My dog was left without food for 6 days. He seems fine, but should I take him to the vet?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. As long as she is otherwise acting normal, it should be fine to monitor her for another 24-48 hours. If her appetite does not improve or she displays other signs of illness, then she will need to see her veterinarian. Hopefully she was just stressed by your absence, but you will need to ensure there is not an underlying medical condition. I hope this information helps!

He's such a handsome fella. I can understand your concern when it seems something is awry with your pet. Based on the photo's he seems to be an appropriate body condition score. However, you can get him on a scale and quantify his weight right now compared to what it used to be. If he did go off his food while you were gone it was likely due to missing you being there. He should go back to his normal feeding schedule now that you are back. Just continue to monitor his stools, making sure they are solid and also monitor him for any vomiting. If you do see these symptoms, then its best to have your vet do a thorough exam and check for intestinal parasites, as this is a common cause for loose stool in pets. However, I suspect he will go back to his normal looking self soon. Best wishes and take care.

Since Asuna was willing to eat and is not having any vomiting or diarrhea I wouldn’t worry too much. Not eating for a couple of days because she was stressed and missing you should not affect her overall health. However, if she continues to appear to lose weight despite eating well and being home with you, then you should take her to be checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Yes, I would recommend to take Duke to see the veterinarian first thing in the morning. Not eating for two days means he is not feeling good most likely. The doctor will preform a physical exam and will likely recommend diagnostics like blood work and possibly radiographs. The doctor may also be able to give Duke some medications to help him feel better and may recommend some fluids as these pets are often a little dehydrated. I hope Duke starts feeling better quickly! Thank you for using Pet Coach!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that your dog was missing for a few days, but glad to hear you are reunited. It is safe to bathe him during this time. He may have picked up external parasites while he was out of your home, so a bath may help remove some of these. I would ensure that he receives normal monthly flea and tick preventatives, as well as monthly heartworm prevention. If he continues to act sick for more than 24 hours, I recommend having him seen by your primary veterinarian. He/she may recommend bloodwork to look for evidence of underlying disease that could be contributing to his clinical signs. I hope this is helpful!

If he seems to be back to his normal self I would not worry. Dogs can tolerate a day without water if the environment where they live is not too warm. I would not recommend to leave him without water regularly, as it would put a strain on his body but as a one off episode there is not much to worry about. There also are some useful dog water bowls that have a reservoir of water that gradually fills up the water bowl, you could try them out if planning to stay out for long hours.

This may be from the stress of a new routine since you had to leave him. For some dogs, it is not uncommon for them to get lethargic and even have a decreased appetite due to changes like this. If he is not back to normal with in 24 hours of your normal routine again, then I would have him checked by your vet