It can be quite disturbing when your dog won’t eat, be it a dog u’ve had for years or a newly adopted pooch.

There are a lot of reasons for loss of appetite in dogs. To design the best treatment plan, it’s imperative to determine the cause.

If you’re troubled because your dog isn’t eating as much as the stated guidelines on the food you bought, remember that these are only averages. Many perfectly healthy dogs eat only 60% to 70% of the amount stated on the packaging.


Complete loss of appetite in dogs is called anorexia. This is different from the eating disorder in humans called anorexia nervosa.

When a dog refuses to eat, it can indicate illness, so it is important to quickly seek veterinary care.

Reasons your dog won’t eat[b][/b]
Just like in people, there are a variety of reasons dogs might refuse to eat. These include:

Dental disease: Your dog may find it difficult to eat because of a disturbance, causing extreme pain in their mouth. Have him checked for a broken or loose tooth, severe gingivitis and even an oral tumor.
Illness: Lack of appetite in dogs is often a sign of sickness like cancer, infections, liver problems, kidney failure and general pains. It becomes disturbing if your dog is exhibiting other symptoms at the same time. Prompt vet care is advised.
Travel and unfamiliar surroundings. If your dog was eating well, and suddenly stops when you embark on a trip with him or moved to a new location, it may be that your dog won’t eat because of traveling or the unfamiliar surroundings. Some animals may get motion sickness, and others become nervous or uncomfortable in new places.
Pickiness: Some dogs are just picky, or their refusal to eat may be caused by feeding them in situations where they are uncomfortable, such as around an hostile dog or from a bowl at an uncomfortable height.
Recent vaccination. Your dog may experience temporary loss of appetite after receiving a vaccine injection. Vaccinations are available for many serious and contagious dog diseases. Although these injections have saved the lives of millions of pets in the past 100 years, they do sometimes have adverse effects.
What to do when your dog won’t eat
If your dog won’t eat because of an illness, the vet may recommend a prescription diet to meet your canine’s nutritional needs while the underlying disease is being treated.

Sometimes these diets are not tasty, especially if your dog is used to regular treats or people food. If your dog is already ill, never starve your pet in a bid to force it to eat the prescribed diet. Instead, talk with your veterinarian about alternatives. In more severe cases, your vet may prescribe appetite-stimulating medications, recommend syringe-feeding a liquid diet, or insert a feeding tube.

If your dog’s refusal to eat is connected to a behavior problem caused by pickiness, rather than the result of a medical condition, there are a number of things you can do to encourage your pet to eat:

Taking your dog for a walk before mealtime.
Feeding your pet on a regular schedule, at least twice a day.
Trying a different kind of food, such as canned food if you normally feed your dog dry food.
Making mealtime a fun time for your pet, such as by playing with a toy that dispenses food or rewarding your dog with food for doing a trick.
Cutting back on treats.
Changing your dog’s feeding situation. If you normally feed your pet with other animals, try feeding him alone. Or try using different bowls or plates at different heights to see what your dog prefers. (You might even put a few pieces of food on the floor next to the feeding dish.)

Source:http://www.healthdiary365.com/2017/12/26/reason-why-your-dog-isnt-eating-possible-causes-and-appetite-solutions/

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Good one