When you have dogs as pets at home, watching them eat their food is one of the most gratifying sights to have. They are voracious eaters, love their food and eat it away greedily within a matter of minutes. It becomes equally painful to see your canine friend turn away from their favorite food and lose health subsequently.
There can be several causes when your dog refuses to eat anything, right from an illness, to the quality of food to the problem of having a low appetite, known as inappetence.
To be able to cure the issue, you must know the cause first! We take a closer look at most common reasons why dogs may stop eating, and help you discover your old, fun, energetic and healthy pet again, soon!
Top reasons why your dog isn’t eating
- Upset stomach
When your dog eats something they should not have eaten, their stomach gives them a tough time and they want to clear it before they eat anything else. You should look out for symptoms such as eating grass or vomiting. Once they feel better, they get back to their normal food routine as well.
- A vaccination or medication
In case you have vaccinated your pet or given him medication for something, loss of appetite can come up as a potential side-effect. Most of the times such a reaction will only last for a day or two and the symptom will wither away soon.
- Dental troubles
Dental troubles are very common in dogs but are often unnoticed since the dogs are unable to express their pain or discomfort. They can have swollen gums, bleeding gums, aching tooth or more serious concerns such as gingivitis or oral tumors. The problem gets worse for the dogs that are fed dry kibble.
- A new routine
Dogs live by their routine and often feel uneasy if anything around them changes. This can be a change in their eating schedule, exercise time, a change of place or even having a new member around. Give them some time to settle into the new routine and check the difference.
- Overfeeding
If you are in the habit of treating your pet with the dog treats too often, you must check that. This not only kills their appetite but also adds to the extra calories for the day. Moreover, it is the main cause of overweight in dogs. This could be a simple cause for your dog not eating his food. You must ensure that the dog treats are fed throughout the day so their meals are not affected.
- Recent illness
If your dog was ill recently for whatever reason, you need to give them some time to recuperate and get back to a normal routine. The appetite is the first thing that gets affected post an illness. They may also have a hard time trusting their food since they might relate their illness with the food. This can make them hesitant in trying their food again for some time.
Happy Petting!
