Dog no longer eats [8 causes and tips to help].
- Veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic
- Updated: 2023-04-11
Your dog no longer eats properly? Then you should know these 8 possible causes and also what you can do about it now. The most important facts at a glance. In addition, for this article we have Advice from veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic obtained. Note: This article is written for the german country.
If your dog no longer eats, this can have many causes, but one thing is clear. He wants to tell you something.
8 Causes for the feed strike
1. diseases
Acute diseases are often the reason for loss of appetite. Among other things, this can be bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal tract or the lungs. But it can also be Organ damage, Cancer or Other diseases be the cause of loss of appetite.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that there is not always a serious illness just because your four-legged friend no longer wants to eat. In case of uncertainty, a visit to the doctor is recommended.
If your furbearer eats nothing but drinks a lot
In such a case, extreme caution is required! With a high intake of water, but not food, in many cases there is poisoning. Especially around Christmas time, this phenomenon is often seen. The poisonings occur due to incorrect feeding.
As a countermeasure, the quadrupeds literally "drink" like camels. Also Diarrhea, Vomiting and strong Muscle cramps can follow.
Here you will find all the foods that your dog is not allowed to eat.
2. pain in the mouth
Although this usually only occurs in older four-legged friends, but Toothache may well be another reason why your little one does not want to eat. The pain is caused by Tartar or Inflammation of the gums.
Both are very painful, which causes your pet to refuse mainly the hard dry food. Therefore, if you suspect pain in the mouth, a visit to the vet should provide clarity.
Furthermore has about Tartar far worse consequences than just the refusal to feed. In the long term, further damage to the body can occur. Studies have shown that dogs with tartar suffer from heart disease more often than dogs with healthy teeth.
Permanent tartar can also cause damage to the kidneys and liver of your furry friend. Therefore, this problem should definitely be treated!
Also can be a Foreign body in mouth of your favorite. To do this, gently open his mouth and see if anything is stuck between his teeth. Also check the palate, gums and throat for any lesions, redness or color changes.
Should your protégé be in the process of Teething then this may be a reason for his lack of appetite. In some quadrupeds, the change from milk teeth to permanent teeth hurts.
3. after medical treatments
After an operation or vaccination, your faithful companion may not necessarily feel hungry. After an operation, such as castration, this is mainly due to the anesthesia.
Immediately after anesthesia, your pet should not eat anything. You should wait with feeding until your hairy friend is completely sane again. He should be able to walk straight again without staggering back and forth.
Here you should divide his daily food and water ration into several portions. This is because after anesthesia there is a risk of food getting into the trachea. This can lead to suffocation or pneumonia. Your pet could also vomit and suffocate.
Only when he can stand on his feet again safely and full of vitality, the food supply should be slowly restarted. However, this must also be discussed with the veterinarian.
Also, your pet may refuse to eat even after such an event. This is only a problem if this condition persists for several days, then a veterinarian should be consulted.
4. the age
No matter what kind of creature it is, when it gets older, its appetite also dwindles. It's the same with your four-legged friend. When he is older, his eating habits change.
Since it is not as active as it used to be and therefore requires a lower energy supply, it reduces the amount of feed also changes as a result. Generally, this doesn't happen from one day to the next, but over a period of time, yet you will notice this change.
For young animals between eight and twelve months it happens more often that they refuse food. At this age, your dog will try to determine its hierarchy in the "pack" - eating is one of the best ways to do this.
By refusing, he will test how much you respond to his hierarchical desires and fulfill his every wish. As long as there are no other accompanying symptoms, it is better in such a situation if you do not react at all. Otherwise, you would be signaling to him that he is the growing alpha and not just a "pack member".
5. antibiotics and other drugs
Not only an illness in itself can inhibit the appetite of your faithful companion, but also a medical treatment such as with antibiotics. Thus, the flora in the gastrointestinal tract is completely confused and imbalanced. Most often this condition occurs in conjunction with diarrhea. For this there are some restorative preparations for the intestinal flora, which help him to eat again as soon as possible. These also soothe the intestines and contain important nutrients.
6. psychological circumstances or hormone chaos
Dogs are in most cases very sensitive beings. They feel joy and sadness just like we do, if not more intensely.
So, if master or mistress are not at home for a long time or possibly even leave his life forever, he suffers a lot. How much depends on his sensitivity.
