Question about my bullie not eating....

Dana Mayhall

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Mar 21, 2011
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Tilly, Bud and Kami
I just recently got my 3rd English Bulldog, she is 11 wks old. She does not seem to like me first off and she will not eat. I have to force feed her. I took her to the vet and he ran all kinds of test and comes back with nothing, She is a healthy little girl but just won't eat. He said she might be depressed and to give her a little time to adjust. Well we have gone 2 weeks and I am still having to force her to eat. (and by force I but her dog food in the blender with some water and blend it and use a med. dropper and put it in her mouth) I don't know what else to do with her. I have tried all kinds of dog food and some human foods and still nothing. Today my sister (she raises yorkies) told me to try tuna out of a can. and Kami (ENB) eat with no problem. I am not sure how healthy that is for her and want her to eat reg. dog food. Can someone please help???? I am so worried that she is going to become very sick.

Thank you,
Dana
 

bullmama

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Wow this is a tough one!!!

Does she eat treats? I think what you may have to do is ONLY offer her the regular kibble. If she does not eat it, put her dish up where she cannot eat it. Then offer it to her again at dinner. Same process. Then the next morning. Then the next evening. Perhaps she does not like the kibble you are offering? It happens on rare occasion that a bully just does not like the smell of a particular food.

It is quite possible there is something wrong with her- but it is also very possible she likes the dropper feeding method and could possibly be training you to spoil her. Just make sure she is hyrated and if she still refuses to eat after the above process, definitely take her to the vet again.

P.S. We love pictures, can you add some of your new bully baby?
 

traciehorne

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Feb 2, 2011
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Bailey, Otis and Diesel
I'm sorry to hear that your baby doesn't want to eat :(
One of our Bullies is not interested in eating sometimes.. and we mix some broth (any flavor) that we have warmed up in the microwave with some of her food. The smell usually gets her attention. We have also scrambled an egg or two, and mixed it with her food to entice her.
I also would agree that if it doesn't get better, go back to the Dr. You might also want to consider taking her to a Dr. that specializes in Bulldogs.
Good Luck
 
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Dana Mayhall

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Mar 21, 2011
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Tilly, Bud and Kami
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I have tried all different kinds of kibble... The breeder had her on Royal Canine so I have tried that my others are on Nature Logics. I have tried can food from the vet, boiled chicken, yogurt.... and so many other things and she won't eat. She doesn't like it when I dropper feed her so I have to feed her like 5 times just to get almost one full meal down her. She is drinking water. She will eat apple wedges. She eat some tuna for me today, but I don't know that it is healthy for me to keep feeding that. I am lost with her not eating....

PS I will post pictures as soon and I can figure all this forum stuff out.

Thanks,
Dana
 

cadillactaste

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Feb 28, 2011
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Switching their food...is not good on their system...desertskybulldogs/Lisa gave good advice. I would take ALL treats away from her. Treats are like candy bars...to a dog. And used in moderation...If no kibble is being eaten. Then certainly no treats. If the tests proved she was not ill...then she's being stubborn. If she's not throwing up...or having diarrhea then I really don't see the need to offer her chicken and such. In so your aiding in her being picky...I certainly wouldn't eat my broccoli if I was offered say...a bowl of ice cream. Same goes with kibble and treats and such.

She's a puppy...so she won't be eating adult kibble. So you need to decide what "good quality" food to feed her. Which is important to keep allergies and such away. Which will save you money in the long run. And do as Lisa stated...and go from there...absolutely NO treats. Trust me...once she's hungry...and sees she can't puppy face you into giving her scraps of chicken and such. She'll eat the kibble in her bowl.

Though if she's still young...she may not like the hard kibble. Have you tried soaking it a bit...not so it's mushy...but just tender? Sometimes young dogs have difficulty switching to hard kibble. And will do the food refusal thing. I believe my own Sarge was like that...

Keep us posted...looking forward to pictures.
 
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bjsfarm

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Jan 12, 2011
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Narvon PA
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Butter Cup, Ellie, Double D & CJ. Jr., Max, Doc & Willie
I had an 8 week old that did the very same thing when I brought him home.... I was worried sick! But I got canned ad food from the vet and gave him just that for a few days and nothing else, he ate that fairly good, then I started mixing it with kibble.... I wonder how long your pup was weaned before you got her? I have seen some breeders keep their puppies with their mom all the way up to the time they sell. That is not a good thing, because when you have a few in the litter, the kibble gets all... did mom eat it or did all the other pups eat it and one pup gets by living on too much of moms milk? The pup goes to his new home and now suddenly it must eat kibble.

I have a litter of boxers right now and mom has gobs of milk and man, those puppies are almost impossible to wean!! They will starve themselves until mom comes back in the evening.

