When a dog refuses to eat, it becomes a real problem for its owner, and many people panic if this happens regularly. The following question arises: what to do if the dog doesn’t eat? And this is understandable, because any owner worries about the health of their pet.
The main thing is to follow the rules of feeding your dog, then the problem will be solved and will rarely bother you.
Reasons why a dog doesn't eat anything
First of all, take another look at what you are trying to feed your dog. Perhaps you gave her a new food that the dog for some reason does not consider edible? Or did you prepare fresh porridge with meat, deciding to add carrots instead of the usual cabbage, which confused your pet? It could also happen that you came across low-quality food or meat; you didn’t notice it, but the dog immediately smelled it and decided to refuse food.
Think about it: are you spoiling your dog? Perhaps you give her treats from your table so often that your pet does not consider it necessary to eat regular food, hoping that he will get something tasty.
Lack of appetite or anorexia in a dog can be caused by the most different reasons. For example, painful sensations when eaten can cause broken teeth, gum infections and other dental diseases.
]Decreased interest in food can also be caused by ear infections. Chronic infections ear infections are almost always associated with allergies to food or other allergens environment. One of the main reasons why a dog won’t eat anything is pain. To understand whether something is hurting your dog, you need to take a close look at it.
The following will tell you that your animal is in pain:
- shiver;
- labored breathing;
- hunched back;
- decline physical activity;
- irritability;
- too much sleep.
Often, loss of interest in food is caused by the presence of a stomach ulcer, nausea, which occurs against the background of kidney disease due to excess acidity.
If your dog doesn't want to eat, it may be worth taking him to the doctor, especially if this has been going on for a few days. But, of course, you should not seek help from a veterinarian because of every missed feeding. Because, as a rule, nothing bad happens if the dog misses one or two feedings. In most cases, the owner himself is to blame for the dog refusing to eat. Perhaps he constantly pampers her with snacks between feedings, or the dog’s meals do not take place at strictly defined hours.
You need to teach your dog to eat properly from childhood, then there will be no problems. If the dog has eaten only half of the food offered, then next time you should give it the same amount. Also, you should not give more food if the dog has eaten everything and demands more, since next time he may eat little or refuse to eat at all. In addition, you should not be fooled by the animal’s plaintive eyes; you need to pause. But after this the dog will eat well.
The dog doesn't eat. Diagnostics.
If the dog is lethargic and does not eat anything for a long time, but nothing hurts, it is necessary to establish a diagnosis. To do this, you need to contact the 24-hour veterinary clinic and conduct a series of tests.
- General analysis blood will show the condition of the body and trends.
- X-rays can help detect the presence of a tumor in dogs, signs of obstruction, an enlarged heart, etc.
- Using an ultrasound, it is worth checking the adrenal glands and all internal organs.
- An ACTH stimulation test will help test your pet for Addison's disease.
- The veterinarian may recommend other tests, perhaps after noticing any symptoms or after reviewing her medical history.
What to do if your puppy or dog doesn't want to eat?
- 1. Active walking.
- 2. Add fish to your food.
- 3. Change your cereal.
- 4. Change your diet.
- 5. Skip feedings.
- 6. In front of the dog, give the food to another pet.
1. Active walking. Often a puppy or dog does not want to eat due to lack of physical activity. It is logical that after an active walk and physical exercise the dog will get hungry. Take your pet, your favorite toys and go for a walk. Walk a little longer, practice the “fetch” command and just play tug-of-war. An hour after coming home, feed the animal. You can go jogging with your dog, or ride your bike. Physical activity, not excessive, will have a positive effect not only on the dog’s appetite, but also on the dog’s health. After a while, don’t forget to take him to the toilet.
2. Add fish to your food. To literally force your dog to eat, give him a few salted sprat fish 10 minutes before eating. The salty food will certainly whet the appetite and your pet will want a snack. Also, in the future, you can simply include fish in your dog’s diet. To make the finished porridge more attractive in the eyes of the dog, you can throw a few sprat fish. Some canines love it more than meat.
