Feeding Gracy during chemo.....

Feeding a dog who is undergoing chemotherapy can be a challenge.  In fact, it can be quite frustrating.  Add in a possible food allergy that limits your choices of food and that challenge just became huge.

There are many different theories about what you should feed a dog with cancer....raw, grain-free, high protein (Atkins Diet like), home made, etc.  I bought in to a few of them.  I was determined, both times, to cook for Gracy.  It started off good, great as a matter of fact.  She loved my stew.  Devoured it to say the least.  Did I mention the word theory?  Ah, yes I did!  It was great until she didn't like it anymore.

Not only can dogs associate certain foods with nausea and vomiting, they can associate what they eat it from (dish) and where they eat it (room).  Also, what they eat in the morning may not be the same thing they eat at night.  The temperature of the food, texture of the food or who is feeding it to them can also cause issues.

I am attaching a link to an article that I found this past spring, feeding a pet during chemotherapy.  It talks about the behaviors of feeding a dog undergoing chemotherapy.  It is a good read that can relate to any dog who is sick.  I wish I had had this article last year when she was going through chemo.  Once I read it, I kind of had an "ah hah moment" and then it all made sense!

Feeding Gracy this summer has been a bit more challenging.  Not only are we fighting chemo side effects, but, we are also fighting an unknown reason to her vomiting.  Since we are toying with a food allergy, Gracy is limited to just one food.  She can have it a couple of ways, dry, the dry smothered in ginger water or water, canned or pasta.  If you read the article above, she had been getting whatever she would eat, chicken, rice, pasta, baby cereal, hot dogs, vienna sausage, turkey, pork, oatmeal, potatoes, different dog foods, etc.  I shopped and cooked every day trying to find something she would eat.  Granted, this probably only escalated her tummy issues, but, she needed to eat and she needed to keep it down.  Sometimes, I have to hand feed her.  It seems the aroma, or even possibly the bowl, is not to her liking.

Whatever the case, I do whatever it takes to feed my girl.  I have noticed, that if she is walking around the kitchen, cleaning bowls (licking empty food bowls), she is usually ready for a snack!  I am up and down a lot with her, just trying to make her happy.  Spoiled, well, maybe.  I just call it loved a lot!  After all, she is NOT just a dog!