Can Any Vets or Anyone Help Us? Jack Patterns—August 2026 Vet Visit & Beyond

August 26, 2026

This is the continuation of Jack’s Patterns log

I have been logging Jack’s struggles since last spring. I started researching using AI in November of 2025, first informally, and then in February, I started keeping a running almost daily long trying to find patterns, trying to find a way to help my dog.

I have his history since his tooth extraction last spring recorded here, first in hopes that I might find patterns that would help him but now I’m hoping maybe somebody with more experience than myself will find this log and help me help my dog. My vet has shown a surprising lack of care because Jack is 14 1/2 and has been diagnosed with kidney failure. But he also has weird anemia numbers that don’t quite match up with renal, and that seem to be sapping his strength much more than his kidney issues. I checked his anemia numbers for last year and he had mild anemia and somehow is galloping along now at a very fast rate and he seems to be getting weaker by the day and nobody has any answers.

I have run out of funds because of the dental and the blood work last year and the follow up blood work last year and the exams this year and the blood test this year and the medications.

Jack on Friday before his vet appointment visit after not eating more than tiny amounts for three days & appearing slightly wobbly.

Can anyone help us? I have questions about his anemia readings and possible treatment but got nowhere with my vet who said they weren’t equipped to do further testing. Or anyone know of places that help financially strapped dog owners get more testing done at a specialist, medications, bloodwork, diagnostics, etc? I have called a long list I found on the internet but got nowhere.

Is there anything I can do to help save my dog or at least give him better quality of life? The anemia seems to be the immediate issue.

Jack — Friday, August 21, 2026

~11:00 AM: Jack woke after sleeping soundly. During a full hind-leg stretch, both hind legs wobbled slightly. Shortly afterward, while lifting a hind leg to scratch, he tipped over briefly.

Late morning: Intermittent hind-leg unsteadiness during scratching. Twice he lifted his right hind leg, dropped it quickly as though stabilizing himself, then resumed scratching normally. At other times he scratched normally with both hind legs. Normal movement otherwise.

Morning hydration: Voluntarily drank from the cats’ water bowl and his own bowl; amounts not counted. Kitchen bowl cleaned and replaced with fresh water after food residue made the bottom gummy.

Morning food: No substantial food intake, normal for Jack. He has historically been a late-day/evening eater. The concern was his very low overall intake during the preceding two days, not the absence of breakfast.

Other movement: Trotted normally across the patio to urinate. Stepped up onto and down from a small platform to reach a newly used urination spot; one very slight falter stepping off.
No persistent gait abnormality, sustained wobbling, vomiting, diarrhea, obvious GI distress, confusion, or prolonged lethargy was observed.

~1:15 PM: Resting comfortably in dog bed. Followed owner into kitchen, sniffed slurry, then drank ~20 laps of water.
The significant change today is the repeated observation of brief hind-leg/balance corrections occurring in the setting of three days of very low food intake. The cause is not established.
Veterinary appointment planned for today because of the combination of three days of markedly reduced food intake and increasingly noticeable intermittent hind-leg/balance instability.

2:00 PM: Carried upstairs because of morning unsteadiness. On bed immediately rolled, kicked his feet, moved around, and appeared playful and behaviorally normal.

2:15 PM: Urinated while squatting.

2:35 PM — Veterinary visit: Arrived in green carry bag and remained exceptionally calm despite barking/lunging dogs.

Vet weight: 4.2 lb.

Exam: No obvious dehydration detected. Gums could not be assessed because of known aggression during phobic episodes.
Female Tech walked into room after exam and briskly walked right onto Jack who was standing on the middle of the room. She did make contact with her feet but Jack looked more startled than hurt.

Bloodwork: Drawn before sub-Q fluids.

Treatments administered: Lactated Ringer’s subcutaneous fluids and Convenia (cefovecin) antibiotic injection. Entyce prescribed but not administered.

Post-vet: Drank >45 laps of ice water in the car. Appetite and behavioral improvement began before Entyce.

Post-vet food: Ate approximately 17–20 pieces of kidney kibble, followed by approximately 5–7 additional pieces.

~7:30 PM: Woke on his own, wanted to go outside, tail up and looked happy.

Evening walk: No wobbling observed. Resumed sniffing his favorite light pole and urinated there with left hind leg raised without visible loss of balance. Had a bowel movement that appeared possibly somewhat softer than usual.

~8:00 PM: Completed ~⅔ of walk, briefly requested to be carried, then requested to be put down and resumed walking normally. Enjoyed familiar pet-store ritual and kidney treats.

~8:45 PM: Drank approximately 27 sips/laps of ice water in two sessions. Rejected kibble, then voluntarily ate approximately ½–⅔ of a moderately thick beef-stew slurry from his preferred tiny bowl, including approximately 1 teaspoon of actual stew meat, plus the thick broth.

Later evening: Independently returned to the remaining kibble and finished it. Exact number of pieces in that remainder was not counted.

~Midnight: During bedtime cookie hunt, actively searched through his blanket-covered dog bed and consumed 14 pieces of k/d kibble, ½ petite Greenie, 1 kidney treat, and 2 large fruit-treat pieces/crumbs.

Final kitchen check: Declined remaining beef and kibble but voluntarily drank water.

Documented water: ~20 laps + >45 laps + ~27 sips/laps = >92 observed laps/sips, plus unquantified morning drinking and liquid from the slurry.

Documented food: Approximately 36–41+ counted k/d kibble pieces, plus the previously uncounted remainder he finished; approximately 1 teaspoon of stew meat plus broth; ½ petite Greenie; 1 kidney treat; 2 large fruit-treat pieces/crumbs. Exact total calories cannot be determined from the available quantities.

Entyce: Not administered. Jack’s return of food interest and voluntary eating occurred without it.

Overall status: Jack’s morning lack of substantial food was normal for his established feeding pattern. The significant concern was the very low overall intake during the preceding two days. Today, particularly after the vet visit, he progressed to repeated voluntary eating and drinking, food-seeking, playful/familiar behavior, normal walking, and strong engagement in his bedtime cookie hunt. No wobbling was observed during the walk.

Rough nutritional assessment

For a 4.2–4.5 lb dog, today’s intake is still probably below a normal full day’s caloric intake, even with the cookie hunt. But it is substantially more than his intake over the previous two days.

The most important nutritional pieces are:

~36–41+ pieces of k/d kibble — meaningful calories and complete nutrition, though still not a full day’s normal amount.

~1 teaspoon of stew meat + broth — additional food and hydration.

½ Greenie + kidney treat + 2 fruit-treat pieces — additional calories, but these are treats rather than a balanced meal.

