Possible Reasons Why Your Dog Isn’t Eating

Dog not eating their food? Whether you’ve had dogs for years or just adopted your first puppy, it can be very distressing when your dog won’t eat. There are a variety of reasons for dogs not eating- some worrying, some not so – and it’s important to determine the cause in order to design the best treatment plan.

Here are some potential reasons why your fur baby isn’t eating, and tips for what to do about it. 

Check the mouth

The first reason for dogs not eating on our list is mouth issues. If there’s a cut or sore inside the mouth it could make eating difficult. There are many topical ointments that you can use to help healing. Do some online research and if you’re unsure speak to your vet.

A more serious reason could be dental diseases. These cause inflammation and pain in the early stages then damage the structure of the tooth over time. In later stages dental diseases can cause organ damage. Best to nip that in the bud with your vet ASAP!

Check out our dog teeth cleaning and dental hygiene guide to learn how to take care of your dog’s teeth. Don’t wait for your regular vet visits – you need to be cleaning and monitoring your pup’s teeth regularly.

Dog not eating due to nausea

Like humans, our pets don’t want to eat when they’re feeling sick or nauseous. Outside the more obvious lethargy, vomiting and/or diarrhoea, it can be hard to tell if this is the case with your dog. Another less obvious sign of nausea in dogs is if they’re drooling more than usual.

Dogs will often adventure behind our backs and when left to their own devices can find trouble in all shapes and sizes. If your dog manages to find its way into the compost bin or worse, finds and eats roadkill or a poisoned garden pest, it can lead to gastro or food poisoning. Or worse.

Read about things that can poison your pets.

Foreign body ingestion?

Related to the above point, there’s a good chance your pup has eaten a non-food item that’s now causing an obstruction in their throat or belly. Your dog choking is easy to spot. What’s not is the accidental ingestion of a foreign body your dog’s stomach isn’t able to digest.

Things can turn ugly quickly with this issue so if you suspect it at all get them to the vet immediately.

Dog not eating due to medical diseases

Diseases in dogs can often come out in the form of them not wanting to eat. Everything from minor ailments to kidney disease and cancer can lead to a loss of appetite. Don’t jump to immediate conclusions and start panicking – it could be something mild and easily treatable.

Best to take them to the vet to check for illness and get a proper diagnosis.

Anxiety or other emotional upset may be it

Another reason for your dog not eating could be anxiety or some other kind of emotional stress. The upheaval of a new environment, a change in the household or routine, or imminent threats like fireworks or loud noises could cause anxiety.

Also, separation anxiety in pets is more common than you think. This happens when your pet pines after you leave them – they worry while you’re gone. It may occur when they’re left alone for the first time, or too often or after being accustomed to constant human contact, or when they’re sufferings trauma from having spent time at a shelter or pet boarding facility.

A dog that is not eating could just be fussy

It’s not always the case that when your dog is refusing to eat there’s something wrong. Some dog breeds can be fussy and refuse to eat certain foods. In fact, it’s not uncommon for your pet to teach you to feed them what they prefer to eat.

Or, they may simply not be hungry at X point in time, even for a significant amount of time. Perhaps they ate a bigger than usual meal the last time around or ate something they’re not used to and are still digesting it?

So, what to do to uncover the truth?

What to do if your dog won’t eat

There are key steps to take if your dog won’t eat, to first try to uncover the reason yourself and then to move into getting a professional involved. Ensure there’s no longer than a couple of days of your dog not eating before you seek help with a vet. It’s not worth the risk.

Step 1: Wait
If your dog won’t eat, allow them time; just be sure they’re drinking water. It’s normal for a dog to turn down one meal every once in a while. Dogs, just like people, aren’t always hungry or have a queasy feeling that will pass. You may want to leave dog food out for them to graze on throughout the day as they become hungry.

Step 2: Give them a treat 

If your dog hasn’t been feeling well, you could try treating them with food they don’t normally get, and you know they love. If they don’t take up the offer, then there’s definitely something going on.

Step 3: Heat up your dog’s food

Heating up your dog’s food enhances its scent and can increase its palatability. Sick dogs will have a hindered sense of smell and taste. Food that has been warmed up may smell more fragrant and can help entice your dog to eat it.

Step 4: Take them to the vet

If your dog still won’t eat after these steps are completed, it’s time to take them to the vet and see what the cause could be. If your dog isn’t eating for a prolonged period of time, they’ll become increasingly weak, dehydrated and sickly. You want to determine the cause before that happens, or their organs start to go into real stress.

If your dog’s not eating, what they should eat?

On the topic of dog nutrition, it’s important your furbaby is always eating the right food in the right amounts and getting enough hydration.

Your safest bet could be to buy a brand recommended by your vet. If a vet trusts that brand, then hopefully they know the food contains all the good nutrients your furball needs. They can also give you great advice on portion size. If your dog’s diet doesn’t consist of the right nutrients, or enough of them, then issues will arise.

That’s not to say the dog food brand you’re using that wasn’t recommended by your vet is bad, but it’s worth researching to make sure your breed is getting everything he needs in his doggy diet.

On a side note: you might notice your dog is wanting to eat grass. Grass is one of those instinctual remedies dogs may go for when they’re feeling unwell. Grass can cause a dog to vomit, hence they’re drawn towards eating it. It may be just what they need to do to feel better.

Just ensure they remain well hydrated. If they vomit more than twice, or persistently eat grass and vomit every time they take a trip outside, we recommend you call a vet.

When you’re ever in doubt, the best bet is to take your fur baby to a vet. That peace of mind knowing you were overreacting will always outweigh wishing you had done something sooner.

Make sure your vet bills are covered

With our pet insurance, you can rest assured that vet bills can be taken care of. PD is an award-winning brand that offers value rich, month to month cover for your pet.

The sooner you invest in a pet plan, the broader the range of cover they get – especially when they’re still a puppy.

Let us take the financial stress out of being the best pet parent possible through dog insurance while you focus on the important things in their life.

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