# Shadow is not himself



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Shadow isn't eating as he should

He eats well , then refuses to eat for a day or two 

And he’s losing weight 

And to be fair we’ve been lucky 

His lack of bowels was bound to have an effect 

He’s 11 now 

Today he has eaten boiled chicken and the juice with the fat removed 

One of many days when we throw out meals and tempt him

Chicken without rice 

He either refuses his breakfast of wolfs it down

Lately he refuses 

Tonight he’s enjoyed his chicken and chicken stock, no rice 

Jewish penicillin

And I know his time is limited 

I just can’t imagine life without my hound from hell 

My bad tempered hound from hell 

Who makes MHoming a nightmare 

As he guards the MH from all and sundry

And doesn’t have an off switch 

Unless he meets , then he is a gentle giant 

But my gentle giant is losing weight, not eating so well 

Cuddles me every morning on my bed once Albert gets up 

And is my baby 

We will take him to the vet 

But I think he’s just getting old, his bowels failing 

and he is struggling 

My hound from hell, who would take on anyone 

But would teach Barry that he was safe with this German Shepard

And has bitten all his grandkids into submission 

Not more than an a sharp nibble 

But they know their place 

And he knows his 

A so special part of our family

And for me well what could I say 

A soul mate 

My beautiful hound from hell

Sandra


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Very sad to hear of his decline - he single pawed converted Lesley to us having a dog.

The concrete delivery driver still speaks with awe about the reception that he got - and his need for clean underwear afterwards, although Shadow spoke not a word of French I think the driver was fluent in Panic.

He was as soft as a baby with HIS soft toy and yet in the MH he was, as you described him the "HfH"

Give him some strokes from both of us.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Of course he did Dave

She was putty in his paws 

She took him under her wing, or he took her

From water on the porch 

To into the kitchen 

And I remember him gazing into her eyes 

What happened in the kitchen was between him and her 

No one interfered

It was her and the hound from hell 

I guess she fell in love 

And he with her

He never allowed her near the MHome though 
Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Just seen your post.😕
Let's hope the vet can discover what his problem is Sandra.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Fingers crossed it is something the vet can sort out for him. GSD's and their digestive systems!


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

This is sad and worrying news. Hopefully the vet can get him sorted Sandra. He's a lovely dog (unless you break into your garden unannounced)


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

A worrying time Sandra and I sincerely hope it’s only a blip and nothing sinister, they really do get a grip of your heart strings and leave a big gap when they’re gone.

Terry


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Keeping fingers crossed Sandra.


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## KayandMick (Apr 27, 2019)

Our thoughts are with you and we sincerely hope this is a "blip" and the Doggie Doctor makes him better.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Waiting to hear how he is today.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

He is is old jan

His lack of bowels a problem 

My Beautiful hound hound from hell

And I feed him chicken, steamed fish 

But young Albert came today as we are moving the fish from the main pond to re coat and waterproof it 

Don’t ask , the fish were really a match , gosh they are so much bigger than we thought 

But young Albert had a smoked bacon sandwich 

And shadow came alive , now I’m sure it wasn’t good for him ,but a slice of brown bread and smoked bacon went down really well with shadow 

And he decided breakfast would be a good idea 

And he’s looking interested in the chicken I’m cooking 

I’ve mixed a bit of barley with his white rice and thrown in some green beans 

I feed him a tin of butchers tripe for breakfast 

Because I worry maybe he needs the additional additives 

And a non grain mixer 

So I’m doing all I can 

And yes I know a bacon butty isn’t really good for him 

But he’s an old hound , it’s what he wanted at that moment in time 

How often at a moment in time

We just need something and care not if it’s good for us ?

As young Albert says, grandma, his backbone is sticking out 

He doesn’t feel right 

And he doesn’t he’s getting thin as he gets older 

In spite of my attempts to provide tasty meals 

And I doubt a vet can change that

Just as I’m less mobile 

And I doubt a doctor can change that either , his bed is memory foam to support his joints , as is mine 

And tonight I think he is going to eat

Sandra

Although he slams himself on the wooden floor of the bathroom


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I'm quite jealous at all that Sandra. I had to cook my own Turkey cordon-bleu and chips tonight. 

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

About time you did Ray 

We’ve got chips-and chicken Sod all those meals out

Alberts had to cook our meal tonight

Joints sore 

Sandra 

Ps shadow has eaten his meal, chicken, green beans,rice and barley


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I very much doubt that an odd piece of bacon and bread will do him much, if any, harm.

If that is what tempts him, I would go for it - sadly as you say, he is a Shadow of is former self, so to give him a little of what he craves cannot be bad.

That is how we try to treat people who are running out of get up and go, I would treat him in the same way that you would treat an elderly person who similarly is not acting as they used to - giving him a little is unlikely to be a problem. Not feed him exclusively on things which MIGHT cause him problems, but encouragement by the odd thing every now and then.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

What has the vet said Sandra?


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We haven’t taken him yet pat

He’s not very vet friendly !!

He’s just getting old, he ate his meal ok last night 

He’s always had digestive problems on and off due to his lack of intestines which is to be expected 

So we will see How he goes on this next day or two 

Sandra


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## Erinaceous (Aug 27, 2019)

How is he doing?


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I suppose you could say he’s a ‘shadow of his former self’.

C’mon someone had to say it!
He’ll soon be back to scoffing everything in sight. Dogs do that just to keep their owners on the ball!


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

He’s doing well again 

Of course we have problems with loose bowels

But we expected that

Sometimes it’s a bit worse and he doesn’t eat and loses weight 

But this hound is 11 , 11mark you 

And he wasn’t expected to survive

He’s fully in control, too fully in control if truth be known 

In the morning he will ask for his breakfast when he is ready 

Not before , not later

And like a fool that’s when I give it too him 

The same with his evening meal 

He barks with irritation when Albert goes out on his bike

And then returns to tell me he’s not happy 

He’s a hound from hell

But this hound would protect me with his life 

He and Albert tussle with alpha mayo 

Me not even in the running 

And it’s far to late to change that 

He fixes me with his brown eyes 

And tells me 

You are mine 

And those same brown eyes tell me when he is pain for whatever reason 

Will me to respond

Conscious once a long time ago 

I didn’t and his intestines fell out and I almost lost him 

He’s my baby, he runs rings around me,

An intelligent hound from hell

Sandra


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