92 observed laps/sips of water, plus additional uncounted drinking and slurry fluid.

So I would call today a low-intake day, but no longer a near-zero-intake day. Given that it is now around midnight and he has been voluntarily eating throughout the evening, the trajectory is considerably more encouraging than the raw daily total alone suggests.

Overall: Friday was a significant improvement from the preceding two days of very low intake. Jack voluntarily resumed eating and drinking after the veterinary visit, remained engaged and happy, and showed improved mobility and normal urination. Entyce had not been administered.

Saturday, August 22, 2026 — Major Return to Normal Eating Pattern

~8:00 AM: Jack woke earlier than usual after the owner had approximately four hours of sleep. He was alert, happy, energetic, and had plenty of energy. He ran downstairs without difficulty and went directly to the small bathroom water bowl.

He explored the backyard more extensively than recently and urinated twice a few minutes apart in different locations, lifting his hind leg normally both times.

Morning hydration: Voluntarily drank at several locations within approximately 10–15 minutes. Two drinks were unquantified; approximately 17 laps were observed from fresh water. He later drank approximately 25 laps from the larger bowl at the restored old feeding station. The restored feeding-station bowl increasingly appeared to be his preferred water location.

Morning food: Morning slurry was offered at approximately 8:00 AM and remained untouched after two hours; it was refrigerated for later use. Approximately 40 pieces of k/d kibble were placed at the restored old feeding location. Jack investigated and sniffed the bowl but did not initially eat them.

Jack then settled in his dog bed and slept for approximately 3½ hours, remaining there for much of the day.

Afternoon outing: Jack explored farther into the yard than recently, urinated normally, and climbed the steep back hill to poop. He had some difficulty maintaining his position while pooping on the steep/sloped surface, but successfully completed the bowel movement and returned down the hill. He also had one brief wobble/correction on the uneven, partially overgrown stepping-stone path, recovering immediately while keeping his head and back level.

A separate observation was made of his left front leg, the same leg that had sustained a severe soft-tissue injury approximately nine years earlier and had been re-injured approximately two years ago. The owner noticed possible localized weakness in that leg. This remains an observation rather than an established cause of the balance issues.

Owner began trying to ask follow up questions

~6:00 PM: Jack left his bed, went to the owner’s usual sitting location, flopped down, and performed his familiar leg kicks and rolls.

~6:30 PM: Returned to his dog bed, alert and watching household activity. He had not yet begun his usual strong signaling for his evening walk.

~7:00–7:30 PM: During the evening outing, Jack remained strongly interested in scents and his surroundings. He urinated normally with his hind leg raised. He had a bowel movement that was not directly located/identified afterward. A brief wobble occurred while attempting to poop on level ground. This was noted separately from the earlier difficulty associated with the steep slope.

~7:30 PM — Chick-fil-A stop: Jack remained in his dog bed in the vehicle while the owner was away approximately 1–2 minutes obtaining water. He was fine on return and had climbed onto the console. He eagerly leaned toward the water, then fell onto his padded dog blanket and stabilized without injury.

Water: Approximately 59 laps total from the cup — about 40 before the fall and approximately 19 afterward. He also had additional unquantified drinking earlier in the day.

~9:00 PM — Entyce administration attempt: The owner attempted to administer the prescribed Entyce appetite stimulant but did not realize the syringe still had its cap attached. The liquid sprayed in multiple directions. Some reached Jack’s mouth and some landed on the owner’s hand and elsewhere in the room. The amount Jack actually received was unknown; a full dose was not delivered.

Shortly afterward: Jack became highly active and happy, making his bed vigorously and showing strong behavioral engagement.

~9:00 PM onward — major voluntary food return: At approximately his longstanding normal late-night kibble-eating time, Jack independently began eating.

40 pieces of k/d kibble — approximately his old “mini handful.”
Returned for 15 more.
Later ate 21 of 25 pieces, leaving four.
Returned and ate the remaining 4.
80 pieces confirmed.
He then voluntarily went to his slurry bowl and ate the entire slurry, consuming it enthusiastically.
He drank small amounts of water between portions.
A later moderately small handful was offered; approximately 15 additional pieces were estimated eaten. The remaining kibble was removed and returned to the container because the owner had intended to offer only approximately 15–20 pieces and did not want him to overeat after several days of poor intake.

Estimated Saturday kibble total: ~95 pieces \(80 confirmed \+ \~15 estimated\), plus the entire slurry and treats.

Jack repeatedly returned to food voluntarily. No sustained coaxing or repeated food-switching was required.

Bedtime: Jack began signaling for bedtime before 10 PM by standing in his familiar old bedtime location and giving his characteristic look. He later moved to the loveseat and happily made his bed there. During the bedtime routine he consumed ½ petite Greenie and additional kibble/treats.

Overall: Saturday represented the clearest return toward Jack’s longstanding normal eating pattern. After very limited intake over the preceding days, he independently consumed approximately 95 pieces of k/d kibble plus an entire slurry, drank naturally while eating, remained happy and highly engaged, and resumed familiar bedtime behavior.

August 23, 2026 — Jack Log

~7:30 AM: Woke owner by navigating through the under-bed passage. Came downstairs and immediately sought water.
Drank approximately 30 laps from the traditional/restored water bowl, went outside and urinated normally, then returned and finished the remaining water in that bowl. Drank additional water from the second kitchen bowl, which still had plenty remaining.
Fresh cold water added to traditional bowl; Jack returned and drank again. This continues to appear to be his preferred water station.
~7:40 AM: Returned upstairs with owner to rest. Jack remained energetic and active despite the owner’s significant sleep loss.
~12:45 PM: After a prolonged morning rest, went outside. Drank substantially from the cat’s water bowl (unquantified), then from his own bowl. Also independently drank from the small bathroom bowl; these brief drinks are normally uncounted.
Checked approximately 50 kibble previously placed in his bowl but did not eat.
Engaged with squeak toy indoors, then carried it to the door and wanted to continue playing outside.
After normal urination, climbed the steep back hill to the higher section and pooped without difficulty. Produced approximately three small, firm, well-formed pieces.
Returned down the steep hill without difficulty.
At his familiar observation spot near the top of the four brick steps, unexpectedly bounded down all four steps after seeing the squeak toy, then rapidly ran back up carrying it after it was safely thrown away from the water hazard. Strong spontaneous play drive and mobility.
Owner observed possible localized weakness in Jack’s left front leg, the same leg that sustained a severe soft-tissue injury nine years ago and was re-injured two years ago. This remains an observation/possibility, not a diagnosis.
After returning indoors, remained somewhat active and monitored owner’s activity before settling in his dog bed.
~3:00 PM: While owner was cleaning, Jack remained alert and intermittently followed the activity, eventually hovering near the front door hoping for a ride/walk. Rested with owner on the front porch, settling comfortably in the shade and observing/sniffing his surroundings. Jack spotted Xfinity installer turn in from a substantial distance before owner saw it. This was his first time to observe a vehicle arriving up the driveway because he has always been inside. He barked appropriately throughout its approach, quickly settled and remained relaxed and observant. Strong, appropriate response to a novel situation with good recovery.
5:00 PM: Jack remained relaxed and observant throughout the T-Mobile/Xfinity activity. After owner got up to handle a phone call, Jack followed briefly, then moved to the large sofa to make his bed, later relocated to his dog bed, flipped a toy out of his way with his foot, and happily made his bed. Now resting contentedly with eyes open. No food eaten as of 5 PM. Water intake was normal earlier in the day but less notable this afternoon. Overall, happy, comfortable, and somewhat more energetic than recently.

