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My dog stopped eating all day. Why won't he touch his food?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | unneutered | 9 months and 5 days old | 75 lbs

my dog stop eating for the whole day and do not want to eat anything

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 25th, 2018

Hello, sorry to hear about Rocky. It sounds like he is feeling unwell but these signs are non-specific. It may be caused by multiple reasons, most often a dietary indiscretion, ingestion of foreign material, or in puppies this young an infection with a virus or parasite may cause this.

If Rocky is not eating by tomorrow, or if he begins to vomit, have diarrhea, or lethargy then he needs to be evaluated by his veterinarian immediately. You can offer him a bland diet tomorrow of plain white rice, skinless and boneless boiled chicken and cottage cheese low fat. Hope this helps and best of luck.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Karly Macon, DVM, MS, CVA Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Veterinarian
Published on June 5th, 2017
Poor Rocky! If he does not want to eat and is starting to seem weak, he may be anemic or have some very serious illness going on. I recommend a vet visit right away for bloodwork and X-rays to identify what is going on with him and how to help him feel better. Sometimes autoimmune diseases like immune mediated hemolytic anemia can look like what you are seeing with Rocky.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM
Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident
Published on July 31st, 2018
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. On the CBC (on the right side), I can see that Rocky has a mild to moderate anemia and mildly elevated white blood cells. These are relatively non-specific factors that can be associated with many diseases. The data on the left side I unfortunately cannot read as I do not understand the language. I recommend that you have Rocky evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If he is not drinking water well, he should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible to prevent dehydration. 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!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on April 17th, 2020
It could be Rocky has a stomach illness, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, or even cancer causing his symptoms. Without seeing him in person, I can't make a diagnosis. I'd have him seen by a vet now to have this diagnosed and treated. Best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

Food & Nutrition

My dog ate fast food, is vomiting, and won't eat. What to do?

Rockie is adorable and I'm sorry to hear that he isn't feeling well. After eating a heavy, greasy meal, he may have developed gastroenteritis (inflammation in his stomach and intestines) or pancreatitis. Aside from assuring that he is drinking water and offering a bit of a bland diet (boiled white meat chicken and rice) as you have done, there isn't anything more that can be done at home. Young puppies are more susceptible to the effects of dehydration than adult dogs and need to be treated a bit more urgently. At this point, Rockie needs to take a trip to the vet for an exam, diagnostic testing and supportive care (IV fluids and medications). I hope that he is feeling better soon!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My new puppy has diarrhea and won't eat. Is this an emergency?

Your pups are so cute! Diarrhea and reduced appetite could be caused by parasites, change in diet, toxin ingestion, infectious viral diseases, blockage in the intestines caused by ingestion of a foreign body, or a mass/growth in the gastrointestinal tract. Parvovirus is also a possibility, particularly in a dog as young as Rocky, as you mentioned he is too young to have had all his boosters yet. Please make an appointment to have Rocky seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as diarrhea can easily lead to dehydration in such a young pup, and can be very dangerous if left untreated. In the mean time, if he is not eating well, you can try boiling boneless skinless chicken in water, shredding the chicken, and feeding her small amounts of the resulting chicken broth and cooked chicken with boiled plain white rice once it has cooled. I recommend taking in a fecal sample from Rocky to your vet as well, as that may aid them in making a diagnosis. Good luck, and I hope he feels better soon!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My puppy is whining and not eating. When should I see a vet?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rocky. He needs to see his veterinarian if he has not been eating well for several days. Being a young puppy, it will be easy for him to become dehydrated. He could be painful somewhere or even be experiencing an upper respiratory tract infection. Is he coughing or sneezing at all? Neck and/or back pain are also common in small breed dogs. His veterinarian will be able to tell based on his exam findings. In the meantime, keep him quiet to allow his body to rest. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my dog making painful noises, not eating, and barking so much?

It could be that Rocky is ill causing him to make the painful noises and not eat. Anorexia is a very general sign of illness, and it can be caused by systemic illness, infection, injury, or inflammation. Given that he hasn't eaten in three days, I would have him seen by a vet right away for a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and possible x-rays to diagnose what is causing his symptoms. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has diarrhea, no appetite, and seems sick. Should I see a vet?

Poor Rocky! If this has been going on for more than 1-2 days and he's also not eating, then yes - I would definitely recommend taking him to the vet, as these can be signs of a serious problem. Your veterinarian can do a fecal exam for parasites, and may recommend blood work or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem so he can be started on appropriate treatment.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My puppy is too skinny and barely eats. Is he sick? What can I do?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Thank you for posting pictures, these are helpful! Rocky is very thin, and you are right to be concerned. He should not be this thin. I would be very worried about some underlying disease condition that is preventing him from either being able to eat the food, or from being able to absorb the food. Possible causes are GI parasites (worms, giardia, coccidia, etc.), exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), other GI absorbtive disorders (IBD, GI lymphoma, etc.), partial obstruction or foreign object in the gut, persistent right aortic arch or hiatal hernia causing vomiting/regurgitation, food allergies, etc. I would try feeding him boiled rice with boiled/boneless/skinless chicken breasts, as well as a high quality canned puppy food. I would also strongly recommend getting him to a vet where I would discuss a fecal test, a deworming trial, x-rays or preferably ultrasound, testing for EPI depending on the quality of his feces, and x-rays of the chest to look for congenital malforations there. Best of luck with Rocky, I hope he feels better soon!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Is my dog okay? He has diarrhea after eating salami and pistachios.

Rocky needs to be eating a bland diet to help stop the diarrhea. You can purchase food for sensitive stomachs or feed boiled chicken and rice for a few days. Since he’s a small, young dog I recommend a fecal exam to check for intestinal parasites, and getting medication from your veterinarian to stop the diarrhea. He could become dehydrated and lethargic if the diarrhea continues. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rocky.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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