When we say that a dog has anorexia, we are referring to the fact that it has stopped eating. That an animal does not eat is a reason for veterinary consultation, especially if we observe any other symptoms.
And it is that in a good number of diseases anorexia will appear among the clinical signs. This is why if our dog does not eat we must take him to the vet so that he can diagnose and treat the pathology that is causing anorexia.
Index of contents
- 1 My dog doesn’t eat when it’s hot
- 2 My young dog does not eat
- 3 My dog does not eat his new food
- 4 My dog does not eat and is sad
- 5 My dog does not eat and is sick
- 6 Encourage a dog to eat
My dog doesn’t eat when it’s hot
When temperatures are high, it is normal for the dog’s food intake to decrease. You will eat but less and more likely at the beginning or end of the day. It is also common for your activity is reduced and some will even refuse to walk in the hottest hours.
We must ensure that it always has a shaded area and fresh, clean water. In addition, we will walk in the hours of dawn or dusk. Of course, if the dog does not eat and has other symptoms, it will no longer be normal behavior and we will have to take it to the vet.
My young dog does not eat
This situation can be normal if we are feeding our puppy a menu specifically formulated for growing animals but the dog no longer needs it. In these cases it is common to see that he leaves food in his feeder or even one day he does not even eat it.
It is solved by offering a new diet more suited to your needs Nutritional information for older dogs. In general, the change of feeding from puppy to adult is made at about 16 months of age, but each dog will have to be watched. Of course, if you do not eat and also have symptoms, you should go to the vet.
On the other hand, older dogs can present problems when eating due to illness, inappetence, mouth injuries, etc. In these cases, it is recommended, first of all, to seek a veterinary diagnosis and not blame everything on age. Second, we can use palatable diets to encourage him to eat.
My dog does not eat his new food
Another cause of anorexia in dogs occurs after a change in diet. If we try, for whatever reason, to change the diet of our dog, we can find ourselves with the unpleasant surprise that refuse to ingest anything, even for days.
To avoid this, any modification in the menu should be done gradually, mixing the old food with the new one little by little until we manage to finish the change with the acceptance of the dog. In the opposite case, if we change the food suddenly and the dog eats it, it may have digestive problems such as diarrhea or vomiting.
My dog does not eat and is sad
Dogs, like people, can also go through depressive processes. A move, the death of someone in the family and, in general, any situation that disrupts their daily lives, can cause them to stop eating.
In addition, stressful situations, coexistence problems with other animals in the house or circumstances that alter it, are other factors to take into account because they can affect their diet.
Before determining that a dog has stopped eating for a problem of a psychological nature or the vet should examine it to rule out any physical cause. To encourage the dog to eat in cases such as those exposed, intervention in the environment will be necessary. For this we can resort to a canine ethologist or similar.
My dog does not eat and is sick
If our dog has stopped eating or eats less than usual and also has other symptoms, it is probably sick. Some caregivers associate anorexia with pathologies that concern the digestive system. But the truth is that almost any disease includes anorexia among its symptoms.
Therefore, when a dog stops eating, we cannot think that it is due to indigestion or intestinal parasites. Behind anorexia we can find pathologies of all kinds, from infections to systemic diseases, including injuries that cause pain or tumors.
Due to the large number of health problems that can be associated with anorexia, it is essential to go to the vet. This, taking into account the dog’s medical history and the current symptoms that we describe, will carry out the pertinent tests to reach the diagnosis, such as tests, radiographs or ultrasounds.
Encourage a dog to eat
In addition to the drugs and the guidelines for the treatment that the veterinaryn gives us depending on the disease that our dog suffers, it is important that, for its recovery, the dog eat again.
To achieve this we can use a bland diet or wet, since they are options that will be more appealing and easier to eat. If we offer it to you hot, we will also activate your smell and you will want to eat it more. Ultimately, we can turn to his favorite foods, at least until he regains his appetite.