Dog Won’t Eat Food

Your Dog Doesnt Like Their Food

Has your dogs regular diet changed in the recent days?

If they are unhappy with the current diet, chances are that they will not eat it until they see their familiar diet or an alternative meal that they are happy with.

When switching to new dog food, make a gradual transition by mixing a portion of the new food with the old food, reducing portions of the old diet gradually until your dog is comfortable with their new food.

Similarly, if your dog has eaten the same diet for a long time, they may be bored with it, and are only interested in the treats and food scraps that taste a little different.

If that is the case, try different dog food brands to test what they do or dont like.

Behavioral And Environmental Reasons

Behavioral reasons are , your dog is used to getting lots of treats and table scraps, your dog likes to eat alone or only when theres someone else in the room, or your pooch is used to being hand-fed.

Changes in the environment include a recent move or traveling, absence of a family member or another pet, weather changes, recent stress, or a change in the feeding schedule.

My dog refused to eat for two and a half days when she got a new food bowl. Maybe its a dachshund thing. The point is, you should consider every change in the environment and habits.

What to do?– Read about Treating environmental and behavioral loss of appetite in dogs

Changes In Your Dogs Environment

Has anything changed in the environment that your dog is used to?

A recent relocation, a new family member, a new pet, change in the feeding bowl location or the absence of a common family member can trigger a change in your dogs feeding behavior.

• Even a new feeding bowl or an adjustment to the feeding schedule can cause your dog to stop eating for a few days.

You May Like: What Brand Of Dog Food Is Killing Dogs

What To Do When Your Dog Wont Eat

If your dog is lethargic, vomiting, or having diarrhea in addition to not eating, see your veterinarian right away. If you dont see any of these, here are some ways to try to entice your dog to eat:

• Add water or no-sodium chicken broth to the dog food and let it soak for several minutes to soften it.

• Heat canned food for a few seconds in the microwave . Canned food can become scorching hot quickly, so feel the food first to avoid any burned tongues.

• Try mixing some plain, boneless, skinless boiled chicken and rice with their kibble to encourage them to eat.

• Add a probiotic such as Purina Fortiflora or Advita on top of the food. Not only can this make the food more palatable, but it can also help any inflamed or irritated intestine heal by rebalancing a healthy gastrointestinal flora.

If you have tried these tricks and your dog continues to refuse his food, he should be seen by his veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical conditions.

Unless explicitly prescribed by your veterinarian, your dog should not be given any over-the-counter gastrointestinal medications like Imodium or Pepto Bismol, as these could cause serious side effects or even interact with medications that your veterinarian may want to give. It is best to consult with your veterinarian before attempting to treat symptoms at home.

How To Get Rid Of Worms In Dogs

There is one tried-and-true way to get rid of worms in dogs: dewormer medication.

The type of dewormer will depend on the type of worm present. Not all worms respond to the same treatment, and no single wormer works against all kinds of parasites.

Some nonprescription wormers are quite ineffective at removing worms from the dog or cat. Your veterinarian can recommend the best kinds of wormers available for the particular type of parasite your pet has.

What Are the Side Effects of Deworming?

In my experience, most dogs dont exhibit any side effects from deworming.

However, if side effects do occur, the most common symptoms include:

• Lethargy

• Neurologic changes

They tend to be mild and resolve without any veterinary attention.

The only exceptions are dogs that have a multi-drug resistance gene mutation, or MDR1 gene, which can increase the likelihood of adverse reactions and hypersensitivity to deworming medications.

Please consult with your local veterinarian if you want to get your dog tested for this gene mutation.

You May Like: What Is Freshpet Dog Food

Environmental Causes For An Old Dog Not Eating

There are 11 main environmental causes that could influence whether your old dog is eating or not.

How To Get A Dog To Eat

We want to make sure that you will never have a dog not eating on your hands this can be deeply concerning. To ensure your dog eats regularly, we recommend to do the following:

• Exercise regularly with your dog and monitor your dogs activity levels
• Give your dog plenty of attention and affection
• Invest in training for your dog
• Be patient and supportive, rather than angry, towards your dog when they wont eat
• Feed your dog at regular meal times
• Feed a consistent, balanced and healthy diet
• Only give your dog treats as a reward
• Keep the food and water bowls clean
• Put your dog on the optimal diet for them, as recommended by your vet

Also Check: Is Purina One Dog Food Made In Usa

Creativity Is Key To Getting And Old Dog To Eat

Getting your senior dog to eat is a combination of finding the right conditions , finding the right foods, and getting help from your veterinarian if needed.

