Finickiness vs. a true tummy issue?

[Bridgett]

My Daisy girl is now 10 years old. Can you believe it?!  I can't. 

Long story short, Daisy has been having serious health issues.  There is no official diagnosis other than facial paralysis and seizures.  Our various veterinarians believe she has a brain tumor that is near or on the facial nerve on her right side.  This was the side where she had the facial paralysis.  She is currently on Prednisone, Levetiracetam (anti-seizure med) and Vetmedin for her heart.  She is also on a slew of homeopathic powders and some Chinese herbs.  Her food is currently Merrick 95% Protein canned dog food.  All of her treats are either salmon jerky, beef jerky or desiccated liver.

Our latest regime involves me giving her pills orally, ie, fingers down throat and placing her powders in her food.  This was fine up until this past Saturday.  In fact I felt like I had my old Daisy back, she was energetic, rambunctious and chasing cats. 

Saturday night, she turned up her nose at her food.  This has continued.  I called our Vet and she said to try bland food. Daisy ate a grilled chicken patty from Wendy's yesterday with enthusiasm.  But will not eat her food even without her supplement powders.  I boiled up some ground beef last night, that was a no go.  However, this morning she did eat a little of it that was left on the plate from last night. 

HOWEVER!!!

If I ask if she wants a cookie she get all excited.  I hand the cookie to her, she sniffs and turns up her nose. I put it on the floor she will 95% of the time eat the cookie (I call all her treats cookies).  She will eat her treats if I place them on the floor or toss them on the sofa which is our "mama leaving for work" morning ritual.   

She is not vomiting and no diarrhea.  Poo is fabulous.  So I am not sure what is going on here.  Has she simply lost her appetite? Is she being finicky or what?

Any insights or suggestions would be gratefully appreciated!!  thank you!

[catmom5]

I have to wonder about nausea. Maybe she's hungry but doesn't want to eat because of nausea. Could you check with your vet? I know that with my hospice cat, all the meds he's on tend to cause nausea and he takes 2 different meds for that. He also gets an appetite stimulant plus prednisolone twice daily.
Good luck!

[Bridgett]

I will ask about that.  I am sure the prednisone is not doing her any good.  My Vet is supposed to call today.

[mikken]

 Have you run a five panel thyroid on her?  I ask because of the seizures (and maybe the facial paralysis, too?) and weird behaviors. 

[Meowli]

Sorry Daisy does not seem to want to eat. I don't think dogs usually suddenly get finicky like cats, so it may very well be nausea. Or maybe she has a URI and can't smell the food as well?
I hope the vet can help sort this out. Sending prayers from here for Daisy. ((hugs))

[petslave]

It's great to see you back again, Bridgett, but I'm sorry to hear Daisy isn't doing well.  I hope she starts eating on her own soon.  I wonder if the nerve damage is affecting her taste, or ability to eat & swallow easily, but since she is eating some things, that's probably not the case.  You might just have to switch around to different foods to try to get her to eat.  Maybe make more homemade stews, try some fishy products like sardines, pour broths over her food, that kind of thing.  Maybe try some different brands of food.   

[lesliek]

Good to hear from you Bridgett ! I hope you figure this out and have some good time left with Daisy . Heart mes can cause loss of appetite and the nerve damage may make it hard for her to eat out of her normal bowl . Have you tried putting it in something else ? When Trooper had facial paralysis he would eat off a plate or from a pie plate more easily than a bowl . If she wants to eat pieces of things from your hand or the floor , try making her a meatloaf or meatballs .