My senior dog won't eat after antibiotics. What foods can I offer her?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Coco. I would consider a prescription low fat diet such as Purina EN canned food. It is highly digestible palatable diet that easy on the gastrointestinal tract. You can also add Fortiflora as a probiotic. Most dogs like the taste and it can help repopulate her gut with good bacteria after the antibiotics. I hope this information helps!

It depends what type of pain killers she is taking, as it is every 8 hours i assume it is an opioid which is fine to give even on an empty stomach. antibiotics can also be given on an empty stomach, although not ideal as this can cause nausea. try giving her some boiled chicken, treats or a canned food called a/d from Hills.

Antibiotics can sometimes cause upset stomach, and the underlying illness may also cause Appu to lose his appetite. You can try offering bland foods, such as boiled rice and chicken, his regular diet moistened to make it easier to eat, or even canned dog food watered down into a sort of paste to make it a bit easier to digest. If he continues to refuse all food, or can't keep any food down, it is also a good idea to let your veterinarian know in case they need to switch medications, or have Appu come in for IV fluids and other treatment.

Any calories at this stage are welcome so boiled chicken and rice, with some vegetables, would be a good option if she is willing to take it. Vitamins/minerals such as the nutritional gel or a tonic would also be recommended whilst she is undergoing investigations for the cause of her poor appetite (kidney, liver or cushings disease would all be possibilities)

It is possible she's developed an aversion to her regular food due to the recent sickness you've described. I am unsure if her food made her sick or not but I would make sure there are no recent reports of illness or recalls associated with this food. I recommend feeding a bland, easy to digest food such as homemade, boiled chicken breast mixed with white rice. If she eats this well with no vomiting or diarrhea for a couple days, you can gradually mix in her old food to reintroduce it or try a different type of dog food.

Some dogs obtain a food aversion to something they were eating when they were sick. I suggest you start feeding him a bland diet to see if that helps to entice him to eat: * boiled chicken * scrambled eggs * plain pasta * plain rice * human baby foods (meat flavor) No butter, oil or spices on the food. If he eats this well then after a few days you can start to slowly mix in dog food but I suggest you try a different brand. If he still won't eat then I would be worried that something more serious may be going on. Were any x-rays done? Is he losing weight? Any drooling? Vomiting?

I would not stop the antibiotics until the full course is given, however if she will take a treat, giving it with that, or even a little boiled chicken may help entice her to eat some without upsetting her stomach. If she is refusing any and all food at all, it is best to let the vet know as they may want to start other treatments such as an IV/injectable antibiotic or IV fluids to help get her feeling better.