You just read some of what worked for my dog Red. Give them a try because they might help get your old dog eating again too.

Here are some other ideas you can try:

• Vary the foods you try so he doesnt know what to expect.
• Put all or part of his meal in a Kong or other treat dispensing toy to provide often exciting mental stimulation
• If he eats dry food add some water and microwave it to make a gravy
• Add at least one extra meal to his day to increase the chance/amount hell eat
• Are there certain times of day hes more interested? Change meal times to match
• Exercise stimulates appetite so maybe go for a walk, a swim or something similar before meal time
• Put dog food on a human plate yes it has been known to help
• Put the food directly on the floor
• Feed your dog in the park or backyard a change of scenery may help
• CBD oil for dogs may help stimulate your dogs appetite, depending on the cause of your dogs anorexia

If you usually put medication in his food, try giving it separately and see if that makes a difference.

It may be changing the taste of the food, and while it didnt bother your dog in the past, if theyre finicky now, that could be all it takes.

Your dogs pills can go in something like cream cheese, spray cheese, or meat and be fed separately from meals.

Why Does My Dog Prefer The Floor To The Bowl

If your dog previously ate from their bowl then it could be that they have made a negative association with the bowl and thats putting them off.

You need to rule out pain and discomfort, so check his teeth are in good condition and that he isnt having difficulty bending or leaning into the bowl.

If you have an older dog who wont eat from their bowl, check our post here for tips on helping an ageing dog.

You May Like: Where To Buy Bully Max Dog Food

How To Encourage A Dog To Eat Kibble

If your dog doesnt like his kibble then you could try the following:

• Get them checked out by a vet, to ensure there is no jaw or dental pain
• Try swapping brands to an alternative good quality dog food, perhaps with a different kibble size or shape
• Try moistening the kibbles. Soaking them in a bit of warm water before feeding can help give them a softer, meatier texture which some dogs may prefer
• Make sure you give fresh biscuits each day and keep your dogs food in an airtight container to stop it from going stale, which could make it unappetising
• Always provide plenty of fresh water, as dogs are thirstier on dry food diets

My Dog Isnt Eating But Is Drinking Water

Your dog not eating his food and not drinking water is a red flag right there. You need to take your dog to the vet immediately if that is the case. However, if your dog isnt simply eating but drinking water and acting normal, then you can wait for a while and observe your furry friend.

Your dogs lack of appetite could simply be due to a temporary tummy upset, or a stomach bug. But In case your dog hasnt had a bowel movement in a while, you need to rush him to the vet immediately. This could be an indicator of bowel obstruction.

Read Also: Is Dehydrated Dog Food Good For Dogs

Psychological Causes For Anorexia In Dogs

Psychological causes of refusing to eat include things in a dogâs environment that caused them to not want to eat. There is no underlying medical issue or disease. Common examples of psychological anorexia include anything that changes a dogâs schedule or causes stress, including:

• New pets in the home
• New baby in the home
• Guests from out of town
• Moving to a new home
• A loud thunderstorm
• Remodeling or home construction
• Switching dog foods
• A change in schedules, such as a family member starting a job or becoming unemployed and staying home more frequently
• A family member leaving the homestead, such as a child going off to college

Could Your Dog Have Separation Anxiety

Many dogs with refuse to eat while their pet parent isnt home. Some dogs with separation anxiety even expect their loved one to be in the room while they eat, and will stop eating if their human leaves the room.

While this is not necessarily a health concern, it is a sign that your dog may have severe anxiety that needs to be addressed. Calming chews such as Composure or Solliquin may be helpful, and calming pheromone collars or diffusers such as Adaptil can be beneficial as well.

However, if you are concerned that your dog may have severe separation anxiety, consider consulting with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist for help.

You May Like: How Do You Make Dog Food

Let Pawp Answer Any Questions You Might Have About Your Dog

As a pet owner, there are few things that are quite as distressing as when your dog is not acting like their usual self. Itâs completely understandable if you want answers and want them right away. Thatâs why Pawp is available to answer your questions about your pet at any time. Thereâs never a wait, it costs less than a traditional appointment, and no appointment is necessary â because Pawp is all online. Get all of your answers regarding your dogâs lack of appetite and beyond when you sign up with Pawp.

DOG NOT EATING SOURCES:

How It Works For Fussy Dogs

• Flash fry mini patties of Bella & Duke
• **no more than 3 seconds each side to avoid cooking the bone**

Phase this out over a few days when your dog devours the food every time. Then rather than flicking all the patties onto the floor, leave some on the plate, pop it down and face away.

