Why Won’t My Dog Eat? Questionnaire
Use this questionnaire to help determine possible causes for your dog’s loss of appetite.
If your dog will drink water but won’t eat, it may be due to nausea, stress, or mouth pain. If they are able to keep the water down, that is a good sign. However, if they are vomiting after drinking water, they should be seen by a veterinarian right away, as this could indicate severe nausea or an intestinal obstruction. If they go longer than 24 hours without eating, even if they are still drinking, they should be examined by their vet to determine the underlying cause of their inappetence.
If your dog has not eaten or drank in 24 hours or more, they should be seen by a veterinarian right away in order to be assessed and treated for likely dehydration, and to investigate the underlying cause of their unwillingness to eat or drink.
Anything that can cause a dog to feel ill, such as kidney disease, pancreatitis, intestinal parasites, liver disease, cancer, infection, intestinal obstruction, etc., can lead a dog to refuse food and water. Like humans, dogs cannot go for more than a few days without water, so this should be treated seriously.
Did You Just Adopt Your Dog Recently?
A newly adopted dog can take days or weeks to settle into their new home. Anxiety is a common cause of temporary inappetence, so it’s not unusual for a new addition to the household to refuse food for the first day or two.
It is important to ensure that they are given a quiet place to eat, away from other pets or children that may interrupt them. As long as they are otherwise energetic and not having vomiting or diarrhea, it’s okay to give them a day or two to get used to their new home before worrying about them not eating.
However, if they are lethargic, vomiting, or having diarrhea, or go more than 48 hours without eating anything, they should be examined by a veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Go for a walk before meals
Make sure your dog is well-exercised before you feed them, to help them build up an appetite.
Divide the food into two or three meals and serve them at consistent times each day.
Don’t leave food out for your dog to graze on — take it back within 10 minutes if it hasn’t been eaten to help cement the idea of mealtimes.
Use your dog’s kibble as treats, and only offer meals for short periods of time. This leaves your dog no choice but to eat their food and hopefully get used to it.
My Dog WON’T EAT Their Food What to Do About It
Dogs love to eat. Whether they’re making puppy-dog eyes at you from beneath the dinner table, or lunging for that pizza crust on the sidewalk, it often seems as though their main mission in life is getting food. So if your pup has suddenly lost their appetite, it’s bound to be a bit concerning.