3. Change your cereal. Try replacing the grains in the porridge your dog eats. For example, instead of rice, add buckwheat, or mix several types of cereals.
4. Change your diet. Make your food more varied by changing not only porridge, but also alternating meat with fish, raw vegetables and fresh.
In general, you just need to find foods that your pet loves.
For example, it happens that a dog prefers meat to fish, therefore, in order not to waste money and not feed what the dog does not like, it is better to feed fish only occasionally. Or some vegetables may not be to your taste, which can ruin your appetite.
5. Skip feedings. Often the most effective method to achieve a good appetite - skip feeding. At the next feeding, give the same food, that is, do not follow the lead by offering something more tasty, but give the same food.
If your pet has only eaten half the portion, then at the next feeding, add a little less food than usual. Perhaps the problem is not an appetite, but an excess of food. Caring owners sometimes worry too much about their pet. In any case, feed the same food even if 2 feedings have been missed. On the third day, the dog usually can’t stand it and eats it. If this does not happen, then you just need to use trick number 2. It will complement this method and whet your appetite!
Of course, you need to monitor the quality of food and, if necessary, replace it. Food must not only be suitable for consumption, but also contain everything necessary for the dog products. I don't know what you feed your animal, so you need to check its diet to make sure it has all the right ingredients.
6. In front of the dog, give the food to another pet. And the last method, which has helped some owners a lot. If the dog does not want to eat even after using the above methods, then take and in front of the dog’s eyes, give its bowl of food to a cat or other animal. Seeing what is being done with its “rations”, the dog’s appetite will probably wake up. Just don’t let her show aggression, just sit her next to you and, if she rushes at the animal, then give the command “fu”. This method works flawlessly; the dog will not want to share its food with others. But they shouldn't indulge.
Over time, you will find products to which the dog is loyal. However, appetite can be poor, just like that, not only in people. Try skipping 1-2 feedings if the dog refuses to eat, and also give him a good walk.
If everything is in order with the food and the amount of food, refusal to eat may be the first sign that the animal is not feeling well. Take your dog's temperature. To do this, insert the tip of the thermometer, after lubricating it with Vaseline, into the animal’s rectum and hold for one and a half to two minutes. If the temperature manages to rise above 38.5, your pet is sick. Go to the vet, as a dog's fever does not mean that he has a cold. This could be a sign of anything from fleas to piroplasmosis.
In what cases is it normal for a dog to not eat anything?
- There are often periods in a dog’s life when he doesn’t feel like eating. And that's okay. For example, many bitches experience a decrease or even disappearing appetite during estrus. Only if, at the end of the cycle, the dog’s appetite does not normalize, it should be shown to a doctor.
- Especially growing puppies large breeds often subject to fluctuations in food needs. They may alternately experience strong feeling hunger, then a complete lack of interest in food.
- Puppies may also refuse to eat due to teething. In such a situation, you need to give the baby something cold to chew and feed him soft food.
- A decrease in appetite in a dog can also be caused by hot weather or the introduction of food special vitamins for dogs and various mineral supplements.
- There are also capricious dogs who, for example, do not want to eat vegetables. They may also refuse meat gravy, sensing the carrot spirit in it.
There can be many reasons why a dog refuses to eat. Fatigue, fear, slight malaise, or serious illness. You cannot force a dog to eat. We must first find out the reason for this behavior.
The dog refuses food and water, lethargic, drinks a lot, trembles, dry nose causes and what to do and what it could be
When a dog is in pain, he most often refuses to eat. It is necessary to take a close look at the animal to understand the reason. If there are no obvious signs of disease, you need to go to a veterinary clinic for examination.
Refusal to eat, dry nose and trembling are the beginning of a disease that is always easier to treat with early stages. Great thirst in dogs with gastritis or stomach ulcers.
Why does the dog refuse to eat and lose a lot of weight? It hides, but is cheerful and active.
A dog can sometimes arrange a fasting day for itself, if it is cheerful and active and the hunger strike does not last long, there is no reason for concern.
Prolonged refusal of food, severe emaciation clearly indicate a disease in the dog. The reason may also be nervous stress, which also requires veterinary care and treatment.
