My dog isn't eating and is sleeping a lot. Is it the heat or food?

Unfortunately we are going to need more information about Darwin in order to give you some information that is useful. Not eating is a sign of many problems, including gastrointestinal distress (parasites, bacterial infection, an intestinal blockage, etc), organ failure (kidneys or liver) and exposure to a toxic substance, as well as many other things. Please provide more information - how long it's been going on, whether there are other symptoms, whether you have tried to offer different foods, how he is doing otherwise - and we will try to be more helpful.

I would be concerned that Bell hasn't returned to normal after 12-24 hours. While heat injury is possible usually dogs have issues sooner than now such as seizures, diarrhea, bruising and/or collapse. She could have a problem with her GI tract, something stuck in her esophagus or even a respiratory issues causing her changes. If she continues to cough, seems lethargic/lack of energy, or has any vomiting, diarrhea or continues to have a decreased appetite today she needs to be seen by a veterinarian. I would try calling your veterinarian today as they sometimes have an oncall service or an emergency veterinarian on call to answer questions as well.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Simba. Yes, heat and humidity can affect a dog's appetite. However, so can many disease processes. It is important to have him evaluated by his veterinarian to ensure that he is not sick. I hope this information helps!

Inappetence can be a sign of something quite serious especially if it is accompanied by lethargy, vomiting or diarrhea. If it has been more than 48 hours since Digby ate, a trip to the veterinarian tomorrow morning is warranted. Good luck! I hope Digby is feeling better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sam. His abrupt change in behavior is worrisome. It is best for him to see his veterinarian. He could have an upper respiratory tract infection that is starting or maybe he is painful somewhere. Mild nausea can decrease an appetite as well. If his exam is unremarkable, then the heat could be a factor. You don't want to assume it is just the heat though and miss a subtle sign of illness. I hope this information helps!

If these are the only symptoms I would monitor him a bit longer. Sometimes dogs can have some mild stomach upset that quickly resolves without treatment. If he does not eat in the next 24 hours, if he vomits or develops diarrhea, or if he seems very weak or lethargic then I would contact your vet.

Given the lack of clinical signs besides lethargy and inappetence, there is not much else to go on here. I would consider obtaining a rectal thermometer tomorow and checking for a fever (above 102.5), which might suggest the presence of an infection or inflammation. If you detect a fever, I would definitely suggest getting Rusty to the vet sometime soon. If there is no fever, but his condition does not get better by Monday he should be taken in for an examination regardless. You can certainly try and feed Rusty something that would normally be considering irresistible just to see if he will accept it, rather than just his normal dog food. Anyway, hope this helps and that Rusty is feeling better soon. It is entirely possible that he might just feeling a little under the weather or maybe could have eaten something he shouldn't have that upset his stomach. If this is the case, the symptoms should pass with short time.