he has never had a hypoglycemic attack ( I give him nutri cal every day), He drinks water fine, he poos and pees fine.

The only thing that I have witnessed from "Biscuit" that has always scared me is that now and then he will shiver for a few minutes. This does not have anything to do ( with eating) "specifically". He has done this since he was 12 wks old. When I brought him home in the car he shook so hard he almost rattled the car. As I said he was timid. If I held him and walked outside he would shake up a storm ( We live in Tucson it is very warm) He is not timid any more, goes bye bye , no fear, loves everyone, no fear. Once in a while he will shiver. I instantly run for the nutri-cal which he used to love and now hates. (because of me I suppose)

One more factor that is important. I am on YT every day. I read, read, read, about liver shunts, encephalitis, MVD and I admit that I get very frightened of the thought. I know that I have become neurotic about "Biscuit" I am a very reasonable person. I am not , by nature, this way. I just want him to eat. I worry so that there is something wrong.

I am turning to all of you ... asking that you will give me your straight opinion. I am confused, I don't know if I am creating the problem because he is so sensitive and I am so scared. There is no one that I know here who feels and understands this crazy love that I have for him. If I do express my concerns to anyone thatI know, they shake their head and say I worry too much. He is all that I have here in Tucson. He is with me all day at work (in home health nurse) He is very comfortable here as this is where I spend most of my time.

I will not get upset if you think I am being neurotic. I am desperate.

You will ask if he is thin...well...he isn't a rack of bones, he has a little layer of fat over his ribs. He is little, he was tiny when I got him. He is growing, no one else seems to think he is too thin.

Help, how do I get "Biscuit" to take more than one bite of food here and there.

Sorry this is so long, I just wanted to give you as much info as possible.
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Have you tried homecooking for him Maybe he just doesnt like dog food I doont think your neurotic I too would be concerned if my dog werent interested in eating I would try homecooking or raw

Try some mixing it with some chicken and rice or a soft feed and then slowly ween him off.

I put a little dollup of cottage cheese on mine.

I have a 3 lb. chihuahua that would hardly eat anything. She liked yogurt and fruit!! I called her my waif model by the way she ate. We finally started on homecooking and then now raw, Nature's Variety medallions and now she is a little lion!! She loves her raw food! She has built muscle mass, has a softer better coat and her teeth are cleaner too! I would try the home cooking or raw and see how it goes. If you are really nervous or worried around him when he is eating he could be picking up on that too! Try to relax and try something new!!

My Summer is the same way very picky with her food. She is also on pro plan and loves it..... My vet said that she was very healthy and I should keep her on the food that works for her. I tried every other food.....nothing she would eat, she got sick and very thin. Pro plan isn't the top of the line but isn't the worst either. I like to see her well and look healthy, then watch her not eat. Just a thought for you.

I had all the same worries you do and I worried about food as well. I thought Lily never ate and there is no way she could be ok. Then the vet sat me down and said Lily will not willingly starve herself and if she is growing obviously she is not starving. I was still frantic about her eating then I talked with a nutritionist and she told me with her size all she really needs is 1/4 cup of food a day. Well that put it in perspective and I no longer worried. Now she is on a diet LOL

About the shivering ... does it only seem to be to be brought on by fear, or does he stop and shake out of the blue?

I'm surprised that the vets are so resistant to do a blood panel ... I mean, you are the one paying for it!! Oscar had one strange episode that I thought was a hypoglycemic attack, and my vet strongly encouraged me to do the complete bloodwork. (Which came back normal). Hopefully the vet tomorrow will be more sensitive to your concerns and will go ahead and do the bloodwork to ease your mind.

As far as the picky eating is concerned, I agree with the other poster who mentioned adding a little cottage cheese or chicken. A little low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth poured over the food might help too. Oscar was extremely finicky and it took me forever to find kibble that he'd actually eat ... he really likes Wellness and Halo. Recently I switched him to the prey diet, and now he's a maniac at feeding times ... he just about bounces off the wall he is so excited. In your case I wouldn't make any extreme dietary changes until you're sure that nothing more serious is going on.

Good luck with the vet tomorrow and I hope everything is alright with your baby!