I sure hope she soon starts eating for you! I believe she will :) Bullies Love to eat!
 

LisaMarie

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Jan 13, 2011
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I agree that you might be spoiling her(she might think its ok to eat like this) and now she is getting used to that method of you feeding her. If the vet says she is healthy, mix her food ,like you are doing(some yogurt,maybe some soft dog food in there) and offer at morning. If she doesnt eat it within 40 minutes, take it and put it away and offer to her at lunch.Repeat this process.You said she likes apples so maybe she should have a few snacks. i think she wont starve herself and she will learn that she needs to eat a the times her food is out. It might take some time, but I do think she will come around. If she doesnt, then I would have her checked again.
 

bullmama

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.... I wonder how long your pup was weaned before you got her?

I was thinking this too, glad you mentioned it. But I thought now NO WAY at 11 weeks, but you are right- you never know!
 

cadillactaste

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Feb 28, 2011
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[MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] and @%1;
I was thinking this too, glad you mentioned it. But I thought now NO WAY at 11 weeks, but you are right- you never know!


She mentioned she's had trouble from day one of getting her...so it did cross my mind too.
 
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Dana Mayhall

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Mar 21, 2011
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Tilly, Bud and Kami
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Thank you all for your advise. I got her when she was 8 weeks old and right away she would not even eat the food that the breeder had her eating. I called the breeder cause I thought the same as all of you that she might have just been taken away from mom. The breeder told me she was been eating great and was taken from mom since she was little less than 5 weeks. Ok, so I thought it is because she is in a new place so I gave her a few days still nothing. Took her to the vet she was perfect no problems. (he is a Bulldog vet, only the best for my bullie babies) He gave me some canned food and told me to feed that. I tried that she still would not eat it. So I went and tried all kinds of other foods, still nothing, I even went and got puppy milk and tried to give that... Still nothing. She lost 2 pounds so back to the vet we go... Still she is healthy (nothing to cause this issue) So now I have went to force feeding because I don't want her to get so weak and become ill. She hates it when I force feed, but that is the only way I can get her to eat anything at this point, she takes nutri-cal daily. She does not get treats AT ALL.. I only gave her an apple wedge to see if she would eat it, when I gave my other two bullies theirs. She eat that. I tried the boiled chicken (per the vet) and she eat a little but that was it and now will not touch it at all. She will not eat yogurt.

I will try what you all have advised to see if it is just her being stubborn. I am just so scared she will get deathly sick if I don't make her eat. :*(.
The food I feed my other babies is Nature's Logic. My other babies are (Tilly) 20 wks and (Bud) 12 wks. then I have Kami that is 11 weeks. I am so scared for her.
 

bullmama

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Wow I can understand why you are concerned! Please keep us posted, I know I for one would be very curious as to what the reason behind this might be. Good luck and we will be sending good vibes and prayers your way!!! :pray:
 
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Dana Mayhall

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Mar 21, 2011
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Tilly, Bud and Kami
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Thank you I will keep everyone posted... and if anyone else has any advise it would be great!!!
 

sheshistory

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What an uncommon problem for a bulldog! I am so sorry you are going through this, it must be so hard.

The one thing that crosses my mind is how many times a day are you offering your baby food? Also, how much time are you able to spend with your puppy?

Since the vet gave your bully a clean bill of health, it sounds like something behavioral that could turn into something physical because she needs her vittles to get big and strong. I'm wondering if you should try only offering her food ONE time per day. If she does not eat, she doesn't get food until the next day - creating a demand for her food, knowing it won't be around whenever she feels like eating.

The reason I ask about how much time you spend with her is that her refusal to eat is getting her a LOT of attention. And bulldogs love one thing as much as food: attention. Perhaps try to go out of your way to spend quality time focused on your bully that has NOTHING to do with getting her to eat?

I do not have experience with this situation so these are just suggestions based on what I do know and have experienced. I can tell you from my experience with my third bulldog Truman: never, ever underestimate how stubborn they can be to get what they want! I also agree with the other posters: I know it's hard but no apples, no tuna, no nothing. Dog food or nothing.

Also, just out of curiosity, is your bully having bowel movement? How are they?
 

cadillactaste

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I had assumed your other dogs were adult dogs...I've read where you have to watch litter mate puppies...if they are not sold and reach a certain age they can "rule" over another pup. I wonder where your feeding this pup verses the rest. Maybe try feeding her while shes in her crate. So she's not feeling over whelmed by the other pups in the house...my you've got your hands full with that many being house trained...good luck with that. But I also ask...to watch their playing...if she is the youngest...maybe she's feeling "bullied". More so than the rest...I know the books I have read...state that breeders must watch closely on left over litter mates. And it makes me wonder if she's feeling any of those issues.
 

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