Animal's adjustment period

Would anyone be willing to share their stories of their pets (dogs mostly) behaviour after arrival in the UK?  My dog has been here since Saturday and is doing very well, but is VERY tired and not eating much, but drinking a lot.   I suppose that the time difference can mess with her body clock making her quite tired, moving to a new place can often cause a dog anxiety which can mess with their appetite and maybe she is drinking because she is not eating much?  Should I just give her time to settle or is a visit to the vet required?

How did your animals do their first week in their new country?

I can't address the moving issue, but those are the signs my cat displayed when he had a severe kidney problem, so I'd advise the vet visit if she doesn't start eating soon.  But my first thought is has her food changed since moving? Even the same brands can taste different here based on how they are made, etc. My pets have always resisted food changes, so that coupled with a big move may be the problem. Hopefully you can get it figured out soon! She may just need a bit more time to get used to the new stuff.

Perhaps I should edit to say that she will eat luxury ham that my husband offered her from his sandwich and ground beef that we cooked up for her, but no dog food and doesnt really even like the treats we've bought her here.

Doesn't sound like a health problem in that case. I forgot to add that it's when a pet goes from not eating to not drinking water that you should really be concerned. My cat's kidney problem wasn't apparent until he stopped drinking water, as well. It sounds like she needs time to adjust to the dog food over here, maybe. You might try another brand but I'd be consistent with the food for a while beyond that, as she may just need to get used to a new routine and such. I sound like such a hippie pet psychologist right now!

Dogs have circadian rhythms just like we do, and can go through jetlag just like we do. The conflict between the body's natural timer and the sudden change in daylight hours throws us all out of whack.

That said, I would run your pup to the vet just in case. Some dogs can be overwhelmed by the change - when we took our adult corgi home for the first time, she mourned the loss of her old home for about a week, barely eating and drinking. I took her to the vet but they reassured me she was perfectly fine and to bring her back if her appetite didn't pick up soon.

I wouldn't worry too much, but it never hurts to take her in.

The other week I had to look after a dog for 4 days, the first 3 days she refused to eat her food and wouldn't accept treats, even roast chicken that my dogs gobbled down.  By the 4th day she began eating but not her food but the brand I give my dogs.  It might be the upheaval of crossing the pond and a whole nother country.

Please try not to feed your dog the horid stuff you get at super markers here.  There are several great brands like Burns and James welbeloved.... check out their websites.

Another thing, I had to leave my dogs for 48 hours a few weeks ago and had my brother stay at my place.  They didn't touch their food until I returned.

Good luck.

I have the James Welbeloved food in two different varieties and some very high quality food called Orijen and she refuses both.  Maybe she agrees with me that British food is a bit bland and would prefer something else   ...although the Orijen stuff is Canadian, I think.
I picked up a few packets of "wet" food of different brand and will try those to see if she has a preference.   Fingers crossed.

Maybe a hippie pet psychologist is just what I need!

http://www.burnspet.co.uk/  Burns does a moist food that smells yummy, you could give it a try.   http://www.naturediet.co.uk/ this is also very good.  The James Welbeloved dry food is great, but their little sachets of wet food are a rip off.

Just wait and see she'll get her baring soon.  No biggie.

When I took my corgi to the vet for not eating, he had me cook hamburger and rice and mix it together to put into her food. The first night, she took maybe a nibble, but after that she gobbled it down and we started mixing her kibble into it until after a few days it was all kibble and no rice.

Probably isn't terribly helpful, especially if you've already bought wet food!  My dogs never could get enough of the stuff.

Thanks Cellar - That is exactly what I assumed a vet would say. Hamburger and rice is what we have been doing (and she will eat that) and I have more of that ready for her if she turns up her nose at the wet food tonight. 

Unusually, it looks like the Burns food is available at a shop right by my office, so I'll pick up some of that too.  My dog will have a proper smorgasboard!!

not that its much help, but my 2 dogs didnt really have an adjustment period...im guessing yours was flown over? we came on qm2 and they change the time by an hour each day so there isnt any jet lag, and as soon as we arrived at my mums, they were their normal selves (after spending about 3 hours sniffing the entire place that is!)

I have a cat, not a dog, but he had a few adjustment issues. (We had to get a new litterbox, as he HATED the first one, and are about to buy new litter because he hates the litter we got! Ugh!) He also cries constantly, but that's because he's an attention whore..

However, I agree with the previous posters. I've had quite a few dogs - and just moving them 15 miles down the road really messed with them for days! I'd give it a week, and if he's still not closer to himself (not eating, etc) I'd pop over to the vet.

I also recommend pet insurance. I'd never have done it in America, but here it's relatively cheap and covers a lot. (Mine is £8.52/month for my cat through Sainsbury's).

I imagine your dog is settling in a bit by now, but just wanted to add a little more empathy.  My dog actually adjusted much better than I expected--I started feeding her Orijen back in the states, and I've kept her on it here, and I think that's helped.  Plus, it's great food.  My cats, however, have been a different story.  One is on wet food, and I've managed to sort that out, but the other prefers dry food and that's been a nightmare.  Finding something he will tolerate (he's very fussy) and does not screw up his digestive system (with horrifying consequences) is not easy.  Part of the reason I want to mention this is that, in retrospect, I wish I had just picked one food and stuck with it because I think that the switching has caused more problems.  I knew this while I was going through the cycle, but sometimes it's so hard to take a step back.   So, anyways, while I totally get the buying lots of food in the name of temptation, I wonder if you might be better off just putting one down and waiting 'til she's ready to eat it. 

I hope she is doing better! 

No suggestions or solutions, but just wanted to say - I feel your pain, mungo!  My boys have been here for three years now and I've only in the past six months managed to wean them off of US wet food - do a search and you'll probably see me moan in many a post about having to lug Meow Mix back in my suitcase every time I went home for a visit!

mirrajay, hope your doggy is adjusting and feeling better by now!

It sounds like most everybody's pets adjusted eventually.  I'm worried about introducing my cat Coco (whose 5 and pretty high-strung) to his new roomie, a 2 yr old staffie named Freya.  Coco doesn't have much dog experience, and Freya (whose v. sweet) often chases neighborhood cats out of the garden.  Furthermore, my husband has a thing about letting the animals into the bedrooms so they'll have to share the living rm/kitchen (although Freya is crated). 

Anybody have experience blending pet families?  My stepson is hoping they'll be best friends, and they may well be after a while but who knows?