The dog refuses to eat, vomits bile, foam, eats only raw meat
If a dog refuses to eat and vomits, it could be poisoned. Vomiting can also be caused by a concussion in a dog if it hits its head hard. The cause may be gastritis or disease internal organs. For some infectious diseases There is also an increase in body temperature and vomiting.
Install the real reason diseases can only be diagnosed by a veterinarian after examining the animal. Tendency to raw meat can cause helminth disease, which in turn will cause food refusal, emaciation and bad feeling pet.
The dog refuses to eat during estrus, pregnancy, sleeps all the time, after childbirth, surgery
When a dog refuses to eat during pregnancy, it may have toxicosis. You should not force your dog to eat, as this may cause vomiting. Long-term refusal to eat threatens not only the animal, but also the offspring. Therefore, the dog must be shown veterinarian. He will prescribe sorbents that will reduce toxicosis.
If a dog sleeps all the time after surgery, childbirth, or during heat, it may simply be recuperating. If the doctor, after examining the dog, does not find any disease in it, do not force the animal to eat. Having gained strength, the dog will begin to eat on its own. Try changing the food, maybe the dog will appreciate it more tasty treat and end the hunger strike faster.
The dog refuses food from its new owners, it has gastritis, how to avoid exhaustion and feed it
When a dog refuses food from new owners, this is a normal temporary phenomenon. With a good attitude, the dog will soon begin to eat and come to terms with his situation.
If a dog has gastritis, it needs to be treated. Gastritis very easily turns into an ulcer - fatal dangerous disease. At long-term failure from food, the pet must be given IV drips at the veterinary clinic. You can't force feed.
The dog refuses food for more than a week than fed, the urine is dark, with blood, diarrhea
If a dog does not eat for more than a week, it can be fatal. She urgently needs veterinary care, appointment proper treatment, IVs.
Owners of four-legged pets are often faced with a situation where the dog does not eat anything. For a caring owner, such pet behavior causes fear and additional anxiety. When a dog doesn’t eat anything and lies staring at one point, of course, this raises concerns. It seems that the worst has happened and the consequences could be dire. Some especially impressionable owners immediately mentally begin to say goodbye to their pet. Of course, you shouldn’t go to such extremes; this won’t help your cause, but will only upset you. In reality, everything is not as tragic as it seems at first glance. No need to make things worse negative thoughts. You shouldn’t set yourself up for the bad in advance.
If a dog does not eat anything, it is not necessarily due to illness. There are other reasons. In fact, there are a great many reasons for giving up your favorite food: dental problems, ear diseases, pain of various etiologies, stomach ulcer, consequence long-term use certain drugs. To understand why a dog doesn’t eat anything, you need to observe it for some time and, if necessary, visit a veterinarian.
Condition of the eyes and nose
This is the first thing worth checking if your pet refuses its usual diet. As a rule, problems are visible to the naked eye. If there are any inflammations or disorders, it will be necessary to treat them, and not try to induce appetite in the animal by all means. If all the signs indicate the development of the disease, you should consult a veterinarian, and not invent additional worries. Otherwise, you can screw yourself up so much that you have to save the owner, not the dog.
Oral health
Sometimes a four-legged friend simply cannot chew food well due to the fact that there are numerous ulcers and wounds in the mouth. Unhealthy teeth also prevent you from fully enjoying life. The animal suffers, suffers, but cannot tell a person out loud about its ailments. If the dog does not eat anything for this reason, it is necessary to determine the condition of the oral cavity as soon as possible. As a rule, this kind of ailment is treated easily and simply. There is nothing terrible or deadly about them.
Period
You should not immediately sound the alarm if your beloved pet simply refuses food and still feels fine. When saved physical activity, other signs of health, and a visual examination revealed nothing suspicious, which means nothing serious is happening. Perhaps the dog is refusing food due to excessive heat.
Don't forget to give your pet something to drink as much as possible. more water- it must always be fresh and available to the animal. You should start to worry when your furry friend already misses the second or third feeding and at the same time his condition is rapidly deteriorating. But, as a rule, serious violations become apparent in less than six hours.