In these circumstances, loss of appetite or refusal of food may result.
Hormonal changes can also lead to a "hunger strike". These circumstances appear many times with bitches in heat on.
In addition, also a Male be distracted from eating by bitches in heat. This is similar to the "lovesickness" of us humans, which largely deprives us of our appetite.
7. stress
People and animals can sense changes in their immediate environment and react accordingly. This is also true for dogs.
A stressful move, a new family member or an illness can make your dog very nervous and restless. In particular, loud events like New Year's Eve can upset your charge and make him lose his appetite.
Sometimes it takes time until he gets used to the new situation and the stress caused has subsided. In such times, it often happens that either the appetite disappears or, on the contrary, everything is devoured immediately.
This will last until your pet feels completely comfortable and safe again.
8. wrong feed
Like humans, dogs have different tastes. That's why your dog may not like or even tolerate every food. Also, the refusal can be caused by Unusual feeding times are caused.
Basically to keep in mind is that the feeling of hunger from Breed to breed different is. While some dogs eat only as much as their body needs in energy, the other eats everything that is put in front of his nose. This is equally true for How to Stop Puppies. They are often also already very picky about the contents of their bowl.
TIP: If your pet does not empty his bowl, then divide the food into several small portions. These you then offer him throughout the day.
Also possible would be too many treats
Here again, we humans can compare ourselves with our four-legged friends. For example, if we have snacked on too many sweets before lunch, we are usually no longer able to eat a whole meal.
In addition, treats often have a lot of calories, which do not necessarily contribute to the health of your furry nose. Therefore, the motto here is: in moderation and not in masses.
How you can encourage him to eat
Depending on the cause, different methods can be used to get your pet to eat again. So you can try feeding him some treats to get his normal food intake going again.
If he is possibly getting the wrong food or doesn't like it, you should check the Change chuck. When changing food, you should take things slowly.
Here you can add the new feed to the old feed with smaller rations at the beginning and increase the proportion slowly. Also you can add to the feed mix in some natural yogurtuntil he gets used to it.
Furthermore, a certain time could also be Gentle diet offer to stimulate his appetite again.
Your dog the gourmet
However, you should take care not to spoil him too much and he will mature into a gourmet. He should not refuse food again after a short time in the hope of being offered an even better deal.
In particularly stressful situations, you can give him some rest and time until he starts eating again. In any case, you should not force him to do it. You can divide his daily ration into smaller portions.
After treatment or surgery under anesthesia, feed should be taken with caution in the first two days anyway. The risk of vomiting and thus choking is particularly high
Give him time until he is able to stand on his feet and walk briskly again. Again, divide the daily ration into smaller portions at the beginning.
Diseases and medications are also appetite killers. In case of illness, you should talk to a veterinarian about the further course.
For antibiotics, there are special preparations that build up the intestinal flora and contain important nutrients to revive hunger and feed intake.
If your pet refuses any food for more than two days, it's time to ask your vet for advice.
From when it becomes dangerous
The lack of appetite of your furry friend could also be a sign of an illness that needs to be treated. Therefore, you should also keep an eye on the general condition of your four-legged friend and contact your veterinarian in case of the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea, intestinal blockage and/or vomiting
- Hard belly
- Trembling
- Heavy panting and/or salivation
- Indifference
- Tense
- Cough
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many different reasons why your dog may refuse to eat. They can be harmless, like stress or a mild stomach upset, but they can also be serious, like cancer or poisoning.
You should first try to find out the reason for your dog's lack of appetite. Then you can act accordingly to encourage your dog to eat again. Read our article to be able to make a better diagnosis.
If your dog has not been eating for two days in a row, you should contact a veterinarian immediately, because it is definitely an emergency.
Veterinarian’s Recommendation
Every now and then there are times when our faithful companions run out of appetite. This is not always a cause for concern.
Just like us humans, our dear friends sometimes go through times that affect their eating behavior. Generally, this subsides on its own in a few days.
However, if the refusal to eat continues for several days and the measures taken against it do not help, I recommend you to contact your veterinarian or alternative practitioner.
I am a veterinarian and writer on animal health topics. Animals are my passion, and it is my personal goal to create medically accurate articles and videos to educate pet owners as much as possible.
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