Key tracking points: normal but mostly unquantified water intake; continued preference for the traditional water station; no kibble eaten as of 5 PM; approximately three small, firm, well-formed stools; later a more normal longer well-formed stool; normal urination; successful steep-hill navigation; spontaneous bounding down and rapid return up four steps; strong toy/play engagement; appropriate response to repairman, possible localized left-front-leg weakness but a repeat of diminished appetite

~6:30 PM: Had not eaten yet. Had not shown his usual strong evening walk signal.
~6:30 PM: Went outside and produced one normal-looking, well-formed stool, which the user saw him produce and subsequently located. This was distinct from the previously unseen stool on an earlier evening.
~7:30–8:00 PM: Evening outing/walk. Jack enjoyed the walk and showed normal interest in scents and surroundings. Drank approximately 20–30 laps before the walk and approximately 10 laps afterward.
~8:20 PM: Began enthusiastically making his bed on the loveseat. While standing upright, with most of his weight apparently on his front legs, he had a brief wobble. User speculated that it possibly involved the left front leg.
~9:30 PM: Resting quietly after the walk.
10:00–11:00 PM: Remained asleep/resting unusually late. He continued to hear the user moving and opened his eyes to watch her.
~11:00 PM: Finally got up after unusually long sleep; Jack followed. Peed normally in usual spot. Brief stumble over platform in dark.
Initially uninterested in slurry or kibble; ate when kibble was placed directly in front of him. ~10 kibble eaten from original 50-piece serving.
Brief wobble while lowering himself to drink; drank only ~8–10 laps.
Returned to food after it was put away. Ate all fish oil after several days without it.
Declined additional hand-fed kibble, but readily ate kibble dropped into slurry. Consumed ~½ second slurry plus several kibble pieces; 10 kibble reserved for treat hunt — eaten as bedtime—50 kibble total.
Treat hunt: Actively engaged for ≥5 minutes; beat user upstairs and immediately checked his bed for treats.
Afterward: Vigorous bed-making—jumped repeatedly around bed with blanket caught in paws; exceptionally energetic.

August 24, 2026 — Jack Log

Overnight: Small, fairly well-formed stool. Not diarrhea, but not a complete/full stool; larger than the very tiny stools seen previously.
8:45 AM: User heard Jack moving under the bed and startled him awake while calling for him; quickly reassured and petted him.
Stopped for a good drink from the bathroom bowl before going outside.
Went down outdoor steps without difficulty; used former favorite yard area. Possible poop, not observed.
Ran back up the steps without difficulty.
Navigated all 13 indoor stairs both directions without difficulty.
Drank approximately 20 laps from kitchen bowl. Due to nighttime eating habit, no food available or given yet.
9:00 AM: Settled comfortably in dog bed.
Recent stool pattern: Jack may have been pooping somewhat more often lately. This may reflect the recent periods of heavier kibble intake, with the resulting stool continuing to pass during the subsequent days of lower intake.

Jack — August 23, 2026 Daily Log

Overnight: Small bowel movement on pee pad; fairly well formed, but not a complete/full stool.
8:45 AM: User accidentally startled Jack awake while calling for him under the bed; quickly reassured and petted him. Drank well from bathroom bowl before going outside. Navigated outdoor steps down/up without difficulty; used former favorite yard area. Possible bowel movement, not observed. Navigated all 13 indoor stairs both directions without difficulty. Drank approximately 20 laps from kitchen bowl.
9:00 AM: Settled comfortably in dog bed.
Morning: Given approximately 40 kibble pieces; ate all of them.
2:45 PM: User returned from work; Jack had not eaten the kibble or small slurry left in the bathroom. Came out with tail up; urinated normally. Fresh water bowls prepared. Food moved to kitchen; Jack checked placement, drank from longstanding feeding-station bowl, then settled in living room.
3:15 PM: Came to user’s feet when she got up to unlock front door; then settled comfortably.
4:30 PM — Entyce: Prescribed 2 mL dose administered. Supplied syringe discharged rapidly with little ability to control flow; no additional dose given.
4:30 PM — Stool: Bowel movement observed outside; slightly softer than usual but well formed, with a slightly more greenish tint than usual. No difficulty observed.
5:00 PM: Sitting in hallway waiting for user; showed no interest in entering kitchen or eating approximately 30 minutes after Entyce.
7:00 PM — Walk: Again slept until user got up rather than independently signaling for walk; second consecutive day with this change. Once outside, became highly engaged and energetic, sniffing and marking territory.
7:00 PM — Stairs: Increasing preference to be carried over front brick/aggregate stairs and two sidewalk steps. Continues to navigate carpeted indoor stairs and wider backyard brick steps independently.
7:30 PM — Water: Drank approximately 17 sips from water obtained with user’s sandwich before walk. Post-walk cup drinking has been lower over the past two nights as the weather has become cooler.
7:30 PM — Stool: Very small Hershey’s-kiss-sized dollop of fairly soft, medium brown stool.
8:00 PM — Staples: Left Jack in truck for approximately 5 minutes while making copies. Cool/dark conditions; windows cracked approximately 3”. User has not left Jack alone in the truck for months. Jack remained in front-seat dog bed, standing on the console watching for the user through the window, returning to old habits.
Return trip/home — Familiar verbal cues: User resumed talking to Jack about the day’s activities and used familiar words including “dog food.” Jack clearly recognizes several of these familiar words. This may have served as an appetite/food cue, although no causal effect can be established.
Later evening — Food/water: After returning home, Jack drank water and began voluntarily eating kibble. He also enthusiastically ate the morning slurry, which had remained unrefrigerated all day and contained no fish oil, cleaning the bowl almost completely.
Later evening — Additional food: A fresh slurry was prepared. Jack did not finish it but mostly drank the liquid, consistent with his longstanding habit of preferentially consuming slurry liquid. He then returned to the kibble and ate almost all of it.
Later evening — Kibble finish: A treat was given for eating. The remaining kibble consisted of one broken piece and crumbs; crumbs were sprinkled over the remaining pieces, and Jack ate the remaining kibble/crumbs.
11:00 PM — Food/hydration: After a long nap, Jack woke and went outside to urinate, then went into the kitchen looking for food. User began preparing additional kibble, forgetting that he had already eaten his earlier portion; by the time it was ready, Jack had wandered away. User called him to the slurry, and he ate and drank part of it. He then ate an uncounted amount of kibble. Three additional kibble pieces were placed in separate areas of the slurry; Jack ate all three pieces along with some of the surrounding slurry. Drank water. Exact quantities could not be determined.
Later evening: Jack signaled to go upstairs. After user sat on the sofa, he eventually hopped onto the other sofa and enthusiastically made his bed, then moved the bed-making activity to his dog bed. Subsequently slept peacefully.
11:30 PM — Food/hydration: Went outside and urinated, then went into the kitchen and drank water. Ate an uncounted small amount of kibble, then ate some slurry and ultimately finished approximately half of the slurry. Returned for a couple more pieces of kibble.
11:30 PM — Treat hunt: Twelve kibble pieces set aside for the treat hunt, along with a small piece of kidney treat, a very small piece of Fruitables, and ½ of a petite Greenie.
Daily kibble estimate: Approximately 40 pieces eaten in the morning, plus 15 additional known pieces (3 at 11:00 PM and 12 in the treat hunt), with additional uncounted kibble eaten during the evening and at 11:00/11:30 PM. Working estimate for the day’s total: approximately 65 kibble pieces, roughly a normal handful for Jack.
Daily hydration/food context: Bowl drinking appeared lower than during the first week or so after returning to kibble, while Jack has also resumed eating portions of his slurry, providing additional water through food. Post-walk cup drinking has decreased over the past two nights as the weather has become cooler.

