[dragonwingcp88]

We had two dogs, an 11 year old Australian shepherd and a 7 year old regal sharpie. The eldest, Shiloh, just died almost two weeks ago. The youngest, Lexie, has been very depressed ever since and will only eat a little every two or three days. She looks like skin and bones and we have tried everything we know to get her to eat. We tried acting like nothing was wrong, being compassionate, even being stern with her but she just won't eat. She smells of it and seems interested but just walks away. We DO NOT want to get another dog, or at least not yet. She just would not be able to handle another dog, she barely has the energy to get up and go from room to room. I hope people actually read this and give me any other advice other than getting another dog. We would think she'd just get over it but we don't know how long she'll live without eating! Please help me know what to do!

[puglover]

Get her a Bach Flower essence, at least Rescue Remedy but look for one that is specifically for grief. Arniflora in California makes some good ones and I think might custom make them for a specific animal. There is also a good source up here in Washington State, she will do a phone consult and make you a remedy. Until then, you will probably have to force feed with baby food or ground cooked chicken, etc with a syringe. You are making special food for her to get her to eat? Warm food better usually and sometimes a little garlic (no onion though!) will help. Your sweet dog is in grief and getting stern with her won't help, she is depressed and it will just make it worse. Sometimes when a dog is mourning a loss of a friend, it really helps to have a change of scenery. Take her on a car drive for a hike in a new spot, get her out as much as possible, take a road trip.

She may even get an upset tummy by her emotions. Get her a good probiotic to make sure her GI tract is staying healthy. Poor baby!

Let me know if you need more info

[puglover]

Good point dumdog, certainly best to have the dog checked out, I assumed if the first dog died of a contagious disease, it would have been mentioned, silly assumption on my part.

Generally, if a dog has a contagious disease, there are other symptoms than anorexia.

[dragonwingcp88]

Yes we had her checked by a vet and he said she was just malnurited and without expensive anesthesia and intravenous feeding they couldn't do much. We don't know what Shiloh die from, it was very sudden. She seemed fine one day then then the next she died. Though when we look back it had been a few days. She had a bulgy belly but she was fat anyway so we really didn't notice that much. Then she started vomiting up bile and acting erratic, that night she wasn't able to get up on her back legs and she died. We were going to get her to the the vet in the morning but we didn't know that she wouldn't make it through the night. Lexie has been taking it really hard. We got her to eat though...we had to force feed her, but it's not as gruesome as it sounds. We put it in her mouth and slightly tilt her head up. We decided that will not let her die. She will move on emotionally but we have to be the ones to get her pass the physical challenge. We are trying to keep a mind set like the dog whisperer, "I don't care if you don't want to eat, I want you to eat and I am the pack leader." Now we are a lot more optimistic and we know we can keep her alive. We fed her a good handful of turkey yesterday and want to get more in her today and she already looks a little better. She looks less emaciated and we can see a little more of that sparkle in her eyes. We can't get another dog, especially a puppy. It's just not the right time.