Lost dog's appetite: causes and what to do

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Your pet's he althy appetite is one of the signs he's feeling good. But sometimes it happens that the pet refuses any food. Let's look at what is normal if a dog's appetite has disappeared. When should you see a doctor?

Reasons for not eating

Veterinarians identify several reasons why a dog may lose its appetite:

1. Psychological - not having a direct threat to he alth, but sometimes no less dangerous. May be related to hormonal changes.
2. Physiological - a reason that can have quite dangerous consequences. Expert help is almost always required.
3. The third reason can stem from either of these two, but still be considered normal.

Psychological reasons

A fairly common reason why dogs lost their appetite. More precisely, they can even be subdivided into several, namely:

1. The dog stopped eating after certain events. For example, after the celebration of the New Year withmany salutes, many owners note a decrease in appetite in their animals. This can also be observed after severe thunderstorms with loud peals of thunder. In such cases, you should wait until the dog calms down and try to give him as much attention as possible to relieve his anxiety. Usually, appetite returns to normal within a few days.
2. As strange as it may sound, dogs, just like people, suffer from depression. Most often this occurs when separated from the owner or family members. Another reason for depression, and, accordingly, why the dog lost his appetite, may be moving to another place of residence or even separation from some four-legged friend. If you see that your pet is depressed for a long time, then you should see a doctor, as this condition can lead to various negative consequences.
3. Another psychological reason why a dog's appetite may disappear is the lack of realization by the animal, and specifically the male, of his instincts for reproduction. If for some reason you do not want to breed your dog, then it would be more humane to think about spaying him than to constantly keep his natural urges "in check".



4. Sometimes the owner himself becomes the reason why the dog lost his appetite. Namely, seeing that the pet refuses to eat, he begins to "stuff" him with all sorts of goodies, trying to feed him at any cost. Animals, like people, develop certain eating habits very quickly, and they, of course,prefer treats, especially if they are "flavored" with all sorts of flavor enhancers. After such "snacks" it will be difficult to force them to eat regular porridge. In addition, the dog is a very smart animal and quickly understands that the owner can be manipulated, while receiving tasty, but not always he althy food. There is only one way out in this situation. Remove food from the diet from the table and give only food intended directly for the dog. Moreover, the bowl should not stand with the pet all the time. Brought, set - after 15 minutes, if the dog did not touch the food, removed, brought in the evening. The main thing is not to follow the dog's lead, and not to stick another "cookie" in it.
5. Another, fortunately much less common, reason why a dog lost his appetite is fear. There are owners who scold the animal for every uneaten piece. Over time, the dog develops a fear of the owner and of food, and she simply refuses to eat at all. In this situation, perhaps the best way out for the dog is to change the owner. But seriously, the patience, affection and calm tone of the owner will help restore the appetite of such an animal.

Physiological causes

If you notice that the dog has lost his appetite, lethargy or, conversely, irritability, or some other behavioral changes, then perhaps the problems are much deeper. He alth problems that may cause the problem under study:

1. The dog has an oral injury, indigestion or some kind of dental problem. Inspect the dog's oral cavity on your own, watch the animal's stool. Try giving your dog soft, ground food. And it is better, of course, to consult a specialist.
2. Poisoning. Another common reason why a dog has lost his appetite. If you suspect poisoning, then you should definitely contact the clinic, as delay can be deadly, especially if you do not know what exactly your animal ate.
3. It can also be caused by intestinal parasites in your pet. Regularly drink the animal with anthelmintic drugs. An accurate diagnosis can be made by a doctor, unless, of course, the animal already has a running form.
4. The most dangerous causes are problems with any internal organs: thyroid, heart, lungs, liver, and more.

You may not notice the very beginning of the disease, and the animal cannot tell you about it - it can only show that he is ill by refusing to eat. That is why, as soon as you saw that the dog’s appetite had disappeared, the doctor should look for the reasons. Especially in cases where there are no prerequisites for this, it seems, should not be.