Jack — Tuesday, August 25, 2026 — Morning Log

~9:00 AM: Jack woke while the owner spent approximately an hour on PT and then quietly getting ready for the day.

~10:30 AM: Jack was patiently waiting nearby while the owner finished getting ready. Came downstairs together; Jack then had his first pee of the day.

Morning hydration: Began drinking before counting could begin; ~30 laps estimated.

Morning food: ~40 pieces of k/d kibble placed in a small serving, plus a very small slurry. Jack checked both food locations. Possibly 2–3 kibble pieces eaten while the slurry was being prepared, but not observed.

Late morning: Sought ~15 minutes of petting on the sofa. Later appeared undecided about settling near his dog bed, so the squeaky toy was offered earlier than usual. Engaged in play and chased it ~4 times, then returned to the living room to settle.

12:00 PM: Found Jack watching through the glass while the owner was outside; brought him onto the front porch. He enjoyed looking at the surrounding scenery. Hopped down the previously avoided brick stairs without difficulty; slight falter stepping onto the grass. While standing, had ~4 very brief, subtle, almost imperceptible staccato twitches in succession, then stopped. Similar brief movement may have been seen once or more twice, small movements.

Afternoon: while Jack rested, I Compiled a list of financial aid for pets, called: disconnected numbers, out of funds, have to try all other options first, must be life or death situation. No one seems to care about ongoing care for an elderly dog. Looking for other options. Called Blue Pearl and VCS. Extremely high prices out of my budget, but more options than local vet.

Shortly afterward: While standing, had ~4 very brief, subtle, almost imperceptible staccato movements in succession, then stopped. Similar movement may have been seen once or twice previously. The movement involved the front portion of his body, with the head appearing possibly to lead and the front body following. It may have coincided with blinking/facial movement.
Later: Played and sniffed in the grass, urinated with his hind leg raised, and ran back up the previously avoided brick steps without apparent difficulty. Earlier backyard urination had required briefly dropping the hind leg for balance.
2:15 PM: Quietly resting with Jack. Considering giving him a bath; he had not had one in a couple of months or more because bathing is disruptive for him.
4:00 PM — Bath: Jack cried, struggled, and repeatedly tried to get out. After the bath, he remained in the bathroom while the owner finished and the doors were opened. The heater was turned on so he would have a warm place to wait while he was wet.
Immediately afterward: Once the bathroom and bedroom doors were opened, Jack flew down the stairs with his tail up and headed toward the outside. He then turned around and came back inside when the owner waited at the door.
Shortly afterward: Went outside to urinate. On returning inside, became snappish when the owner tried to pick him up. Accepted being placed in his dog bed but stood trembling and looking miserable rather than settling.
Post-bath regulation: Covered with a towel, then a soft blanket over the towel. Had a brief spell of reverse sneezing, then settled and went to sleep. Definite bath-related dysregulation event.
Regulation tools: The green bag and blankets remain especially effective ways to help Jack feel safe and regulated. He can uncover his head if he wants to but often appears to prefer having his head covered inside the bag or beneath the blanket.
6:00 PM: Woke after sleeping deeply under the blanket and appeared back to his normal, sassy self. Promptly came outside to find the owner. After establishing that she was there and would stay, he proceeded to have his evening bowel movement.
Evening stool: Searched extensively for the preferred spot and eventually faced straight down the hill while pooping. Maintained his balance well and came back down the hill with no stumble.
~7:30 PM: Woke from a-nap and went for his evening outing.
Water: ~20 laps of ice water on arrival at the park and ~20 more after returning to the truck.
Park walk RCP: Walked the full ~⅕-mile track once, plus an additional short circuit. Sniffed extensively and appeared to enjoy the outing normally. Met another small dog and interacted well, walking together briefly.
Later outing: At the larger shopping center, had a short walk inside the pet store and a brief outdoor excursion, sniffing and urinating in 2–3 locations. The longer shopping-center walk was skipped because Jack had already had a big day and the owner did not want to push him.
After returning to the truck: Drank another ~10 laps of ice water.
8:30 PM, home: Immediately went to the kitchen, checked his kibble, and drank water. Showed little interest in the kibble.
Evening food: Morning slurry, refrigerated earlier in the day, was offered; Jack ate most of the small slurry and will likely finish the remainder later. Apparently not yet in his usual late-night kibble-eating window.
Hydration: Drank from both the kitchen bowl and bathroom bowl; evening thirst appeared normal. Exact amount not counted.
After eating: Went to the loveseat, rolled around and played, then began signaling for something that appeared likely to be his nighttime treats.
Treat experiment: At the pet store, accepted a very small piece/sliver of a Fruitable Petal rather than his usual treat. Considering breaking the Petals into smaller pieces to maintain variety while reducing the amount given and therefore the phosphorus load.
Jack stood staring at the owner signaling that he wanted something. When placed in dog bed, he happily rolled, kicked, made his bed, and settled down for a nap.
Evening interpretation: The long, slow walk, extensive sniffing, brief interaction with another dog, small treat, and change of scenery appeared to provide substantial enrichment without obvious signs of becoming a stacking event.
11 PM. Jack went outside to pee, came in and drank water no interest in the slurry tonight so the part he ate earlier is all the slurry he ingested. But he ate Most of his kibble, about 50 pieces. When he leaned forward to eat his kibble at one point, he fell forward and caught himself before he fell, but I also was reaching for him at the same time and also helped support him. It worked better when I held the kibble in my hand. I held it higher and the kibble didn’t move all over the plate.
Later when he came back into the living room, I reached down to pick him up because he was signaling that he wanted to get up on the loveseat, but he wasn’t jumping and for the second time today he reached around like he was going to snap me. I think something hurts. Or possibly he thinks I am picking him up to give him another bath.
i compared his test from this year with his test from last year and today is when I realized that last year he just had very mild anemia and this year he has very serious anemia. Something is wrong and it’s not just the kidneys.

