Why Isn’t My Puppy Eating His Food

Why Is My Dog Not Eating The Top 6 Reasons

Is your dog not eating? If youve ever had a dog who wont eat the food you give them, youll know how frustrating this can be. Since they cant put into words why theyre not eating, its natural for pet owners to feel frustrated and worried. There will be so many things going through their head.

Maybe their dog isnt eating because theyre sick, maybe its one of the signs that your dogs health deteriorating. Maybe theyre just a fussy eater!

In this article, well be going over some of the most common reasons dog wont eat. Hopefully, after reading it, youll know the answer to the question Why is my dog not eating?

What To Do If Your Dog Isnt Eating

If your dog hasnt been eating for multiple days, you may need your vets help to rule out any illness that needs treatment. The next steps you take will depend on whether or not your dog has a medical issue.

If your dog isnt eating because hes become picky, or is uncomfortable with his meal time or is in a new environment, there are a few different approaches you can try.

How To Get A Puppy To Eat

If a veterinarian has ruled out medical causes for your puppys poor appetite, here are some recommendations to get your puppy to eat:

Set a specific mealtime. Leaving food out for long periods may make your puppy less likely to eat. Offer a small amount of food at the regular feeding time. When your puppy is done, pick up the food and dont offer any other food until the next meal. If your puppy refuses to eat, pick it up and try again one hour later. If your puppy refuses to eat for longer than one day, seek veterinary attention.

Make it a little more enticing. Try warming food for ten seconds in a microwave to increase the aroma, and dont forget to stir it. You can also add the following to your puppys meals to entice them to eat: chicken broth, canned food, meal toppers and white meat from a rotisserie chicken.

Try smaller food. If you have a small breed, get food formulated for small mouths, like Royal Canin Small Starter Baby Dog Dry Food.

Move the food bowl. Place your puppys food in a quiet, low-traffic area of the house and calmly praise your puppy when they eat. Alternatively, try spreading canned food on a lick mat or putting food in food puzzles or dispensers to provide mental stimulation and food fun.

Feed your puppy separately from other animals in the home. Also, keep kids away while your puppy is trying to eat. If your puppy is crate trained, you could try feeding your puppy in the crate.

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Has He Been Vaccinated/dewormed Recently Or Is He Taking Any Medication

Puppy shots can have all sorts of side effects and loss of appetite is one of them.

So can puppy deworming medicines.

Many other medications also have side effects which can affect little Rascal’s appetite and digestive system.

If your puppy doesn’t feel like eating because of a reaction to his puppy vaccinations, or has diarrhea and loses his appetite after being wormed, or is on a medication which is causing side effects including diarrhea, vomiting and other digestive issues, then his appetite is going to suffer.

In mild reactions loss of appetite and other reactions should generally be short lived.

As long as you make sure little Rascal is drinking enough water and isn’t showing signs of any serious side effects he should bounce back fairly quickly.

But, if you have any worries, feel he’s not improving, is getting worse, or seems really unwell, have him examined by your vet right away.

Here Are A Few Things To Try If Your Dog Isnt Eating:

• Change up your dogs food. If you feed homemade raw or cooked, try a different recipe. If you feed premade raw, try a different protein or brand. Or if you feed processed food like kibble, consider adding or switching to canned dog food.
• Walk your dog before mealtime to stimulate his appetite.
• Change bowls, or where you feed your dog. Your dog may feel more comfortable eating in his crate or in a quiet corner of the home.
• Dont show your dog youre stressed by him not eating. Be cheerful and matter of fact when you feed him, and if hes not interested, just pick up the food and offer it to him later.
• Cut back on the number of meals. Many people feed twice a day, and a lot of picky dogs eat better with only one meal a day.
• Experiment with feeding at different times of day.
• Temporarily cut back or eliminate treats.
• Give pre- and probiotics regularly maintain gut health.
• Give bone broth or raw goat milk to get some nutrients into him.

Finally, try natural options to stimulate appetite, such as CBD oil. Some research suggests it may help stimulate hunger hormones. It can also relieve pain or anxiety if those are the reasons your dog isnt eating.

Its not a good idea to force feed your dog, even if he hasnt eaten for a few days. In extreme cases, your vet might recommend feeding a liquid diet, giving subcutaneous fluids or inserting a feeding tube.

