Enjoying the Sunshine whilst Saving for the Rainy Day

Skint_but_Optimistic

Aww poor dog. I hope hes ok soon bless him. xxx

Sezzagirl

Hi - Lurker delurking to chuck in a thought

We have a Mini Schnauzer who I think is about the same age as your Duke - just over 2 years. Gibbs sends a woof and hopes he doesn't feel "pawly" for too long

I've seen that you've been trying to find a food combo he likes and suits him

We feed Gibbs a dry food in the morning. The Brand is called More (we use the small breed Variety) It's a pain to google (google More Brand Dog Food) but we get it from the Pet's Corner Pet shop at the local used-to-be-Wyevale-Garden centre. Mine is near Freeport and they are brilliant at giving advice in there too!

In the evening he has a 1/4 tub of Nature Diet food. It's a wet dog food but only has "real" stuff in - it looks delicious!

Neither are the cheapest option but Our Mini Schnauzer loves both these and he is thriving on them so might be worth a try:j

From how you've described where you live, I think you're not far away - I think you're near a castle and a zoo! Let me know if I can help/suggest any more

Love - Another Schauzer Fan!

*Robin*

Hi DFw, :hello:

Sorry to hear Duke is so unwell - pancreatitis is not good news - poor little fella I bet he's feeling rough.
Mini Schnauzers seem to be the breed most likely to have a genetic disposition for developing pancreatitis, but even so he's very unlucky to be affected at such a young age..

If he was my dog, I'd try him with a spoonful of honey. If that stays down, then I'd mix in slippery elm powder - giving little and often (most dogs will lick it off the spoon happily. I've never needed to faff about making 'balls' which is the recommended method of dosing with slippery elm).
If it's clear the dog isn't drinking enough, I'd ask Vet to put him on a drip for a couple of days; let his digestive system have a complete rest.

Then I'd offer gobbets of chicken or white fish, steamed. If there is no adverse reaction after several hours, I'd be boiling up chicken bones to make a decent stock, then using that to cook up a batch of rice. Add chicken or fish to the pan, and perhaps small pieces of carrot, broccoli, and apple (or whatever the dog's favourites are).
Restrict dog to very small tastes of rice, alternating with the honey / slippery elm mix until certain he's on the mend.

That diet should be ok while working with Vet to find a long term strategy to keep dog healthy.
Can highly recommend getting hold of Juliette de Bairacli-Levi's Herbal Handbook - because pancreatitis is one of the diseases which your Vet hasn't got a cure-all treatment for, unfortunately.
However, I can personally attest that Juliette's methods do work and are especially useful for ailments such as distemper and pancreatitis which are difficult to treat 'normally'.

Good luck (((hugs)))
Rxx
ETA: Caveat - not medical advice of course, but what I would do to supplement Vet's emergency treatment.

Sun_Addict

Hope your dog is better soon DFW.

debtfreewannabe321

cottage_retreatist wrote: »

hey dfw321 - have you tried plain rice and plain boiled chicken for him? think i recommended when you felt unwell but we also used to give it to our dog when she wouldn't eat - its nice and plain for the tummy to handle but gives some nutrients.

Hope little doggy perks up soon and hope DH enjoyed the easter bonnet parade

xx

Thank you :heartsmil Plain rice and chicken was next on my list funny enough But the vet has given me some tinned food that smells awful but is apparently good for digestive issues so we're trying to persevere with it ...the only way he's taken it yesterday was by us force feeding him

Skint_but_Optimistic wrote: »

Aww poor dog. I hope hes ok soon bless him. xxx

Thank you SKint :heart2:

Sezzagirl wrote: »

Hi - Lurker delurking to chuck in a thought

We have a Mini Schnauzer who I think is about the same age as your Duke - just over 2 years. Gibbs sends a woof and hopes he doesn't feel "pawly" for too long

I've seen that you've been trying to find a food combo he likes and suits him

We feed Gibbs a dry food in the morning. The Brand is called More (we use the small breed Variety) It's a pain to google (google More Brand Dog Food) but we get it from the Pet's Corner Pet shop at the local used-to-be-Wyevale-Garden centre. Mine is near Freeport and they are brilliant at giving advice in there too!

