My dog won't eat his food. What should I do if my dog stops eating?

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.

I'm sorry to hear that! Unfortunately, without more information, it's hard to give any specific suggestions or advice. Not eating could be due to almost anything, from a mild upset stomach (or could even be normal for a picky eater), to a more serious GI problem like pancreatitis, or a severe systemic illness like liver or kidney failure. