advice for a GSP who wont eat while hunting

[Backstrap]

What you want to do is front load your dog the night before you hunt with a high quality performance food. So if you normally feed two cups in the evening up it by a cup or two. Then give one cup in the morning 2-3 hours before running the dog.

I’ve run a couple of my dogs for a full day hunt before with maybe an hour break total, it’s hard on them and they become far less effective after the 4 hour mark and really even after the first 2. But the one time I had one have a blood sugar imbalance was on a 2 hour hunt on a morning that the dog skipped his breakfast. I changed food and started front loading after that, no problems since.

I might try this next year. I’d need to front load with something he likes, since he self regulates on kibble, and isn’t food motivated much at all. Maybe pour chicken grease on his kibble?

[Happy Gilmore]

I'd pay  for an eic test kit. Can order one on line and do a cheek swab. If your dog is affected by eic and has an episode in water it will be dead. Breeder and a smarter vet and smarter breeder would have spent $40 for the test.