Behavioral signs
When your dog is not eating, observe other signs of his activity. Does the animal express some degree of anxiety? Does he suffer from thirst, tension in his stomach? If these symptoms are present, you need to start symptomatic treatment. In each specific case, there must be a different approach to getting rid of the pet’s suffering. But you shouldn’t rush things or make premature diagnoses. This way you will not help your pet. Eliminate behavioral signs it is possible when you know exactly what is going on.
Change food
If you notice that your dog is lethargic and doesn't eat anything after certain commercial foods, think about it. Perhaps you should change the brand or choose altogether natural products. Quality feeding is the key to your pet's health. Change if you know what you are giving her is not very good fresh food. Do not skimp on the health of your friend, who is so selflessly devoted to you! You should not feed your animal scraps from your table. Much of what humans calmly consume as food is contraindicated for tailed friends.
Buying cheap food will sooner or later lead to irreparable consequences. They contain too many dyes and preservatives, and lack natural ingredients. By reconsidering the issue of nutrition, you can confidently say that you are feeding your pet correctly and in a balanced manner.
When to contact a veterinarian
If the situation has been repeated for more than one day, and the dog does not eat anything, only drinks, it means that in fact there are serious violations. The animal needs help as soon as possible. Your pet's health may be affected by exposure to various factors. What you really need to remember is that with veterinary care you can't hesitate. It is highly undesirable to force an animal to suffer without taking any decisive steps to correct the situation. You wouldn't allow yourself to suffer from elevated temperature your own child? Then why should the animal suffer? Remember that by accepting a tailed pet into your home, you have already taken responsibility for it.
You should contact a veterinarian if the dog does not eat anything, just lies and drinks. If all your attempts to bring your pet back to his senses, he does not react properly, then things are really bad. You need to visit a specialist immediately and the sooner the better. Remember that it is much more difficult to treat the consequences than to eliminate the cause of the disease. If you can’t see a doctor right now, try to alleviate the condition of your four-legged friend. You should give him something to drink as often as possible, since dehydration can have serious consequences.
Blood analysis
This one is simple medical procedure can show whether your pet is really sick. When you contact your veterinarian, insist that your dog have a blood test. This action For a competent doctor it will take less than a minute, but it will show the real condition of the animal. It is through a blood test that major diseases, including those of an infectious nature, can be determined.
Do not leave the clinic until you achieve a satisfactory result. If for some unknown reason you are refused in one place, then you should try your luck in another. Don't give up, fight for the health of your furry friend.
X-ray of internal organs
This manipulation is resorted to when there is reason to suspect something is wrong. Sometimes young dogs accidentally swallow objects on the street. In case of problems with internal organs, an x-ray will also show any changes. You should not be afraid of this procedure, you just need to prepare your pet for it, do everything necessary so that he does not have to feel additional discomfort. As a rule, the dog is kept on a leash and is present during the examination itself. If your dog is too nervous, you should calm him down first. Otherwise, due to constant movement, diagnostic results may be inaccurate.
Ultrasonography
It passes quickly and allows you to identify any disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. Ultrasonography, as a rule, is carried out on an empty stomach. If for twelve hours or more, then special training it won't even be necessary. The results of the study can be considered fully reliable if you contacted a qualified specialist. Believe me, it's better once again go to pay money and make sure complete absence any pathologies, rather than suffer in ignorance and constantly worry about the health of the animal.
Attentive attitude
When a dog gets sick and doesn't eat anything, caring owner starts to worry. And indeed, in many cases there is every reason to be alarmed. The most disappointing thoughts immediately begin to creep into your head. To overcome them, you need to make significant efforts on yourself. After all, you want to give your pet everything it needs so that it will delight you for many years.
Paying attention to your four-legged friend can work wonders. Just be there, say kind, affectionate words more often. Be sure to pet your pet and look him in the eyes. Let him feel your care and support. There are cases when, even if there is serious illnesses the animals recovered, feeling the sincere love and care of the owner.