Loss of appetite as normal

There are cases when a decrease in appetite in an animal can be the norm and there should not be any prerequisites for alarm. This is:

1. The dog is in heat, has lost his appetite and the dog may even look haggard. This often occurs, since the animal changes during this periodhormonal background, so there is no need to panic. Appetite usually returns to normal after a while. This does not occur in all dogs, so you should not expect such a reaction from every animal. Some "ladies" may, on the contrary, suffer from increased appetite. Also, loss of appetite can be observed in the second half of pregnancy and immediately after childbirth.
2. Too hot weather. This is normal if it is +30 outside for a long time, and the dog has lost his appetite. What to do? Give more water and wait until it gets a little cooler. Most likely, in hot weather, your desire to eat also decreases.
3. Food overload. As strange as it sounds, some owners literally overfeed their pets. Now it is very common to meet animals suffering from overweight and even obesity. But there are some dogs that are much smarter than their owners - when they feel that there is already an overabundance of nutrients in their body, they arrange "fasting days" for themselves. In such cases, do not try to force-feed them.
4. The case when the animal is being treated with some potent drugs can also be attributed to the norm in refusing food. But this is only in the case when the animal is on the mend. If the dog's condition worsens, then it is necessary to force-feed the animal, possibly even with the help of droppers.
5. Another cause of decreased appetite in dogs is age. In old age, the dog consumes much less food, which is associated with a decrease in its activity. And anticipating your ambulancedeath, the animal may refuse food altogether.



6. Teething can be the cause of decreased appetite in puppies. A dog child also endures this process quite hard, like a human one. The puppy will gnaw everything that comes in his way, but he will refuse food these days. The best option would be to give him some kind of nutritious bone - now in pet stores you can find a lot of options for just such cases.
7. Oddly enough, another norm can be considered … a bad mood. Yes, a dog, just like a person, may simply not be in the mood - she will refuse to eat and will "lie and sigh in a corner." But in a he althy dog, this should pass quickly, so if you see that your pet has such a period, then the reason is not in the usual blues, but much deeper and you need to look for it. Perhaps already with the help of a specialist.

What to do?

If a dog has lost its appetite for no reason, then first watch it. If the behavior has not changed and there are no obvious he alth problems, then you can try the following actions:

1. Change the food, especially if you are offering your dog something new - give him the food he is used to.
2. Heat up food, some animals are more than happy to eat warm food.
3. Provide clean drinking water for your dog, and make sure there is a constant supply of water.
4. Make sure that the animal does not pick up anything on the street. Perhaps the dog just "ate" on a walk.
5. Keep giving your dog food in the usualher hours, leaving the bowl no longer than 15 minutes. If the dog did not eat, then remove the bowl and give only at the next feeding.

What not to do?

Experts give advice like this:

1. In no case do not try to feed the dog something "delicious" during this period. The animal will taste it very quickly and you will independently form its pickiness in food.
2. Do not try to force-feed the animal, especially with yelling and swearing.
3. Don't leave a bowl of food on a regular basis and don't bring it in between meals. An exception can be made only for animals in the recovery period after illness, radiation, chemotherapy, if the doctor advises enhanced nutrition.

When to See a Doctor

If the dog missed one feeding, then there is no reason to worry yet. If a dog skips one or two meals during two meals a day, then this can be considered the norm. You need to start worrying when the dog has not eaten for more than a day and a half.

It is clear that if an animal has a clear he alth disorder - diarrhea, vomiting, convulsions, fever, pain, bloating and more, then you need to see a doctor immediately.

Conclusion

Each owner knows his pet perfectly and can, at times, be better than any veterinarian to name the reasons why the dog lost his appetite. Each animal, like humans, has its own taste preferences, they can alsopicky about food, "show character" and try to manipulate their master. Never go along with your pet if you are firmly convinced that a poor appetite is just a way to get a tasty piece from you. But at the same time, take a closer look, maybe this is how the dog is trying to attract your attention, maybe you devote too little time to her and she is bored? Any, even seemingly unreasonable, behavior of an animal always has a reason.