What I Hold Onto

What I am holding onto now are the normal moments: Jack running down the stairs first thing in the morning; Jack barking at the repair man driving up the drive; sitting on the console waiting for me to come back to the car; chasing his squeak toy for a handful of rounds, Jack flailing around on the bed or sofa kicking his feet up or romping around making his bed: Jack doing his beloved cookie hunt when I have to leave him or when it’s time for him to go to bed; Jack showing up at my feet when I think I have left him sleeping and go work briefly on some project; Jack and his cat Annabelle companionably sniffing each other‘s noses when I let Jack out in the backyard; Jack blinking in the sun; telling Jack about the big day we just had while he looks like he understands every word. The things that feel normal between all the signs that he is not completely well. The normal, healthy, happy little dog he still is so much of the time—the way God intended him to be

Jack’s Log — Wednesday, August 26, 2026

9:00 AM: Jack was already up and had drunk water before the owner came downstairs. Laps could not be counted because he ran into the little bathroom as usual and was already coming out after drinking when the owner reached the stairs. He still ran down the carpeted stairs without difficulty.
9:00 AM: Went outside and peed several times while exploring the yard: three pees, a tiny fourth, then a fifth short pee in a new spot before returning. He appeared to be exploring/checking the yard rather than urgently needing to eliminate. Possible residual dysregulation from yesterday’s bath.
9:15 AM: Happily made his dog bed after drinking more water. A small slurry was prepared, but Jack left the kitchen before it was put down. He typically does not drink the morning slurry; it was left available in case he ate some later.
~9:15 AM: Had another brief episode of reverse sneezing.
~11:30 AM: Got up and went outside to pee. Footstool remains beside the sofa as an intermediate, cushioned step between the dog bed/sofa and floor.
~Noon: Briefly restless, sitting and staring without pacing or other concerning behavior. Appeared possibly interested in an activity. Ignored the chew toy but followed the owner outside while she watered a plant and appeared to enjoy patio time.
Afternoon: Remained generally relaxed with no significant activity or concerning behavior noted.
6:00 PM: Very normal, calm day. Jack remained relaxed. He had not eaten, which has not been unusual lately, and had not had much to drink on the relatively cool, rainy day. He had already been observed drinking at least twice that morning. Planned walk in hopes of stimulating thirst and appetite.
7:00 PM: Began walk. Continued the newer practice of offering ice water before the walk. Jack drank 17 laps from his small bowl.

9:00 PM: Jack finishes his small beef stew slurry and starts picking dried food remains off one of his mats.
9:05 PM: A fresh can of chicken stew was opened and a regular small slurry was prepared—not a teeny slurry, but a typical small slurry. Jack actively and eagerly engaged and ate about half of it, and drank all the liquid.
11:00 PM: More liquid was added to the chicken stew slurry and it was heated. Jack consumed more of the liquid but again left the meat portions behind.

A few pieces of kibble were put in his regular dinner bowl rather than the teeny bowl because he had ignored the new food-station setup. He ignored the kibble in the dish.
A little slurry was poured into the dish with the kibble. Jack very eagerly slurped up the slurry and left the kibble on one side.
A little more slurry was added, with the same result: he left the kibble on one side and licked up the slurry on the other.
The rest of the slurry was then poured into the dish, and Jack was eating it.
His chicken stew was brought back out and a large teaspoonful—similar to what he used to receive at night—of regular stew straight from the can was added. Jack seemed to be going to town on it.
When checked, he had eaten 3 of the 4 kibble pieces and about half of the meat. He appeared to be finished.
Estimated intake at this point: at least 1 teaspoon of beef stew and at least another teaspoonful of chicken stew, with quite a bit of extra water added, plus at least 3 observed kibble pieces.
What remained was probably about half of the heaping teaspoonful of chicken stew, although it may have been somewhat more because it had been measured with a fork rather than a spoon.
Some kibble also appeared to be missing from his feeding station, so he may have eaten a little more earlier.
Although this was not a large meal, it was not far off from many of the meals Jack has eaten this year, except on occasions when his eating was especially good. Because of this, the syringe was not attempted.

11:15 PM: Jack signaled strongly for bed. The owner needed to go to bed but hoped that waiting a little longer might give him an opportunity to eat a little more.
11:30 PM: Either the cat or Jack ate approximately 10 pieces of kibble at some point during the day.

Jack ate a tiny bit more of the slurry with a treat in it before bed.
He enjoyed his cookie hunt.
Jack went to bed.
Normal day with mostly normal behavior

— Thursday, August 27, 2026

During the day: I was away visiting my brother for approximately 6½ hours.

Before leaving, I put Jack in his safe zone in the downstairs guest bathroom, lined with pee pads, with his water bowl.
I left two very small slurries and a small plate of approximately 10 kibble.

Approximately 6½ hours later, when I returned:

Jack had completely finished one slurry, including all of its liquid.
He had eaten some of the meaty portion of the second slurry.
He had eaten approximately 7–8 kibble, possibly 5–10.
There were signs that he had been in his water bowl.