Don't force feed
When a dog isn't feeling well, the worst thing you can do is try to force food into his mouth against his will. No one will like this attitude towards themselves. Most often, the animal tries to free itself and run away, gathering its remaining strength. Don't force feed, it can only make things worse. If the dog doesn’t eat anything and you don’t know what to do, it’s better to leave it alone for a while. Nobody likes to be treated like... inanimate object. Listen to the dog's condition. As a rule, this helps to find the right solution. Sometimes sleep promotes recovery: it strengthens nervous system, significantly relaxes. In some cases, improvement occurs within a few hours.
Thus, there are many reasons why a dog may categorically refuse food. The owner should be vigilant, but not needlessly stress himself out. It’s better to visit the veterinary hospital one more time than to hope for Lucky case. Remember that in some cases, delay can have a detrimental effect on your pet's health. Having a four-legged friend, a person must take full responsibility for his health, nutrition and general well-being.
A dog that has no health problems is always in a cheerful mood and a good appetite. An adult animal needs to be fed up to 2 times a day; puppies and young dogs require more frequent feeding. In the case when your four-legged friend refuses to eat once, there is no need to panic, since one missed feeding is not critical. But if the animal refuses to eat for more than 1.5 or 2 days, the owner should sound the alarm, because perhaps his pet is seriously ill.
Reasons for a dog's refusal to eat
An animal can refuse food in many cases, both completely harmless and threatening the dog’s death. The owner must carefully monitor his four-legged friend and in case of serious signs of illness, take the animal to a veterinarian.
Some animals have high emotional sensitivity and may refuse to eat when depressed, sad, or sexually active. Often, separation (even short-term) from the owner is the main reason that a dog stops eating. During sexual desire, animals, especially males, often do not eat for a long time. In this case, you should not worry about the health of your pet; as soon as the sexual desire subsides, the dog will regain its excellent appetite.
At severe symptoms various diseases You should not expect the animal to recover on its own and under no circumstances should you force feed it. The best option You will need to call a veterinary specialist to your home, so the dog will be less exposed to stressful situations.
What to do if your dog has no appetite
If the reluctance to eat is not associated with infectious, viral, helminthic diseases, serious poisoning, you can help the animal yourself. In any other cases, self-diagnosis and treatment is dangerous; the animal must be entrusted to a veterinarian.
You can improve your appetite in the following ways:
- Skip feeding. For 24 hours, do not offer the dog absolutely any food (especially treats from the table). Clean and fresh water must definitely be in free access. In most cases, one skipped meal is enough to restore your previous appetite.
- Diversify your dog's diet. Add more to the animal's food healthy products(fermented milk, offal, fresh vegetables, fish), since an unbalanced diet can result in refusal to eat food.
- Reduce food portions. If the dog leaves food in the bowl, the portion of food may be too large and the animal is simply not able to eat it.
- Monotonous food. Feeding your pet only rice or buckwheat may cause reluctance to eat. By diversifying the diet with other cereals, meat and vegetables, it is quite possible to restore the animal’s appetite in the shortest possible time.
- Increase walking duration and intensity physical activity. Usually, after long and active walks, the dog greedily pounces on the food offered to it.
- At obvious signs poisoning (when the animal is not in serious condition) perform gastric lavage with baking soda or a solution (weak) of potassium permanganate and give Activated carbon at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of pet's weight. At severe conditions poisoning, the dog is urgently taken to the veterinarian.
When to see a doctor
An animal can go without food for quite a long time. As a rule, 1 or 2 days of fasting does not have a detrimental effect on the health of the pet, but if the dog refuses food for more than 2 days, loss of appetite is accompanied by other signs, the alarm should be sounded - the animal is sick.
Immediate assistance from a veterinarian is required if loss of appetite occurs with the following symptoms:
- feverish conditions;
- diarrhea (with mucus, blood);
- pallor, yellowing of the mucous membranes;
- purulent discharge from the nose, eyes;
- vomiting with blood, bile, foam;
- unsteadiness of gait, convulsive conditions;
- severe pain in the animal's body;
- constant lying of the dog on one side;
- disturbance of the urination process (increased, decreased or complete cessation of urination);
- refusal of water.
