Why won't my dog eat, has bad breath, and is so picky?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Causes of a decrease in appetite are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infection, he ate something gross that is upsetting his stomach, he ate something that is stuck, food allergy/intolerance, Inflammatory Bowel disease, Addison's disease, new treat/food/table food. Sometimes this can be behavioral as well, he is waiting for something better like the Pedigree. If there is not other symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy then that is likely the problem. If you recently got a new bag of his food the company may have changed the formula or there is a issue with that bag of food. If you really don't want to feed him Pedigree then hold your ground. Offer his normal food, you can add water to it to make it more tempting, and if he doesn't eat it then pick it up. Do not offer treats or any other food and then he is not fed again until his next meal time. You can also consider feeding him once daily. If he is otherwise sick, please repost with his symptoms and we will provide advice. I hope this helps and I wish you and Puku the best!

I'm wondering if Mercy isn't eating at all, or if she will eat human food. If she isn't eating at all, that's extremely serious and she needs to see a vet now. In this case, please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. If she is at least eating human food, you can wait until the morning to take her into the vet. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about Chico's current condition. Based on the clinical signs you have described, two top differentials come to mind. The first one is dental disease. This causes a wretched odor to emanate from the mouth and when bad enough, will make a dog not want to eat anything at all. The pain can be quite severe in some cases. The inability to defecate may actually be a indication that Chico hasn't been eating and doesn't have to go. The other differential that comes to mind is kidney disease. When kidney disease becomes severe, dogs can develop something known as a uremic scent from their mouth. It also causes anorexia, and subsequently, lack of defecation. I would definitely have Chico taken to the vet sometime soon for both an oral exam and some blood work. Best of luck with him!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lyla. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. She could have an infected tooth or a wound in her mouth contributing to the oral pain and bad odor. A thorough exam will be performed to attempt to identify her problem. From there, a treatment plan can be developed. In the meantime, you can soften her food with warm water or offer canned food to make it easier for her to eat. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Poor Rosie. This foul odor around her mouth could be due to a broken tooth or an infected tooth, and that would prevent her from eating well. It would also make her lethargic. She needs to see a vet now, please take her into one immediately.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Zoey. You can try adding warm water to the dry kibble, offer her canned dog food (alone or mixed with the dry food) or offer the original Pedigree diet. Once her veterinarian is back to town, she will need to be seen if her symptoms persist. You need to determine if she is ill or if she is having trouble adjusting to the new diet. I hope this information helps!

Poor Layz! If her breath smells terrible and is eating less than usual, I would suspect that she may have a dental problem. Dogs need regular dental care just like humans, and if they don't get it, they can develop severe gingivitis, a tooth root abscess, or a rotten tooth among other conditions. She would be eating less because it's painful for her to eat. I would give your vet a call today to set up an appointment for her. The vet can examine her mouth, and if they feel that there is a dental problem, will want to do a dental scaling, cleaning, and polishing. It's best for her health to have this checked out as soon as possible, as dental problems that are left untreated can lead to further health problems such as abscesses on the liver and heart infections. Best of luck!