# finicky eater((((



## Reggae1 (Sep 22, 2021)

Hello everybody!
I'm brand new to the forum and I am desperately searching for the non-medical solution! my 10 years old Vizsla has completely lost appetite! He shows no signs of distress, pain or any kind of a disorder... just not interested in food! He was always extremely finicky, for as long as we have him , we had to add something yummy (crashed dog treats )to his food.
His appetite always slows down during summer time, we believe it is normal because of high temps, so him eating ONLY once a day instead of two times and ONLY in the evening did not concern us much .But now he is loosing an interest to the food completely! He is on Taste of the Wild high quality food for at least 4 years now. Highly recommended by other Vizsla owners. But every day , every meal is a battle!((( 
Now, having said that, he still is hungry for conventional food! He loves hot cereal of any kinds! Pancakes, Fish (his favorite!) etc, etc, etc...
He is happy, active, enjoying every single morning runs in the forest near by for at least 1.5 hr at any weather, so we DO NOT believe that he is having some kind of a medical issue! But we would love to learn how could we improve his appetite! Even contemplating switching him to our diet, because he's so fond of things we eat!
Any suggestions?
What dog food brand your Vizslas are fond of??
Thank you all!
Alex.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

As we all know, Vizsla‘s can be picky eaters. Some of it’s just the breed, and some of it is caused by us owners. When Vizslas just stop eating, there is normally a underlying reason.
Either they know we will give in to their special food demands, or there is a medical reason. Half of all dogs over 10 years old develop cancer. This is an average of all dogs, and not breed related. I would have the vet do a full senior work up on him. I do know dogs that have a enlarged spleen, will be hungry, but a good many will refuse to eat. 
I’m in no way saying this is what’s wrong with your dog, but I would consult a vet.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

If he's eating anything, that's a good sign.
Will he eat cooked chicken, beef, pork, fish, or any table scraps?
Is he losing weight? If he's not losing weight, and he's not eating his dog food, he may be eating something else that is high in protein, such as cat poop and rabbit poop.
Nothing wrong with changing his diet. He's 10 years old and Taste of the Wild isn't doing it for him. Try something different. He could have teeth, or gum, issues and softer food is easier for him.
Get him eating and have the Vet check him out.
Texas Red is absolutely correct about the cancer screen. At 10 years old, he's due for a good, thorough, checkup. I know that you want the non medical answer, but he is 10 years old, and his age is a big factor. that has to be considered as part of the overall.
Hopefully though, he's just a typical picky Vizsla.


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## Reggae1 (Sep 22, 2021)

texasred said:


> As we all know, Vizsla‘s can be picky eaters. Some of it’s just the breed, and some of it is caused by us owners. When Vizslas just stop eating, there is normally a underlying reason.
> Either they know we will give in to their special food demands, or there is a medical reason. Half of all dogs over 10 years old develop cancer. This is an average of all dogs, and not breed related. I would have the vet do a full senior work up on him. I do know dogs that have a enlarged spleen, will be hungry, but a good many will refuse to eat.
> I’m in no way saying this is what’s wrong with your dog, but I would consult a vet.


Thank you very much!


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## Reggae1 (Sep 22, 2021)

gunnr said:


> If he's eating anything, that's a good sign.
> Will he eat cooked chicken, beef, pork, fish, or any table scraps?
> Is he losing weight? If he's not losing weight, and he's not eating his dog food, he may be eating something else that is high in protein, such as cat poop and rabbit poop.
> Nothing wrong with changing his diet. He's 10 years old and Taste of the Wild isn't doing it for him. Try something different. He could have teeth, or gum, issues and softer food is easier for him.
> ...


I appreciate your advice! Will schedule a visit to our vet soon!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Fingers crossed that the vet visit goes well.


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## organicthoughts (Oct 9, 2012)

Maybe try just feeding him once a day?


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## Linda Brenner (Oct 9, 2020)

Reggae1 said:


> Hello everybody!
> I'm brand new to the forum and I am desperately searching for the non-medical solution! my 10 years old Vizsla has completely lost appetite! He shows no signs of distress, pain or any kind of a disorder... just not interested in food! He was always extremely finicky, for as long as we have him , we had to add something yummy (crashed dog treats )to his food.
> His appetite always slows down during summer time, we believe it is normal because of high temps, so him eating ONLY once a day instead of two times and ONLY in the evening did not concern us much .But now he is loosing an interest to the food completely! He is on Taste of the Wild high quality food for at least 4 years now. Highly recommended by other Vizsla owners. But every day , every meal is a battle!(((
> Now, having said that, he still is hungry for conventional food! He loves hot cereal of any kinds! Pancakes, Fish (his favorite!) etc, etc, etc...
> ...


My 10-year old has always been a terrible eater. Here’s what we’ve used in the past and rotate to something different when he goes on strike again, we mix it with his regular food. Rice, cheese, roasted veggies, cottage cheese, Fresh Pet, cooked chicken. Spoiled rotten!!!


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