After returning home: While I was preparing a fresh slurry, Jack ate the rest of the second slurry that had been left in the bathroom.

He then drank all of the liquid from the fresh slurry and ate some of the chopped meat.

8:30 PM: Jack and I were leaving Cheekwood, which hosted a Dog Night of Summer.

Jack was super engaged and super energetic.
We slowly walked, stopped and sniffed for approximately 45 minutes, much longer than our typical walk in the small parking lot.
Jack drank small amounts of water twice from a small bowl I carry in the vehicle:

When we arrived, he drank a few laps.
After we finished the main walk, he drank a few more laps.

Not major hydration, but much better than the months when he would not drink from a bowl at all.
The only stumbling occurred in very dark areas where he could not see changes in pavement height:

A very dark flight of steps.
Stepping off pavement where the ground dropped approximately 4 inches.

Both were clearly associated with darkness and significant pavement-height changes, and I did not consider them notable stumbling because he did this even as a puppy.

8:45 PM: Jack walked to the car with full energy. I think he would have walked longer if I had given him the opportunity.

This was already much longer than his usual walk.
It has been very hot, and tonight I waited until the sun was setting so that we would have a pleasant 78°F walk, which may have made a difference.
On the way home, Jack wanted to sit up in my lap where he could see out, so I rolled the window down and let him have some air blowing around him.
Tonight felt like Jack 6, Jack 10, Jack 12, before all of the dysregulation, tooth extractions, stopping eating and subsequent problems. I had my healthy little six-year-old dog back.

Approximately 8:55 PM: About 10 minutes into the drive, Jack moved over to the passenger side to his dog bed.

He did not lie down; he remained sitting with his head up.
He climbed over the center console with no issue. He did not jump over it as he did as a puppy, but during some of his recent dysregulation he has had difficulty navigating the high console.
Tonight he navigated it in the dark with no trouble at all—slowly and carefully.
He remained sitting in his passenger-side dog bed, relaxed and alert.

9:00 PM: Jack remained sitting up for the entire drive home.

Even as a youngster, during a relatively moderate drive, he would curl up and rest much of the time. As an older dog, he has been known to nap for most of a 20–30 minute trip.
Tonight he was sitting in a very relaxed position, looking like he might be waiting for the next activity.
I stopped to offer him water even though we were well past his usual post-walk window for drinking ice water.
Moderate success: Jack drank approximately 25 laps.

Later in the evening: Jack had a large late-night slurry and consumed well over half of it, including all of the liquid.
Second serving: I added water, heated it, and Jack consumed much of the additional slurry.
Approximately 7 kibble: Jack ate approximately 7 kibble individually with the slurry.
I could not get Jack to eat any more before bedtime, so I stopped trying and got ready for his cookie hunt.
Before the cookie hunt: I discovered two halves of a Greenies treat under his blanket. I left one and walked away. Jack ate it.
Cookie hunt: I put 8 kibble and 2 real treats under his blanket. Jack ate the 8 kibble.
The hunt also included a piece of a kidney treat and a very tiny piece of a Fruitables treat. The kibble was one treat among several rather than the entire reward.
End of day: Jack went to bed after an unusually good evening. His intake was normal to somewhat better than his established intake over the past year and a half, rather than unusually low for Jack. He had multiple voluntary eating and drinking episodes.

Friday, August 28, 2026

Morning: Very quiet, sleepy day following yesterday’s unusually busy day and today’s additional outings. Drank from the bathroom bowl and probably also the cats’ bowl, though the latter was not certain. Urinated twice normally. No stool observed.
~2:00 PM: Signaled boredom. Chased the squeaky toy four or five times with moderate enthusiasm but did not pick it up and run with it as he sometimes does.
Mid-afternoon: When the owner tried to pick him up onto the couch, Jack gave his very mild head-jerk/snapping response on the left side. No actual snap or bite. That side has remained sensitive since his 2018 injury; this response is unusual and has previously appeared when the area seems to be bothering him.
~4:30 PM: Left in shaded vehicle with windows halfway down for approximately five minutes while owner visited attorney. Jack was sound asleep and comfortable on return.
~5:00 PM — Staples: Rode in green bag and was exceptionally comfortable and engaged, flirting with customers. Green bag continues to be an effective regulatory tool. Settled happily in the front passenger seat afterward.
~5:15 PM — Water: Stopped at Taco Bell for ice water. Jack drank approximately 20 laps.
~5:30 PM: Returned home and went directly to his dog bed for a nap. Briefly lifted a hind leg beside the sidewalk as though urinating, but no urine or droplets were seen. No straining, urgency, or discomfort. Given his otherwise normal urination, this could have been air marking.
~6:00 PM: Sound asleep. Owner allowed him to rest rather than waking him for a walk.
7:15 PM — Stool: Produced a normal-looking bowel movement in the backyard. No straining or difficulty. Only one portion of what appeared to be a normal two-part stool was seen. Reassuring after approximately two days without an observed bowel movement.
7:15 PM: Immediately signaled that he wanted his evening walk.
Evening walk: Taken to the larger shopping center for additional grass, shrubs, and sensory input. Jack was fully engaged, sniffing extensively, listening to noises, noticing people, and stopping at bushes. Marked repeatedly and enthusiastically, with normal leg-lifting. No pokey behavior. Spent approximately five minutes thoroughly investigating one particularly interesting smell.
Later walk: Turned around at approximately two-thirds of the shopping center while Jack was still energetic. He remained energetic for about half the return trip, then slowed somewhat near the vehicle while continuing to sniff.
~8:15 PM — Water: Drank approximately 20 sips total — about 15, then another 5.
~8:15 PM — Staples: Brief five-minute return to Staples in his green bag. Remained comfortable and relaxed.
~8:30 PM — Food: Refused heated slurry and ignored approximately 13 kibble pieces in the bathroom and additional kibble on a kitchen mat.
~11:00 PM: After owner slept on the sofa for approximately an hour, Jack was sound asleep. Owner believes he got up and down while she slept, but no food had been eaten.
Late evening — Food: Using small amounts of treat with slurry, Jack voluntarily consumed more than one tiny slurry. A few pieces of solid food were found on the kitchen floor, apparently dropped while eating, so the exact amount consumed cannot be determined.
Late evening — Syringe: Remaining slurry was given by syringe; Jack received most of a 10 mL syringe. This was the first time he has ever received food by syringe. Owner has previously given him water by syringe but never food. He also voluntarily drank from his bowl.
Bedtime: Jack strongly signaled for his usual treat hunt. Owner planned to hide approximately seven or eight kibble pieces among his treats. If eaten, this should bring him to approximately his recurring two-small-slurry-plus-kibble low-intake level.