What do the vets say about his weight and build? If his assesment is fine then there may be no reason to worry. My friend has a little guy who is 3years old and weighs only 4 1/2 lbs. He only eats food one piece at a time. He does have access to food all day long though for that reason. In my opinion, as far as the vet is concerned, you really should settle with one. You need to develop a relationship with a vet. Bouncing around is not going to help you or your baby. Settle on a vet and after you have seen them once or twice restate your concerns about his eating habits. Believe it or not vet offices do talk to each other so you could be developing a name of being paranoid. Just trust your vet to do the right thing the same way you do your family doctor.

:dogprints Trevor

I hope the new vet takes your concern a little more serious. I think all of us understand completely how smitten you are with your little guy. It has happened to all of us or we wouldn't be here ;)!!! If the shaking isn't related just to fear, I would also be concerned and request blood work be done.

I definitely would not feed him the prescription diet food. It is just as bad as the ProPlan. You may have one who just doesn't like typical kibble dog food. I also would either try home cooking for him or one of the pre-made raw diets. It seems that most picky eaters really begin to gobble those up!!! And, it is definitely true that with premium foods, they require very little because of their size. 1/4 c a day is very normal and it is also a very small amount of food.

Does he eat treats? There are some great, very nutritional treats out there. I personally love Ziwi Peak (you'll most likely need to order it) for my girls!!!! Good luck and keep us informed.

I agree on settling on one vet, but you want it to be a vet that is sensitive to your concerns. If you really have a gut feeling that something is wrong, then push with the vet. If your dog's thorough check up is alright, then try to relax and not obsess about the small stuff.

Unfortunately, we can't always assume our human docs or vets will be right 100% of the time, and we have to be our own advocates. It's always good to get a second or third opinion. But a 4th, 5th and 6th might be overkill!

Don't forget that this dog has a really tiny stomach and not much fits in there. If your dog is growing, chances are he's getting enough nutrition.

My Gus was a shaker when I first got him, and he'll still do it a little when someone he doesn't know wants to pet or touch him. I wouldn't worry about that.

I think perhaps you are worrying a too much. Here's why:

1--If he poops, then he is eating.
2--Your vet(s) are not worried
3--the puppy has put on weight since you got him
4--he is not too thin
5--he is playful

You are a concientous pet owner, and that's good. But I honestly think you are worrying when it is not necessary to worry.

I would also take it easy on the nutrical. I have never used it, but it is my understanding that it is not for everyday use.

By the way, I would LOVE to get together with you and your little one. I am pretty new to Tucson (I have been here 2.5 years) and always ready to meet another YTer!!!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I agree with this, one thing I've learned at 5 1/2 pounds Joey seems to need so little food. I'm use to feeding much larger dogs, and it's really had to get use to the fact that they need so little. You need to find a vet you trust, and stick with him. You sound like your doing a great job, now you need to learn to trust your vet.

I LOVE YT because only the people here can understand my LOVE for my 4-month old puppy who is TINY and has an open fontanel.

The people around me cannot understand my neurotic concern for my baby and laugh at me when I worry so much (i.e. i put on her clothes or turn off the aircon when she starts shivering from the cold, i buy her expensive dog food, i spend lots of time in a pet shop, i watch her closely while she plays with another puppy, etc.)

If they were in my place and paid a lot of money to own an adorable yorkie, fell deeply in love and became attached to her instantly, and knew the responsibilities and complications when it comes to tiny toy dogs, THEY WOULD PROBABLY EAT THEIR WORDS AND NOT LAUGH AT ME.

But how they looove to play, carry or pet my baby (even when she's sleeping they'd wake her up). And that's how ignorant they are, they thought toy dogs are just for play, no responsibilities, just for fun.

sorry double post

st I have not read the others so if I repeat them it not a bad thing.

First your the Mom. Being concern be the main job.

Second just how much is a little. mine 1/4 cup twice a day that it.
When he eats does he clear to bowl or pick.

Anyone checked to see if he lost all his baby teeth or if any teeth may be broken, That can make chewing not fun.

poops look like???

thin is not bad if he is tiny better for his joints.

What about going to see a holistic vet one that can ate things to the diet to help and uses good food.

Radom thoughts. hope they help.

JL

i'm a new yorkie owner so I can't give you advice on the food but mine weighs 4lbs at 3 months already and he still only eats about 1/4 cup a day. I give him treats throughout the day when he goes on his potty pad so that adds up.