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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.

On Average Picky Canine Eaters May Choose Not To Eat For 1

Dont baby talk him and provide love and affection because you feel bad.If you do so, youre just reinforcing his uncertainty about the new food and letting him know its okay to refuse his meals. On the other hand, its important to state: youre not punishing him either. Youre just staying calm, neutral, and indifferent.All you can do is be strong and trust that your dog will not starve himself.

The only exceptions to the tough love rule:

Puppies.

Dogs with other serious preexisting health conditions.

Specific dogs or breeds that can develop or already have low blood sugar

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My Dog Wont Eat Should I Take Them To The Vet

A dog not eating for quite a while, then it could be a sign that something is particularly wrong. If you see your pupper skipping more than two meals, definitely take them to the veterinarian.

Since dogs dont diet like we humans do, dogs dont stop eating because they want to lose weight. Its almost always a sign that something is wrong. If you havent changed up their food and turned it into a bland diet, it might be best to take them to the vet.

What To Do If Your Dog Wont Eat His Food But Will Eat Treats

Dog owners are well aware that their beloved canine companion requires a daily balanced diet in order to grow up large and powerful. That, however, can only be accomplished by consuming actual, healthy food! Treats are delicious, and it is OK to offer them to Fido on occasion nevertheless, they should never make up the majority of his food. The fact that your dog is no longer eating his food but will happily accept treats or table scraps indicates that something is awry. It is your responsibility to identify the source of the problem and help him get back on track before he becomes ill.

In this article, you will learn about the reasons why Spot may be consuming just the delectable goodies and how you may best assist him in eating more nutritiously once again.

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Food Issues And Diet Changes

Dogs arent known for being picky eaters but occasionally they will turn their nose up at food that doesnt quite make the grade.

There are some food issues you should consider if your dog refuses to eat. First and foremost, check if the food is spoiled. If its not, consider if you recently introduced new food that tastes or smells differently than the old food. Also, dogs will often refuse to eat when you go from home-cooked meals or wet dog food to kibble.

Another thing you should consider is the food’s ingredients. If your pooch is sensitive to one or more of them, you may find the food untouched. Theres also a chance that you have a picky pet or that youre overfeeding your dog. Also, note the temperature of the food youre serving, whether it is too hot or too cold food, which might be causing your doggo to skip dinner.

Finally, if you havent changed anything in your dogs diet for a long time, this can be an issue too. Dogs can get bored with food if theyre eating the same thing every day for months. After all, who wouldnt get bored?

What to do?

How Often Should Puppies Eat

In general, small and toy breed puppies should be fed every 4-5 hours until they are between 12 and 14 weeks of age, at which point meal times can be extended to every 6-8 hours. Adult toy breeds can be fed twice daily.

For medium to large breed puppies, the following feeding recommendations are general guidelines only:

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How To Tell That A Dog Is Underfed

These are signs that can help you know your dog is underfed. Firstly, pay attention to your dogs rib. Ensure that it is not too visible from afar. Secondly, the activity level of the dog can say a lot. For a usually active dog, passiveness can mean he is not eating as much as is required. Furthermore, a well-fed dog will have a good immune system. Falling ill frequently can mean the dog is lacking appropriate nutrients.

While you should not overfeed a dog, you need to feed him as much as necessary. To ensure that your dog is not underfed, you should occasionally check out for these signs.

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Puppies In A New Environment

Dogs in general and puppies, tend to become overwhelmed when their environment or routine changes too much.

Despite your best efforts, your puppys entire world just changed and they may be feeling a little disoriented.

If your puppy wont eat and seems withdrawn or your new dog has no appetite, it can be from the stress of a new environment New puppies may also be missing its mother and siblings.

Depending on their age and where you adopted from, puppies have been in their family since birth.

It is completely normal for them to whine a bit and feel lonely.

If your pup is refusing dog food of any kind, including wet food, consider that some dogs need privacy to eat while others like companionship.

Try giving him some space and letting him explore his new home on his own.

It may also be a good idea to avoid too many visitors for a couple of days so as not to inundate him with too many new stimuli.

He will likely eat once he feels more comfortable and familiar with his surroundings.

Pickiness or behavior issues

Some dogs are just picky, or the puppy wont eat it may be caused by feeding them in situations where they arent comfortable, such as around an aggressive dog or from a bowl at an uncomfortable height.