Brief wrap-up: Very low food intake, but within a recurring low range Jack has experienced throughout this period. No apparent GI upset; otherwise normal drinking, elimination, walking, marking, and engagement.

Jack’s Food & Treat Strategy — Current Summary

1. Jack’s Established Eating Pattern

Jack has historically eaten very little during the daytime. Occasional daytime eating happens, but it is not his normal pattern.
Slurry and kibble have different historical schedules:

Slurry: most likely to be eaten during the day, particularly after a walk, although he may occasionally eat it at other times.
Kibble: historically more likely to be eaten later in the day/evening, with his newer pattern extending into approximately 9 PM–1 AM.

Jack’s midnight-to-1 AM kibble eating is not necessarily abnormal for him. Before his illness, he often ate kibble while you were shutting down the house for the night.
Jack can eat a meaningful amount of kibble when the context is right. His treat hunt has produced enthusiastic consumption of approximately 8–14 pieces.
The current problem is therefore not simply an inability or unwillingness to eat kibble. The larger problem is getting enough voluntary eating to occur without turning every feeding into a prolonged event.

2. Slurry — An Important Food Pathway

Jack used to eat his fish-oil slurry reliably first thing in the morning, although his schedule has varied at different points in his recovery.
After some of his best eating periods in May and June, having the slurry prepared, warmed, and ready when he returned from urinating could make the difference between eating and not eating.
Post-walk has historically been another particularly favorable time for slurry.
A small slurry is sometimes eaten when Jack is left in the bathroom, although this is inconsistent; historically, there has been roughly a 50/50 chance of him eating a tiny slurry during a church absence.
When he refuses the slurry from its own tiny bowl, pouring some of the slurry liquid into a slightly larger bowl containing a spoonful of canned food has sometimes made the liquid attractive enough for him to drink/eat.
The liquid does not necessarily work when poured directly over kibble. However, placing the slurry liquid beside the kibble in the slightly larger bowl sometimes encourages him to eat either the slurry or the kibble, and on rare occasions both.
The remainder of a small slurry can also be used to make a 10 mL syringe feeding when voluntary intake is inadequate.
A slurry can be mashed/blended very finely enough for syringe feeding if necessary.
Sodium-free broth has historically sometimes served as a flavor enhancer for slurry. It should be available again as another tool once replenished.
Fish oil remains part of the slurry because it was historically well accepted and adds calories.
Slurry therefore remains an important part of Jack’s food rotation even though he is currently refusing it more often.

3. Kibble and the Treat Hunt

Kibble is already an established part of Jack’s treat-hunt ritual.
Whether the hunt occurs in the bathroom before you leave or upstairs at bedtime, it normally includes approximately 8–10 pieces of kibble.
Originally, approximately 14 pieces were used, and Jack would scarf them down.
The reduction to 8–10 was deliberate and arbitrary: the goal was to preserve kibble’s novelty and reduce the possibility of burnout.
Kibble is therefore already associated with:

hunting,
discovery,
treats,
bedtime,
going into the bathroom,
and a fun, familiar ritual.

Jack reliably eats the kibble associated with the hunt.
This means the new feeding-station experiment is not teaching him that kibble is rewarding. He already knows that. It is testing whether some of that existing positive association can transfer to the ordinary feeding station.

4. New Feeding-Station Experiment

A tiny piece of Hill’s kidney-compatible Soft Baked treat is being placed among the kibble in Jack’s feeding station.
The purpose is to create a small association between the station, investigation, kibble, and something rewarding without turning the station into another formal hunt.
The first trial produced a useful result: Jack watched the preparation, later entered the station independently, found the treat, and carried it away.
Future opportunities can occur:

in the morning,
after the walk,
and at bedtime.

The post-walk placement is particularly interesting because post-walk has historically been one of Jack’s better slurry-eating periods.
A possible failure mode is that Jack could learn only “check the station for a treat” rather than “investigate the food.”
The useful behavior to watch for is therefore whether he lingers, noses through the kibble, returns to the station, or eats kibble in the process.
The treat should remain tiny and nestled among the kibble rather than becoming a second elaborate hunt.

5. Hill’s Soft Baked Kidney Treat

Jack uses the Hill’s Prescription Diet Soft Baked Chicken Flavor renal-compatible treat because it is soft enough for his chewing difficulties.
It is formulated to complement a kidney diet and therefore provides a much more appropriate treat option for Jack than ordinary high-protein treats.
The calories do count toward his daily intake, but Jack’s pieces are extremely small.
His normal intake has been approximately two tiny pieces per day, occasionally three or four.
The pieces are roughly half the size of a woman’s pinky fingernail squared, so even four pieces represent only a small fraction of a whole treat.
There is room to use somewhat more strategically when needed, but there is no reason to increase the amount merely for calories.
The more important consideration is preserving the treat’s motivational value, since Jack has a demonstrated tendency to become tired of foods and flavors.

6. Fruitables — Variety Rather Than a Major Food Source

Fruitables have been valuable primarily because they provide flavor variety and help prevent Jack from becoming dependent on one kidney treat.
The earlier concern that the Fruitables were necessarily too high in phosphorus should not be treated as established. Based on the more recent comparison, phosphorus is not the concern we originally thought it was.
Because Jack’s small Fruitables are broken into individual petals, they are particularly useful as tiny motivators.
The different flavors—such as apple/pumpkin and blueberry/pumpkin varieties—provide additional variety without requiring large quantities.
Jack has historically averaged approximately ½ of a small Fruitable per day, with the actual amount varying according to outings and treat hunts.
Given the corrected nutritional picture and the importance of variety for Jack, returning toward his familiar approximately ½ Fruitable per day is reasonable to consider rather than restricting him to the tiny amount he has recently received.
The bacon variety remains something you have chosen to avoid.
Fruitables therefore function as a variety/safety-net treat, not as a meaningful replacement for his food calories.

7. The Three-Part Treat Rotation

Jack now has several ways to maintain treat variety:

Hill’s Soft Baked kidney treat — soft, renal-compatible, reliable and highly useful as a motivator.
Fruitables — multiple flavors, useful for variety and preventing burnout.
Kibble — actual food that is already part of his established treat-hunt ritual.

The purpose is not to feed him primarily through treats. It is to use tiny amounts of high-value foods to help him voluntarily consume more of his actual diet while preserving enough novelty that he does not burn out.

