Dear Kim,

I've had Murphy, my service dog, for fourteen months since he was eight weeks old. He is doing very well alerting me to my seizures and with all his training. He is an Anatolian Shepherd, a beautiful dog, but getting very bony even though we give him the very best food. Please ask Murphy why he won't eat. Maybe he has an allergy to something in the food. It is primarily duck and chicken with minerals and some carrots, pumpkin, dried egg, blueberries, and vitamins. He is still growing and needs to eat to stay healthy.

Sometimes we offer him food from restaurants when we are on vacation, and he refuses to eat. We've been to the vet and had blood work done, and everything looks good, but still Murphy doesn't eat very well. Some days he will eat, and other days he won't touch his food. We are getting very concerned because you can see all of his ribs. We've tried different foods, but he only seems to want to eat cheeseburgers, and in my desperation, I have even resorted to giving him a couple.

Murphy is my third service dog. I lost my other two to cancer. My previous service dog, Beau, was only four years old when the cancer took him, and he went very fast in only a month's time. I've never bonded as quickly to a service dog as I have to Murphy, and the thought of losing him terrifies me. I'm so very grateful for any information or insights you can give us. I'm also enclosing a couple of photos of Murphy and me. I hope these help. Please help Murphy. Thank you so very much. I always read your column in the Sedona Journal and enjoy it so much.