My dog has a liver shunt and won't eat his dry food. What to do?

How cute is Asroc. I would recommend taking him to the vet because he might need additional medication to help him with the shunt. Their are some medications that can be given to help improve quality of life with a shunt. You could try adding in sweet potatoes into his food with some veggies like peas and green beans. These are low in protein but can increase a patients interest in food.

Louis needs VERY specific nutrition or else his shunt is going to start causing problems. If you want to make a home made diet, you need to work with a veterinary nutritionist. 99% of diets found on line were found to be unbalanced and this would be very detrimental to Louis. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

They make prescription food specifically for liver disease. Meat is not ideal a very small amount occasionally may not hurt, but each dog is different in the response and the amount. It is safer to stick with protein sources from vegetables and dairy products rather than meats

The problem with liverwurst is that it is high in fat, and it can cause pancreatitis. A teaspoon won't cause a problem, but you are right that Izzy really should be eating the dry food only. Each week, I would add a little bit less of the liverwurst to until she is eating the kibble only. Hopefully by slowly decreasing the amount, that will keep her eating her dry food. Best of luck.

Mix a teaspoon or two of canned food in with the kibble. Leave it down for 20-30 minutes before picking it up whether they have eaten or not. Repeat this at the next mealtime. Do not offer any food between meals. Be consistent, dogs thrive on routine. Be firm, they will not starve.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Medical treatment for liver shunts consists of: Liver diet so despite him being a puppy I'd put him on Hill's l/d if a small breed dog or Purina HA for growth (Soy based and less likely to form ammonia) Lactulose Prilosec (omerprazole) to prevent gastric ulcers exacerbating signs Antibiotics usually short term but sometimes long term I hope this helps!

Poor Baby! I would make sure you have him on a liver supplement and make sure you have consulted with your vet about medications that he needs to be on for his liver issues. I am okay with him eating chicken because eating something is better than nothing at all. I would consider adding in a multi-vitamin to help supplement the other nutrients he isn't getting. If his appetite is continuing to decrease, I would talk to your vet about rechecking his bloodwork to see if he needs any fluids or change in his medications and also getting him on an appetite stimulant. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!