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My active dog suddenly won't eat but drinks water. What's wrong?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | 44 lbs

My British retriever is not eating, everyday he just takes very less amount of rice like a small bowl. He has stopped eating everything that too suddenly. But he always gets hydrated and drinks alot of water and to my surprise he's just active as he was before. What should i do to make him eat?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on April 9th, 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. 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!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM
Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident
Published on April 20th, 2019
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 Tommy 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!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM
Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident
Published on November 5th, 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. The urination issues may be due to an infection for example. I recommend that you have Dommy 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!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

Why won't my dog eat, only drinks water, and is very lethargic?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Max! Max does sound sick. I can't fully understand your post but I think you are saying that Max is lethargic and isn't eating. That he is holding down water. Is he vomiting too? From your pictures his gums do look a little less pink then they should. If he is anemic (low red blood cells) then that can be serious. Causes could be blood loss from a tumor inside his belly, infectious causes like tick borne diseases, immune conditions or other types of cancer. There are many causes for lethargy and not eating: blockage, cancer, kidney or liver failure, viral diseases, etc. I would have him seen by your Vet for an exam. I wish you and Max the very best!

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Health & Wellness

My dog stopped eating for 3 days but seems fine. What's wrong?

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!

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My dog drinks excessive water and won't eat. Is a vet visit urgent?

Poor Max. I would recommend to take him to your vet. It is not normal for them to drink excessive amounts of water and have a lack of appetite. There are several things that can cause these symptoms including certain bacterial infections, diabetes. viral infections, toxins and more. Your vet will likely want to start by running some blood work to help rule out different causes of the increased water intake and then treat accordingly. I hope Max starts to feel better!

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Training & Behavior

My dog won't eat or drink. Is it fear of other dogs? What should I do?

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 of course be due to him being afraid of getting attacked. You can try to feed him separately to try to avoid him getting bullied. If this continues despite that, I recommend that you have Mikey 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!

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My dog's tummy gurgles loudly, won't eat or drink. What's wrong?

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. The lack of drinking concerns me as that can easily lead to dehydration. I recommend that you have Blu 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!

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Training & Behavior

New hyperactive dog won't eat or drink. What's the problem and breed?

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Max could be a Spitz or a Samoyed. Or a mix. Max may need time adjusting to a new home. Try adding warm water to his food or adding a tablespoon of canned food mixed with water to see if that will get him to eat. Try sitting with him while he eats. Good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My dog isn't eating his food but is drinking water. What's wrong?

A dog may stop eating for a wide variety of reasons, some of which are due to medical conditions and others that may be more behavioral. Medical problems such as gastrointestinal viruses, intestinal obstructions, parasites, or kidney disease, among other conditions, can lead to this problem. Other dogs may become disinterested in their food and may prefer a different flavor of food, or the taste of the food may have changed due to the container in which it is stored. If your dog is still active and playful, you can try to tempt them to eat with a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice for a few days before gradually transitioning back to either their original diet or to a new food. (Any time you change diets, be sure to do so gradually by mixing the old and new foods together over 5-7 days.) If this is unsuccessful or if your dog is lethargic, vomiting, or having diarrhea, a visit to the veterinarian is in order. The veterinarian will be able to perform a physical exam as well as any necessary diagnostic tests to try to get to the bottom of this issue so that proper treatment can be started.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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