Help, my dog won't eat anymore! Common causes of loss of appetite
Almost every dog owner knows the problem: you lovingly prepare a delicious meal for your four-legged friend, and then the tasty menu is rejected. If your dog occasionally doesn't eat (all) his food, it's not immediately a cause for concern. Often there are harmless reasons for this. In some cases, →loss of appetite or also called inappetence can be a first sign of certain illnesses. Our Pets Deli veterinarian Rebecca explains the common causes of inappetence in dogs and what you should look out for.
Medical causes – is your dog ill?
Even though refusing food often has harmless reasons, it can be an early sign of illness and should not always be dismissed as harmless.
Pain
Just like with us humans, pain can quickly affect your dog's stomach. Any type of pain can lead to inappetence. These are often, for example, pain in the mouth area, such as
toothache,
injuries to the tongue or →gums as well as
pain in the jaw joint.
But other types of pain, such as →abdominal pain, →arthritis or pain in the larynx area can also lead to reduced food intake.
Get to the root of the problem: If something is wrong with dental health, periodontitis can develop, leading to inflammation and loss of appetite.
Does your dog's stomach often rumble and make him lose his appetite? Our →Herbal Mix Tummy Comfort for Dogs provides your pet with soothing and calming →herbs. We also have a very special treat for the sensitive ones among our four-legged friends who suffer from food allergies – we ensure gentle meals and joy in the bowl!
Discover our Sensitive Varieties: Say Goodbye to Grumbly Tummy!
Inflammations
All kinds of inflammations such as →pancreatitis (=pancreatitis), respiratory tract inflammations, arthritis, →inflamed wounds or skin inflammations can lead to inappetence.
Diseases that can lead to loss of appetite
A sick dog usually doesn't eat as well. The possible illnesses are varied:
Immunological diseases, meaning diseases where the immune system is attacked.
Endocrine diseases: These are pathological disorders of hormone-producing organs. This includes diseases of the thyroid gland (hypo/hyperthyroidism), pituitary gland, adrenal gland (e.g. hypoadrenocorticism), or pancreas (e.g. diabetes mellitus).
Tumor diseases: Unfortunately, cancer is also very common in our beloved four-legged friends. As with humans, it can affect all kinds of organs. Often, reduced food intake or loss of appetite is the first and only symptom of tumor diseases for the time being.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: This includes delayed gastric emptying, foreign bodies, →intestinal obstruction as well as inflammations of the gastrointestinal tract. All these problems can lead to inappetence.
Other diseases: All sorts of other diseases such as →kidney failure, viral diseases, or other organ diseases can also promote loss of appetite.
Sick furry friend and prescribed a special diet as part of the therapy? A bland diet? Such so-called diet foods don't have to be boring! With our VET Line, we support sick four-legged friends and ensure delicious munching!
Supporting you during treatment: Pets Deli VET
Psychological causes – is your dog stressed?
Our four-legged companions can, just like us, suffer from →stress too. Ask yourself the following questions:
❓ Do you and your furry friend currently have a completely different daily routine than usual?
❓ Have you recently moved or redesigned your home?
❓ Has your pet recently lost a two- or four-legged friend?
❓ Are you currently meeting lots of new people or dogs?
❓ Is your furry friend currently going through puberty or →in heat?
Moving, being in heat, or the loss of a loved one or four-legged friend: Psychological factors affect dogs' appetite.
Not only you, but also your dog can be stressed by one or more of these things. Some dogs are more sensitive and even small changes can spoil their appetite. Others are more robust and not easily thrown off track. You know your pet best and might already suspect what could be stressing them right now.
What can you do about it? Try to bring a bit more routine into daily life. Pamper your pet with extra cuddles and try to radiate calmness. Our stress can also be transferred to our four-legged friends.
Food – does your dog like the taste?
Besides medical or psychological causes, inappetence can also simply be due to the food itself. Maybe your dog doesn't like the selected food. Maybe you serve the food straight from the fridge and it's too cold for your dog's sensitive stomach. If you spoil your pet with lots of snacks in addition to regular meals, he might just be already full from the treats. Dogs also refuse food that's been left out for a while and no longer smells fresh. Wet food and BARF are perishable and must always be fed fresh.
Is your four-legged friend already a bit older and eating less and less? It could be that due to less exercise and physical activity, your dog's energy needs have changed and that's why he's not eating as much anymore. Senior dogs need a tailored →diet especially for older dogs.
Or maybe your pet is simply one of the picky gourmets. Today he likes one food, tomorrow he completely refuses it, but devours another variety with pleasure. Unfortunately, as owners, we're sometimes partly to blame for this behavior. Our four-legged friends are smarter than we think. If they notice that when food is refused, something better quickly follows, they are, in a way, trained to wait for the better food.
But make it healthy! The path to the right food can sometimes be long, and you should make sure to find out what constitutes a species-appropriate diet for dogs.
Of course, it's commendable if you're searching for the best food for your dog and like to try things out. Make sure to check the ingredient list without grains, sugar, and artificial additives. Also be careful with animal by-products : while lungs, heart, kidneys, and tripe are easily digestible, wool, horns, claws, and feathers are not suitable for feeding at all. With Pets Deli, you put your dog's paws in our safe hands – we only want healthy and tasty food in the bowl!
Our dog food: healthy, honest, delicious.
What can you do to improve your pet's food intake?
Don't feed the food straight from the fridge while it's still cold, but let it warm up a bit, as room temperature is good for your dog's stomach. You can also mix the food with a little warm water – this makes wet food tastier and many dogs prefer it that way. If your pet doesn't eat the food right away, don't immediately offer another type of food. Otherwise, you'll teach him to be picky and he'll learn that he can get new food whenever he wants. Also, make sure not to give too many snacks a day and pay attention to the amount when feeding. Take a look at the →feeding recommendations and adjust them accordingly.
You know your pet best. So you can best judge whether your dog is refusing food due to stress, is just being picky, or if he's not feeling well. In general: Better to visit the vet one time too many than one time too few!
A little tip: Many dogs go crazy for a tasty food topper – naturally boost your dog's appetite with our →Vitamin Booster or →delicious salmon oil.
