![]() If food has been left out, or not stored in an airtight container then it will go rancid after a while. FoodĬheck that the food hasn’t gone off or has an odd smell to it. Sometimes after your dog’s jab, they may be temporarily quiet and off their food for 12 -24 hours. Vaccines prevent some serious, often fatal, infectious diseases in dogs. If your dog is taking a new course of medication and this occurs, you should let your vet know. Some medications may cause a reduced appetite or nausea. For example, hot weather, being around another dog, a different food bowl, or being fed at an uncomfortable height. If they are uncomfortable with a situation they are in they may not feel like eating. Causes of stress could include moving house, taking your dog on a trip or a stay at the kennels. Particularly if they are in unfamiliar surroundings. ![]() Sometimes dogs can be quite sensitive to a change in their routine or environment. During their clinical examination your vet will be able to check your dog’s mouth to assess for any problems here. If your dog has oral pain due to decay, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), a broken tooth, abscess or an oral tumour then this can cause them not to eat. Often starting with a blood (+/- urine) test. If your vet suspects one of these diseases could be the cause then they will need to run some diagnostic tests. As you can imagine, all of these diseases are treated in different ways so it’s important we identify the cause to be able to give the correct treatment. There are many different possible causes! They include: IllnessĪ decline in appetite could be a sign of a significant illness such as kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, infection (bacterial or viral), fever, cancer, pyometra (infection of the womb), pain (anywhere in the body, not just the mouth), gastroenteritis etc. If your dog is quiet, not themselves, or displaying any other symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness or lethargy or has not eaten at all for 2 days then you should seek veterinary attention. Be careful to avoid any toxic foods such as onions and garlic. Sometimes a quick change in food can cause an upset tummy, which may complicate matters. ![]() Avoid chopping and changing the diet and offering too many different types of food. Take away any leftovers that they haven’t eaten within 15 minutes and offering again a few hours later. You could offer smaller meals more frequently. Try warming it up a little in the microwave, as this sometimes will entice them to eat. You could offer them some bland home cooked food like boiled chicken and rice, which is a tasty but easily digestible diet. If your dog stops eating for a day or two, but is otherwise active and alert, then it’s ok to keep a close eye on them initially. Pseudo-anorexia is another type which is when your dog is hungry and really wants to eat, goes to the food bowl, but can’t eat due to a difficulty chewing or swallowing. True anorexia is when your dog simply refuses to eat – this is often associated with serious illnesses. It’s best to get to the bottom of the problem as early as possible, as if left untreated for several days it can lead to dehydration and malnourishment. Loss of appetite in a dog can be a sign of illness so it’s important to seek veterinary help if you notice changes in your dog’s normal eating habits – particularly if your pooch is normally a good eater. In order to determine the treatment to give to your dog, it is important to identify what the underlying cause of the reluctance to eat is. Unfortunately ‘anorexia’ or loss of appetite can be caused by a whole host of reasons. It can be a really worrying time when your dog is off their food.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |