Why won't my dog eat dry food after her housemate passed away?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Princess may be a bit depressed due to the departure of the other dog. This is fairly common in these scenarios. However, it is very likely that she will normalize soon perhaps in a few days. One thing you can do is entice her appetite by adding things like pieces of chicken or beef to her food for a few days just to encourage her to eat. If there is no improvement in the next few days then have her examined by your veterinarian to ensure there is not a medical reason to explain this. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bean. I am sorry to hear about your recent loss. It sounds like Bean is grieving the loss as well. She should start acting more normal soon, but if her behavior persists she will need to see her veterinarian. If she is not anything, vomiting or displaying other abnormal signs, she should be seen soon. If her appetite is just decreased then you can give her another week or so. Be sure to encourage her to eat and drink as much as possible. You can try hand feeding her or adding warm water to her kibble. Sometimes warmed up canned food is enticing as well. Hope this information helps!

A decrease appetite and lethargy are common after the passing of a housemate as they go through a depression. The best thing is to have her checked by a vet to make sure there are no medical problems that can cause this and then they can add medication to help her handle the depression if needed. You can always try special food and treats such as boiled chicken and rice or chicken broth to the diet if she is just eating less to see if that encourages her more.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Zeus evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While the worsening in weight loss could be related to the loss of your other pet, the fact that there was already weight loss makes a medical issue more likely. There are plenty of conditions that can cause weight loss such as inflammatory diseases, intestinal malabsorption, cancer, among many others. I highly recommend that you have Elvis evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to gather more information and start with diagnostics such as radiographs, blood work and a GI panel. So sorry for the loss of your other pet. Good luck and have a good day!

First off, I am sorry that you lost your other dog. It's always so hard to lose a beloved pet. Dogs do feel the loss of a companion, and will often seem down or depressed afterwards, and may go off their food. That being said, a month is a very long time for a dog to mourn, and him not eating for 4 days suggests there is something medically wrong with him. I would recommend taking him into your vet for a health check to see if there is something medically that is causing the anorexia. There are many potential causes which can be attributed to a dog not eating. For example, most diseases (including infectious, autoimmune, respiratory, gastrointestinal, bone, endocrine and neurological diseases) will cause a dog to avoid eating because of pain, obstruction, or other factors. Anorexia can also be due to a psychological problem, such as stress or changes in routine, environment or diet. I'd take Sammy into your vet as soon as possible for an exam. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Max evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!