In the evening he has a 1/4 tub of Nature Diet food. It's a wet dog food but only has "real" stuff in - it looks delicious!

Neither are the cheapest option but Our Mini Schnauzer loves both these and he is thriving on them so might be worth a try:j

From how you've described where you live, I think you're not far away - I think you're near a castle and a zoo! Let me know if I can help/suggest any more

Love - Another Schauzer Fan!

Ahh thank you for delurking with some info Yes you're right on my location, I am sure i've driven past a wyevale garden centre but unsure where, I am such a ditz sometimes. It may well have been on the way to freeport actually :think: I will have a look as every food we've EVER given him we've had a nightmare with it's almost like he has anorexia and will only eat the bare minimum (UNLESS of course I were to sit him at the table and feed him OUR dinner he'd eat all of that no doubt :wall: ) Does Gibbs (great name BTW) have issues with drinking water too? Duke just refuses to drink unless he's been out for a long run and then he'll have a few sips and that is all That's one of the reasons I put him on BARF feeding as it has more water content than any other way of feeding (so i read) and most dogs don't drink a lot on it anyway. Wow he's such hard work with food but aside from that he's brilliant with the kids and anyone he meets :smileyhea just wish I could crack this feeding lark

debtfreewannabe321

*Robin* wrote: »

Hi DFw, :hello:

Sorry to hear Duke is so unwell - pancreatitis is not good news - poor little fella I bet he's feeling rough.
Mini Schnauzers seem to be the breed most likely to have a genetic disposition for developing pancreatitis, but even so he's very unlucky to be affected at such a young age..
The vet didn't actually run any tests on it just sort of threw it in there that she wouldn't be surprised if it was and that he had all the symptoms so i'm a little confused, i was too upset at his condition yesterday to question her more From what i've read on the internet she would have had to have run tests to say for sure, so i'm a little confused, i'm not sure whether to bring him back to her on Monday to ask for the tests, but if he's well I don't know if I will be wasting my time as it could have been just a tummy bug- he's always had a sensitive tummy?!
If he was my dog, I'd try him with a spoonful of honey. If that stays down, then I'd mix in slippery elm powder - giving little and often (most dogs will lick it off the spoon happily. I've never needed to faff about making 'balls' which is the recommended method of dosing with slippery elm).
I'm not sure what slippery elm is I will google that in a moment....will try the honey though!
If it's clear the dog isn't drinking enough, I'd ask Vet to put him on a drip for a couple of days; let his digestive system have a complete rest.
He never ever drinks enough he drives me crackers! I have been feeding him water with a syringe every hour (aside from during the night) he's been having plenty of wees so i'm hoping his body is starting to hydrate again. We've also made a saline solution (dh did it) and I was syringe feeding him that. I googled how much water he should be having and it suggested 20ml per kg so I worked that out as 180ml per day so that's been my mission to get that in him whilst he's sick. I've jotted down every time he's had some to tallyit all up. He's much much perkier today though so I'm happy he's on the mend *fingers crossed, touch wood*

Then I'd offer gobbets of chicken or white fish, steamed. If there is no adverse reaction after several hours, I'd be boiling up chicken bones to make a decent stock, then using that to cook up a batch of rice. Add chicken or fish to the pan, and perhaps small pieces of carrot, broccoli, and apple (or whatever the dog's favourites are).
Restrict dog to very small tastes of rice, alternating with the honey / slippery elm mix until certain he's on the mend.

That diet should be ok while working with Vet to find a long term strategy to keep dog healthy.
Can highly recommend getting hold of Juliette de Bairacli-Levi's Herbal Handbook - because pancreatitis is one of the diseases which your Vet hasn't got a cure-all treatment for, unfortunately.
However, I can personally attest that Juliette's methods do work and are especially useful for ailments such as distemper and pancreatitis which are difficult to treat 'normally'.