I am here to tell you that you're not neurotic. I worry about my baby all the time and took him to the vet hospital today b/c i thought he had an overdose of frontline. the vets there thought i was crazy and told me he is perfectly fine.

you're a concerned mother and I am a little suprised they still didn't do blood work just to be safe.

Hi,
I don't think you're neurotic - just a concerned Yorkie lover, like the rest of us. I've only had my furbaby, Lucy, a few weeks and she already has a big place in my heart.

I worried about how little Lucy appears to eat, but she was 1lb 10 oz when we got her at 8 weeks, and is now 2lb 7oz - so she must be doing quite well to be growing. Her coat is great, she toilets regularly and she's got so much energy it's incredible. I, too got the explanation from my vet that she has a tiny tummy, and around a quarter of a cup of food a day was ample. - and I felt much better for hearing this (even though I'd read it many times).

Maybe I need to relax a bit - she's so gorgeous and so happy we must be doing something right! So hang in there - your little darling may be a fussy eater, but she will not starve herself, you can bet!

:thumbup::thumbup:

I agree. If he is pooping and playing, and is not skinny, I think I would not worry.

My chihuahua (almost 1 year old) and barely hits 2 pounds, only eats 1/4 of a can of food a day. I leave dry down, he rarely eats this. He is not skinny, he is just built tiny.

And please dont give him nutrical daily. That can actually make him eat LESS. It has lots of nutrients/protein, and can make him alot less likely to eat as much as he might without it. ;)

I agree with AlisonJ with her well thought out comments -
1--If he poops, then he is eating.
2--Your vet(s) are not worried
3--the puppy has put on weight since you got him
4--he is not too thin
5--he is playful

I also agree with the posters who have said that the volume of food that Yorkies require seems very small in comparison to other dogs.

With that said, I also believe that you know your dog better than anyone and if you think that something isn't right, then your concerns are very valid and should be investigated. If the two vets you have taken your baby too are just "blowing off" your concerns, then you need to continue interviewing vets who will take you seriously.

One thing you might consider for your peace of mind, is a full blood panel and a bile acid test. Those two tests will provide a lot of information - at the very least will provide a baseline for later testing and at the most will help diagnosis health issues that have gone undetected so far.

I wish you the best of luck with your little Biscuit. If you were within driving distance to Rome, I would strongly suggest you visit Dr. Amy - I guarantee she would take your concerns seriously.

Good luck to you and Biscuit -- please don't give up the search for a good vet who will take you seriously.

Is there any particular reason you don't want to fee a raw diet? I don't feed raw all the time, but I do give my girls each 1.5 medallions each morning and then they free feed kibble the rest of the day. They really seem to love the raw! :) (Nature's Variety Raw) I add thier vitamins to the raw, that way I know how much each gets, instead of adding it to the kibble that they have access to all day. (I add something for coat and skin)

A little cottage cheese or green beans will also usually make them wolf up their food.

Maybe your baby just isn't a food motivated dog..boy mine sure are! :rolleyes:

Two foods mine really seem to like are Natural Balance and Solid Gold Just Wee Bits. If you haven't tried those, maybe ask for a sample and see if he likes those better than some of the others. It must be tastey, because mine really act like it's a special treat!

Does he like treats? If he does, make sure to feed him healthy treats. I like to give mine Zuke's Salmon Treats. They are tiny bite size.

I don't know what to make of the shivering. I've not really had that problem except at bath time and sometimes in the car, Daisy will shiver.

I wish you the best. :hug:

My Onni is a very tiny eater; she is 3 pounds of tiny. She will only eat one piece of food at a time. But she sure does love chicken and yogurt; so she gets that from time to time too, but overall she is very healthy. I too worried at first about her eating, but realized she is so tiny that a few kibbles probably did fill her up.

There is a lot of great advice here, and I agree that a 3 1/2 lb. dog won't eat much, especially if they are not very active. It won't take much at all to fill up your little guy. I would trust the vet unless there are more symptoms. And, although "shivering" isn't really a common Yorkie behavior, it is something that many little dogs do, so I wouldn't worry about that either so long as everthing else, like drinking, pooping, energy level, and temp. are fine. Best wishes!

You've received some good advice here already.

-what have you tried feeding so far, specifically?
-how much exactly is he eating?
-how often is he pooping? is the poo normal?