15-year-old stopped eating

For 15 years, our Australian Cattle Dog mix has eaten Iam's dry dog food eagerly. About 5 months ago, he stopped eating. He would walk up to his bowl then turn around and walk away.

At the advice of our vet, we switched to Hill's Science Diet. We bought a small bag of that, and our dog ate it. So then, we bought a 20 pound bag, and that's when our dog stopped eating it.

We bought a small bag of the Iam's again, and he ate that. Again, as soon as we bought a big bag, he stopped eating again. We bought a small bag again but he won't touch it.

We waited him out, sometimes for up to 4 days, and he still wouldn't eat. He began to lose weight and became lethargic.

Our dog always loved peanut butter, but now he even turns his nose up at that.

We have made several trips to the vet and even a vet specialist. We've had blood workups and ultrasounds. There are no abnormalities. We have received recommendations to mix the food with broth (worked for one day) and yogurt (worked for two days).

The vet specialist suggested that we switch to canned dog food. We are considering but resisting that recommendation due to the cost, the mess, the smell, and all the empty cans it would cause.

For the last week, we have been cooking a mix of rice and chicken. Our dog eats that, but mostly the chicken. He sometimes eats the rice and sometimes leaves it. We are concerned that this is not a healthy long-term diet.

We are frustrated that this once-eager eater now will starve himself rather than eat dry dog food. It's not that he lost his appetite, as he will gladly scrounge the kitchen floor for droppings and he loves the home-cooked chicken we are currently feeding him.

Any suggestions? Is there a dry dog food that all dogs will eat? Is there a home-cooked diet that is easy to fix and wholesome? Should we bite the bullet and switch to canned food?

I'm assuming it has been checked, but are his teeth ok?

Yes, thanks, his teeth have been checked.

I would definitely go for a softer food which is easier for an old dog to swallow. What about one of the tray foods, such as Nature Diet - not as dear as Hills, and easily available in lots of varieties. I've always found that cooked chicken livers, or egg and cheese scramble, can tempt reluctant feeders when all else fails.

I'd also go with wet food. Bless him, he's getting on a bit now and a softer, more appetising diet may well appeal much more

I too would swap to something like naturediet. It's a good brand, lots of flavours you could swap between to keep his interest and not too expensive.

Good luck