Eventually, you will get to a point where your dog will eat all of the patties from the cooling plate. All you need to do from there is phase-out the flash fry and follow method 1, the natural feeding method.

Also Check: What Aisle Is Dog Food In Walmart

Anxiety And Other Behavioral Causes

Just like emotional distress in people, dogs can suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression.

Theres still a lot to learn about canine mental health, but animal behaviorists make new discoveries regularly.

is one of the most common behavior issues that affect dogs.

Some dogs become extremely distressed when theyre left alone and this anxiety can present itself in a wide range of destructive and abnormal behaviors, including a refusal to eat.

If a dog has separation anxiety, theres a good chance that it also has other symptoms, including increased barking, regular pacing, urinating indoors, and various types of destructive behaviors, like chewing objects and digging holes.

Fortunately, there are many ways for you to help your dog overcome separation anxiety and other behavioral issues.

Most of the time, you can treat these issues with training and prescription medications.

If you suspect that your dog isnt eating from stress, anxiety, or depression, speak with your veterinarian about your options.

Read our related article, How Long Can Dogs Go Without Food? Discover the risks and signs to watch out for.

Your Dogs Got A Mild Stomachache

Your dog may stop eating because he feels queasy or ate something bad. If youre wondering why is my dog not eating, one way to tell its not something more serious is if your pup bounces back to his normal self pretty quickly, says Megan E. McClosky, DVM, lecturer in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Even if you suspect a mere bellyache as the reason for your dog not eating, call the vet anyway. Dogs have pretty good appetites, so if they are picky eaters, especially when thats accompanied by chronic signs, like occasional vomiting or occasional diarrhea and soft stools, theres usually an underlying GI problem that requires more attention, McClosky explains, adding, That is more common than people realize. Your vet can rule out the source of the upset, from food allergies to inflammatory bowel disease. Get to the bottom of another concerning canine habit: Why do dogs eat dirt?

You May Like: Can I Mix Cat Food With Dog Food

Taking Your Dog To The Veterinarian Because They Arent Eating

If youre sure nothing in your environment can be the cause of your dogs lack of interest in food, your next step must be to call the vet and make an appointment as soon as possible to rule out any of the medical causes listed above.

If its been more than a day since your dog last ate, I would give the person answering the phone those details, and see if they can find you an appointment that day or the next.

Were so worried about our dog the vet appointment can be nerve wracking, so I encourage you to make a list of your concerns in advance and bring it with you.

It not only ensures you dont forget to mention something, your appointment will be more productive and it will help your vet with a diagnosis.

Medical Reasons An Old Dog May Stop Eating

I lump medical reasons into one possible cause #12 that your old dog wont eat but, in reality, there may be meany medical reasons for your dogs lack of appetite.

These include:

• Dulling of senses as a natural part of the aging process
• Mobility issues that make it difficult to reach the bowl
• Infection
• Anxiety
• Reaction to a medication or vaccination
• Nausea

You May Like: How To Make Raw Dog Food In Bulk

Is It Bad If My Dog Won’t Eat Kibble

You might be wondering Is canned food or kibble best for my dog?. Whilst neither is right or wrong, there are some definite advantages to feeding dry food over wet.

Dry food tends to be more cost-effective, easier to store and more accurate to measure out, especially for large breed dogs. There is also much more choice compared to tinned foods.

Many people mistakenly think that dry food will be better for their pets teeth than wet, but this isnt usually the case. Unless your diet contains a seal of approval from the Veterinary Oral Health Council , any advantage over wet food is minimal.

To find out more about wet vs dry food check out our ‘is dry dog food best?‘ guide.

What Are The Possible Causes That Prevent Dogs From Eating Food

Several causes make the animal lose interest in its food and end up looking for another food option.

Often these reasons are linked to the habits of the owners about the way of raising their animal, such as offering food at inappropriate times or excessive snacks throughout the day.

However, theyre other factors that must be taken into account, such as:

Read Also: What Is The Best Weight Management Dry Dog Food

Your Dogs Food Has Gone Bad

Dogs arent that discriminating, but occasionally, when something has spoiled, your dog wont eat it, Teller says. It could be a bad bag of kibble or maybe that chicken you boiled for your pup didnt get cooked thoroughly. How do you know thats the reason for your dog not eating? Your dog will eat a treat, but wont eat the food, says Teller. So toss it out and serve something else. More of a cat person? Here are some reasons for a cat not eating, too.