Good luck (((hugs)))
Rxx
ETA: Caveat - not medical advice of course, but what I would do to supplement Vet's emergency treatment.

DUke has an aversion to every fruit and veg i've ever fed him he ate a few blueberries once without me coercing him too much but every thing else is a fight. He seems to have real issues with food and I just am at my wits end now, I feel like i've made him ill by not forcing him to eat a more rounded meal and drink more water. Thank god I got him to the vets when I did and he was only mildly dehydrated I can't imagine if i'd left him much longer how bad he could have gotten. He's like one of my kids now and DH couldn't understand why I was getting so upset

Thank you for all the advice & info Robin it's much appreciated :smileyhea

Sun_Addict wrote: »

Hope your dog is better soon DFW.

Thank you SA :heart2::)

debtfreewannabe321

Well DD is sat with Dukie and is trying to feed him :smileyhea I told her she'd make a good nurse as she's actually managed to get him to eat a little, whereas I couldn't and had to force feed it into him. She's sat in his new comfy bed cuddling him, the best medicine of all ...I spent an absolute fortune on Duke yesterday but he's worth it just like all those actors on the l'or3al adverts He's got an ultra comfy and cushioned bed and a new jumper to wear (he was shivering yesterday) and i've spent most of yesterday and today cuddling him and getting him to eat and drink. I'm pleased to say he's up and about :T not quite his usual :j:j:j but still a vast improvement on what he was yesterday.

As I mentioned on one of the replies above I'm unsure if it is pancreatis because no tests were done. He didn't have a temperature and the symptoms he was displaying were mainly dehydration (i think after reading every free journal and medical article I could find online last night) I am wondering if it was just a tummy bug. If he hasn't improved enough for my liking by Monday I will take him back and ask for actual tests on him. I've got medicine to give him for 5 days (zantac i think it is called) and some tinned food and I will ponder on what to feed him in the mean time. Thank you for all dropping by with well wishes and great info I really really do appreciate it more than you'll know ....he's not quite out of the woods yet but I know he'll be ok now as he's looking more like his old self. He's not going anywhere near the kitchen anymore when we are eating (vet thinks it is possibly something he's scavenged that has caused this).

<I've just gone outside because I heard barking, and Duke was barking at the (nasty) neighbours :j:T he didn't do that yesterday and he always does :rotfl: so he must be feeling better :T:j>

DH is away now until next Saturday or Sunday, I did have some fun trips planned but my funds are extremely low now, especially the emergency funds! I have £50 in Duke's account so I will transfer that across to make a dent in what was spent and hope we have no more disasters during April!!!

I had DS1's school report today and it was fantastic, so that has cheered me up too :T He's well on target for getting all A's and B's in his GCSEs :j He's so much cleverer than me and i'm so proud :lovethoug:love:

I am off to do the banking as I fear it may have temporarily fallen very near the RED! I didn't have time to actually transfer the emergency fund to the main account to cover costs :eek: so am hoping it is ok still :eek:! I'll be back no doubt, i'm not going anywhere today so I can watch doggy :A

debtfreewannabe321

Beds are made, Duke has taken up residence on mine he likes my new duvet and covers as much as me . I've done the banking, it's not quite as bad as I thought :T I had £20 left in it from nearly £200 :eek: I took the £50 from duke's fund and the rest has been covered from emergency funds so no great loss from the current account. I've even transferred £3.22 to my ISA this morning so now all I have to find is £460 exactly to make my savings up to £10,000 :T:j Might not be possible this month now but am hoping to reach it by end of next month in that case

please-let-me-be-lucky

Wow! Go you with the savings!! I can't wait for the day when I'm in that position!! Xx

Sezzagirl

Hiya


So pleased to here Duke is feeling a bit better


Gibbs has had a few tummy upsets and they seem to really knock him out for a day or two but then he perks up and is back to his normal barky self!!


He doesn't seem to drink a lot. He goes ages without me seeing him drink then drinks half his bowl of water in one go!!


I o hope you find something that suits Duke. I would recommend a chat with the lovely pat shop people. They might be able to suggest something different. They love to see the dogs there too!!