8. Short Home-Alone Errands

Taking Jack along for errands remains valuable enrichment and companionship, and many of your small errands are worth continuing to do with him.
Leaving him home occasionally provides a different opportunity: regulation, rest, and access to food without you being present.
A 45-minute absence normally does not make Jack eat.
A ~1½-hour church absence occasionally produces a tiny slurry intake, but not even half the time.
Longer absences have historically been more likely to result in eating.
Therefore, short absences should not be treated as an appetite stimulant.
Their potential value is that Jack will already receive his normal treat hunt—including his guaranteed 8–10 hunt kibble—and will then have additional food available while you are gone.

9. Possible Wednesday/Friday Food Opportunity

After this week’s Sunday–Monday–Tuesday sequence, short Wednesday and Friday errands could provide a useful low-pressure experiment:

Familiar bathroom routine.
Familiar treat hunt, including the normal 8–10 kibble.
Additional kibble available in the bathroom station.
Slurry available.
Possibly one tiny kidney-treat piece associated with the station.
Leave without trying to make him eat.
Check afterward to see what he chose.

The short absence does not need to produce eating to be useful.

Jack is already going to consume his hunt kibble. If he then independently eats another ~10 pieces from the station, those become additional daytime calories that otherwise might have been pushed into the late-night feeding struggle.

If he ignores the station, nothing has been lost except the opportunity.

10. Overall Objective

The goal is to stop making one late-night feeding battle carry the entire burden of Jack’s nutrition.

The most promising approach is not one new schedule but several small, independent pathways:

slurry when he is receptive + post-walk opportunities + feeding-station cue + established treat-hunt kibble + occasional independent eating during absences + his existing late-night kibble pattern.

The more of those pathways that produce even modest voluntary intake, the less pressure there is on any single meal or on you to persuade him to eat.

JACK — AUGUST 29, 2026

Morning: Jack had no food intake during the daytime.
~2:00 PM: Jack and I went to meet a friend who had picked up food-bank groceries for us. It was hot outside. Jack remained in his front-seat bed in partial shade while the groceries were loaded. I stayed beside his door and he could hear me talking, but he remained comfortable and did not sit up or look out.
4:20 PM: Jack and I had both been asleep after returning from the grocery pickup. Outside temperature was about 90°F, with a feels-like temperature around 96°F.
~6:00 PM: Jack began signaling that he wanted activity. I was still working in the house, so we did not leave until a little later.
Evening walk: Jack was completely steady on his feet. He was engaged, sniffing, marking, and pulling toward places he wanted to investigate. He had a solid, well-formed stool; the outside surface was somewhat damp and possibly mildly mucus-like. No straining or difficulty.
After the walk: Jack received 2 small Fruitables treats in the car, substituting for the two Fruitables he would ordinarily receive at the pet store.
7:45 PM: We stopped for water. Jack drank well over 50 laps from his little bowl. This was unusually enthusiastic drinking compared with the previous couple of weeks.
~7:45 PM: After returning home, Jack went directly to the kitchen and stood by his slurry, facing it and looking at me without eating. I put 1 piece of kibble beside the tiny slurry. Jack investigated the kibble and then ate the entire tiny, more-liquid slurry.
Later: Jack worked on a second slurry that was somewhat larger and less liquid. He stopped eating after I accidentally bumped him with the refrigerator door and walked away.
Nighttime treat hunt: Jack ate 3 pieces of kibble from the hunt. Of the 15 pieces originally placed in the hunt, 12 remained afterward. No additional treat was put into the kibble dish.
Afterward: Jack continued voluntarily following me into the kitchen and utility room and repeatedly investigating the kitchen and feeding stations. He showed scavenging behavior but did not eat the kibble in the station.
9:30 PM: Jack investigated the kibble station, sniffing it, sniffing around and behind it, looking at the kibble, and then walking around the kitchen scavenging before leaving. The larger/drier slurry remained uneaten. I added liquid to that slurry, but Jack still ignored it.
10:00 PM: I discarded the uneaten larger slurry and opened fresh chicken stew. I put a very small fresh dollop in a clean bowl, approximately a flat teaspoon or slightly less. Jack immediately ate it.
After 10:00 PM: Jack continued showing interest in the kitchen and voluntarily followed me when I went into the kitchen or utility room, but he did not eat additional food.
~11:30 PM: Jack came into the bathroom while I was there and appeared to look for the nighttime treat hunt, but no hunt was offered because we were not yet going to bed. He was asleep by the time I finished getting ready.
~11:30 PM: I went downstairs and left Jack sleeping. He soon woke and came looking for me. I had 6 pieces of kibble on the sofa beside me but did not show them to him or offer them. Jack climbed into his dog bed and went back to sleep. He showed no reaction to the kibble.
11:40 PM: Jack remained asleep on the sofa/in his dog bed area while I was ready for bed. Total confirmed food intake for the day remained very small: 3 kibble from the treat hunt, 1 tiny liquid slurry, approximately 1 flat teaspoon or slightly less of fresh chicken stew, and 2 small Fruitables. Water intake after the walk was unusually strong
• 12:30 AM: Because Jack’s intake remained very low, I hit panic mode and brought out fresh Hill’s k/d chicken stew, approximately a heaping teaspoon. Jack enthusiastically engaged with it but ultimately only licked most of the original stew off it rather than eating the food itself.

• 12:30 AM: I added a few pieces of k/d kibble around the edges of the chicken stew. Jack ate 1 kibble and ignored the others.

• 12:30 AM: I added a piece of kidney treat. Jack ate it enthusiastically.

• 12:30 AM: I offered k/d kibble from my hand. Jack ate 1 kibble.

• 12:30 AM: I repeatedly called Jack back to the canned food. He ignored it and became stressed, so I stopped pursuing the canned food and let him return to bed.

• 12:30 AM — nighttime treat hunt: As Jack approached the hunt, his tail flew up. He consumed 12 k/d kibble, 2 pieces of kidney treat, 2 Fruitables petals, and ½ Teenie Greenie. He consumed the entire hunt.

• After the hunt: Jack returned to bed.

• End-of-day confirmed intake: 17 pieces of k/d kibble total, 1 entire tiny/liquid slurry, approximately 1 flat teaspoon or slightly less of fresh chicken stew at 10:00 PM, 1 additional kidney-treat piece at 12:30 AM, 2 kidney-treat pieces in the nighttime hunt, 4 Fruitables petals total, and ½ Teenie Greenie. The 12:30 AM chicken stew was mostly licked rather than meaningfully eaten and the larger slurry was ultimately discarded.

https://gofund.me/eb08173fb

Search This Blog

Life Perspective: Reviews & More