Why is my dog sad and not eating after our other pet passed?

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.

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!

I am so sorry you and Dolly had to say goodbye to beloved Pepper. You can try enticing Dolly with bland food (as long as she doesn’t have any food allergies to the following items) such as rice mixed with boiled chicken, scrambled egg whites, or boiled hamburger with the fat drained off. You can also try chicken flavored baby food (as long as there is no garlic or onion in the ingredients). You can increase her water intake by adding water to her food so she takes in water while eating too. If she is still not eating well I would recommend having her evaluated by your vet as it is important to remember that there are other causes for dogs to lose their appetite. Here is an article with other suggestions on how to help Dolly through her grief: https://www.petcoach.co/article/do-dogs-get-sad/ I am so sorry for your loss- my thoughts are with your family during this difficult time.

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. This could also be due to the recent passing of her housemate. I recommend that you continue to monitor Zen for now. If her appetite has not improved in the next 72 hours, I recommend that you have Zen 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!

Kunjaa has decided what her feeding habits will be, but that's not her job . . . it's yours. Put regular dog food in a bowl on the floor without fuss and leave it for 15 minutes. Do not try to coax her to eat or put "special things" in it to make her eat. After that time, pick it up whether she has eaten or not. Do not give her anything--no treats, snacks or human food--until her next scheduled mealtime. Then repeat the process. It may take several times for her to realize that the3re food will not always be available, and that she must eat it when it is. Remember that you are not starving her–she is CHOOSING not to eat. When she is hungry enough, she will. Do not give in or "feel sorry" for her. It will only make it harder to correct. Dogs do mourn, in their own way, after the death of a companion. But this many months later, she should be back to her normal self again.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your father. I am sure it is very difficult to be going through this. Dogs are emotional and can become distressed / sad when a loved one passes away. Unfortunately, it just takes time. There are some things you can try to help ease the stress for Sadie. I would recommend the below products and see if these help. I would also take her out more for walks and socialize her and consider taking her to the dog park as well to interact with other dogs. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Adaptil collar 2. NaturVet Quiet Moments Calm Chews with Melatonin 3. Plenty of toys to play with

I am very sorry you lost your dog. Just as people, dog can and do get sad when their companions die. It is quite likely that Spike is not eating because he misses your other dog. And this can take quite a while. I suggest you take him for a lot of walks, give him lots of TLC and offer him his favorite food, maybe even warmed up. If he does not start eating after a few days you should take him to a vet who, after making sure there is no physical problem, can give him some medication to make him hungry, or feel less sad.