Why Is My Dog Not Eating

You may believe that there are a million reasons why a dog will refuse to eat. This is partially true. In general, there are a few main reasons and many sub-reasons why a dog will not eat. They love to eat so when they refuse to do this, it can be a problem. Why my dog is not eating is an important one. Below, you can see the answers and the things you need to do in order to help your friend.

Reaosns Why Is My Dog Not Eating

Dog Is Sick

Sadly, the most common reason is the most obvious one. When a dog is sick, he will refuse to eat. Why is my dog not eating? He is sick. Don’t think immediately that he has cancer, tumors, etc. In most cases, there is a small issue. A dog may have an upset stomach. He ate too much so he can’t eat now. These are the most common reasons here. 

If your dog is vomiting or has diarrhea and this lasts longer than 8-12 hours take him to a vet. Meanwhile, you may want to change his diet, try hand-feeding, and give him chicken broth or clam juice. 

Here we must add one more thing. If a dog drinks water normally but will not eat, the most common explanation is an upset stomach. If he drinks water but he has diarrhea or vomits, you need to take him to a vet. Always remember that dogs need water sooner than food. 

Emotional or Social Issues

If you move to a new home or make a massive change, your pet may lose his appetite. All kinds of emotional and social issues can cause a lack of appetite. You will probably refuse to eat when you have a problem of this kind. Some dogs are extremely sensitive which makes the problem more pronounced. 

Due to Medications

Some medications have a negative effect on the appetite of a dog. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications usually have this side effect. If your dog has a therapy that involves these medications (for example Rimadyl) he will refuse to eat. Chemotherapy can cause this problem as well. 

Always talk to your vet about the medications and the side effects. He will tell you about specifics for that drug and the possible things you can take. You may have to prepare special food for him or you may want to use another medication that won’t cause this side effect on your pet. There are countless things that are effective here and all of them are safe and simple to implement. 

Dog Doesn’t Like that Food

You may have a dog who has been eating the same food for years. Now, he is refusing to eat that food. This happens when the manufacturer changes the food. They may ‘’improve’’ it by adding or removing ingredients. For a dog, this is a problem. He doesn’t like that taste. If you can see on the bag ‘’improved’’ or ‘’new’’ you can tell that this is the reason. 

Ideally, you need to feed your dog multiple, different foods from different manufacturers. If your pet is used to this, he will always be able to eat one of the foods he likes. Try feeding him with another food or prepare something for him. 

It is important to add that if the food is stale, he will refuse eating. Always keep food in a dark and cold place and replace it when you have to. 

His Owner Is Absent

For you, a dog is a pet. For him, you are the owner, a pack leader, and his best friends. It is a common thing that a dog will refuse to eat when the owner is not at home. Most dogs will refuse to drink water as well. You can tell when this issue is the reason. Once the owner comes home a dog will eat and drink water normally. It does happen more frequently than you may think.

Dog Will Eat at a Specific Time of a Day ONLY

A dog can refuse to eat all day long, but he will eat in the evening. Some dogs will eat only at noon. There are countless variations here. All you need to know is that some dogs have a time of day when they will eat. They will not eat at other times. This is not a huge problem and there is no need to worry about it. It is rather common and normal. 

What do dog owners have to do when this happens?

Believe it or not, there are not a lot of things you can do. First, if a dog refuses to eat for 1-2 days, but doesn’t have any symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea, you don’t have to worry. It means that he had some problems like an upset stomach. The problem is not there anymore so he will eat normally.  

If a dog has other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or something similar, and he refuses to eat 8+ hours, take him o a vet. This usually means that there is some health-related issue and he needs help from a vet. Don’t assume the worst. Usually, the problem is simple and requires a simple treatment or not a treatment at all. 

In a nutshell, when this happens you can try a couple of things. The first one is to feed him a different type of food. Try feeding him treats such as fruits and vegetables. Chicken broth is excellent when this happens. If nothing works and your dog refuses to eat for 2 days, take him to a vet. 

The Final Word 

Why is my dog not eating? This can be a severe issue. In most cases, it is not. You will have to monitor your pet and follow his condition. If he develops other symptoms or starts acting weird, take him to a vet. You don’t have to take him to a vet if he ate 8 or 10 hours ago. This does happen. 

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