Because a decreased appetite in dogs may be caused by illness, never assume that your dog is picky without investigating other possibilities first.

Tips to Encourage Eating

Just try again at the next feeding time.

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What Are Dog Tumors

Tumors occur when a cell continues to multiply out of control instead of following the natural cycle that ends in cell death. There are two broad categories of tumors: benign and malignant.

Benign tumors lack the ability to spread or invade other healthy tissue. Although they may need medical attention, these are not cancerous.

Malignant tumors, or cancers, spread to other organs and tissues in a process called metastasis. Depending on the type of tumor and how aggressive it is, cancers can pose serious health risks for your dog. To determine how dangerous a tumor is, your vet will examine it and, depending on the type of tumor, assign a grade or stage to your dogs tumor.

Canine tumors are staged somewhat differently than human tumors. Depending on the type of tumor, they may be staged numerically with Roman numbers ranging from 0 IV. A higher number means the cancer has spread further.

Other types of tumors are graded differently, so its important to work with your vet to understand how any particular type of canine cancer is staged.

Stop Handing Out Treats And Table Scraps

Although those puppy dog eyes might be hard to resist, you need to be a stern pet parent and lay off the treats. You need your pooch to learn that theyll only be able to have treats once theyve eaten their dinner. Raising a dog really is like raising a human child sometimes!

Also, table scraps need to be totally off limits, so make sure to keep everything out of reach. Once your pup realises they dont have treats to fall back on, theyll probably go back to their food bowl once theyre hungry and stop begging.

The most important thing with this is to be consistent. Put their dinner down and if they dont eat it within 10 minutes, take it up and dont put it back down until their next scheduled mealtime, with no treats in between. It might be hard to know your pup is missing their mealtimes, but once they realise that they get nothing in exchange for their food, theyll start eating it.

Dont give treats randomly, only if they truly deserved the treat during training. It can be super frustrating trying to kick this habit, but just be patient and dont give in to any begging and cuteness!

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Add A Homemade Topping To Your Dogs Kibble

If you want to make your dogs kibble more appetizing and even healthier, there are several simple homemade options that you can incorporate into his diet. Fruits and vegetables such as carrots, green beans, and apples should be chopped or pureed. Canned pumpkin that has not been sweetened has fiber and may help to ease an upset stomach. Alternatively, bone broth, which is known to be beneficial to the immune system, can be consumed. Some dog owners may even choose to make their own dog food.

• When a fully cooked egg is added to kibble, it provides a rich amount of protein.
• Those dogs that have food allergies to eggs, on the other hand, should avoid them altogether if this is the situation with your pet.
• Any of these foods, when combined with kibble, may persuade your dog to return to his or her bowl of food.
• As a result, you may need to be prepared to commit to topping kibble for an extended period of time.

How To Get Your Dog To Start Eating

The following are some suggestions for getting your dog to start eating:

• Begin by preparing a fresh batch of their favorite dog food for them to eat. If its canned food, try heating it up for a few minutes to release the scent of the meal. You can try adding a tiny bit of water or chicken broth to make dry food more appetizing
• If that doesnt work, you can try giving them treats. If your dog likes treats, crumble them into their dog food to encourage them to consume them. Feeding a bland meal, such as boiling hamburger or chicken combined with rice in a 50/50 ratio, may be effective. You may either purchase this cuisine commercially or prepare it yourself at home. See the recipe for the bland diet here. Feeding several sorts of canned food to your dog to discover what he likes is a good way to keep things interesting.

Here are some excellent suggestions for providing at-home care for dogs that are experiencing inappetence. It is possible that the advice in this article will assist you in getting your dog to begin eating. Read the following article if you have a puppy: Heres How to Help a Puppy Who Isnt Interested in Eating.

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Should You Leave Food Out All Day For A Dog

For dogs who are a healthy weight and arent having accidents in the house, you may be able to use the free-choice feeding method. This means you leave food out all day and let your dog graze. This can be a good method for highly active dogs that are burning more calories than their couch-potato friends.

What To Do If Your Dog Hasnt Eaten For A Week

If your dog hasnt eaten for a week, its definitely time for an immediate vet visit. Healthy dogs can typically only go up to 5 days without eating anything before they start experiencing problems.

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