Some owners, on the advice of their friends or relatives, begin to self-medicate the animal and make fatal mistakes. One of the most common tips for quick recovery pet is injecting vodka into the dog’s mouth. This should not be done under any circumstances, because an alcohol-containing liquid will not cure a sick dog, but will cause a burn to the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach.
A dog that has no health problems will have an excellent appetite. In cases where an animal is bothered by something and refuses any food or even treats, immediate action must be taken. Treat your pet yourself using medications, intended for people, as well as recipes traditional medicine strictly prohibited. A sick friend must be shown to a veterinarian, who, based on the diagnostics performed, will select the appropriate effective treatment and will return the dog to a good appetite.
A person gets a dog to guard property and protect his family, or simply to have a loyal creature nearby. For many centuries, dog breeds developed independently of humans, but in recent decades, humans have learned to create new breeds artificially.
Now we can get a dog adapted for living in small apartments, which does not require constant walks in the fresh air.
Is your puppy eating less than usual?
Any caring owner will worry when he notices that his little pet is not eating enough. How to behave in this unpleasant situation and what measures need to be taken? In fact, there is nothing wrong with this and there is no need to panic prematurely.
First you need to figure out what the reason for refusing food is. In this article we will tell you how to whet your puppy's appetite and return him to proper nutrition.
Causes of poor appetite in animals
If your puppy is not eating well, has missed a couple of meals during the day, is not in the mood, is lethargic and inactive, then the most likely cause may be an underlying illness. You can check this in the following way - go outside and take a walk with your pet.
If your ward remains lethargic and is not happy about the fresh air and being outside, then something is still bothering him. In this case, you need to pay attention to the humidity and temperature of the nose.
U healthy puppy With the exception of some dog breeds, the nose should be moist and cool. If these symptoms are also accompanied by:
- presence of redness, inflammation or discharge in the eye area;
- bad smell from oral cavity And unhealthy color language;
- discharge from the ears, firm to the touch and clear;
The presence of at least one of the above points may indicate the presence of diseases and, as a result, contact a veterinarian.
When buying a puppy, new owners begin to feed the animal food that is unfamiliar to it. In such a situation, you will immediately notice that the puppy has begun to eat poorly. It is better to ask the previous owners in advance what kind of food they had before and continue to do as they did.
A puppy may not eat food well because he simply doesn't like it. In this case, it is better to focus your attention only on natural products.
If you observe that your pet is cheerful, runs around and reacts quite well to its name, perhaps the reasons lie in something completely different. To find out, we recommend using several methods that will certainly help increase your pet’s appetite.
Try skipping breakfast, and next time offer him the same food you gave him in the morning. Perhaps you simply spoiled him with food. Even if your pet misses lunch, then for dinner give him the same food that was offered for breakfast and lunch, then the puppy should start eating.
Also be sure to ensure the freshness of the food you use to feed your puppy. It is very important to know information about proper feeding your pet. It is necessary to maintain a routine and balanced diet.
Have you noticed that the puppy only managed half the portion? Most likely, the portion was larger than normal. Therefore, when feeding again, you just need to reduce the portion. Some owners very often offer the animal a portion disproportionate to the dog’s parameters.
You can use another trick. To increase appetite, give your pet a good walk. Being in constant motion, the desire to eat will arise many times faster than being sedentary in an apartment or in the country. Therefore, go out more often Fresh air with your pet. When you return home, be sure to feed your dog. There is a high probability that the puppy will start eating after exercise.
There are dog breeds that love fish as much as meat. Use this method only if the previous ones did not produce any results. Just don’t overdo it with canned food, as salt in large quantities is harmful to dogs.
If you feed your puppy cereal and constantly give it one type, then change it to another. If your pet still doesn’t touch the food, then add his favorite treat.
Dry food: balanced nutrition
Often new owners decide to switch the puppy to dry food. It is important to remember that there should always be water in the bowl. Carefully monitor how often your animal drinks water.
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