The dog is just like a child for a lot of people, and if anything happens to them, that is concerning for the parent. The dog that just attacks the food bowl as soon as you serve it suddenly stops or does not eat properly, which can be stressful for parents.
In this blog, we will provide you with the details of what has caused your dog to stop eating and what you need to do afterwards to resolve the situation.
How to figure out if your dog has anorexia
Anorexia is an eating disorder in which one stops eating for certain reasons. This eating disorder is very common in animals. There are mainly two types of anorexia.
The first one is genuine in that they just do not want to eat anything because of a serious illness. The second type is pseudo-anorexia, in which they want to eat but are unable to do so due to a variety of factors (such as dental problems or a stomach ache).
So if your dog shows any of the above signs, then this will be because of anorexia, and they need to be treated as soon as possible.
What are the causes of your dog’s lack of appetite?
There are mainly three reasons behind it: medical, behavioural, or food-related.
Medical issues
Your dog has a stomach ache.
This could occur if they have eaten something unhealthy and do not feel like eating anything else. You can be identified by the occasional vomiting or diarrhoea, and your dog can treat himself, but to be sure, consult a veterinarian.
Your dog has a dental problem.
In many cases, your dog will smell the food and show interest in eating it, but still not eat it because they have serious pain in their teeth. This problem is very common in older dogs, especially small dog breeds. They need immediate dental care, and then they could start enjoying their meal.
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Your dog is suffering from a more serious illness.
Your dog may be suffering from potentially fatal illnesses such as gastric dilatation and volvulus, in which the stomach twists and is unable to pass food through it. When your dog is suffering from major problems, he will become sluggish and may vomit, have diarrhoea, have bloody faeces, or cough.
This is cause for concern, and you should immediately take your dog to get wet. After addressing the primary ailments, they can begin to force-feed them again.
Your dog is in physical pain.
There could be any pain in their body preventing them from getting up and doing anything. Because dogs are good at hiding pain, you will not understand that they have any problems. But in reality, this may be making them not want to eat.
Behavioural Issues
Some dogs, just like some people, lose their appetite when they’re anxious, stressed, or scared. It’s important to remember that a dog’s perception of stress may differ from yours and that even minor stresses can cause anxiety and cause the dog to stop eating.
Anxiety in dogs is commonly brought on by disruptions in their habitat or environment, such as the introduction of a new family member or pet, moving, or exposure to loud noises like those produced by building activity, a storm, or fireworks. Some dogs are quite sensitive to changes in their routine, and they may stop eating if anything as minor as moving their meals or changing their feeding schedule causes them discomfort.
A dog may skip eating if it is intimidated by another pet in the home. For reasons that we humans don’t always understand, many dogs prefer to avoid eating in the company of other members of the household. Separating dogs during mealtime can reduce resource guarding and bullying.
In these situations, you should let it take a day or two to acclimatise to its new environment before worrying about feeding it again. A dog may require training or medication to reduce anxiety and stress if these conditions persist.
Food issues
This could also be the reason your dog has stopped eating. It is not always that your dog has any problems, but sometimes the food has problems, like being expired, stale, or spoiled.
Few breeds, like Labrador Retrievers, can have that food without causing any trouble, but there are a few breeds, such as Yorkshire Terriers, that are very particular about their food and cannot have such food.
And it is often the case with dog food that it generally takes time to figure out the perfect food for your dog. So in the process of that, your dog may not find some food appealing and refuse to eat. Give your adult dog proper adult dog food.
Dogs learn quickly that they might be rewarded with tasty treats if they delay eating their kibble. If you’re worried about your pet’s health, try warming up canned food or mixing it with kibble before trying anything else.
FAQs
What should you do if they stop eating food?
This could have happened because they may be tired of the food, so you should try adding chicken broth, clam juice, or tuna water over their food to make it more appealing. And if they are still not eating it, then they might have some kind of medical issue.
Why is my dog not eating his food but will eat treats?
It is common for dogs to just eat treats and fulfil their nutritional needs with treats. That usually happens because they are not feeling well. It is referred to as “partial anorexia.”
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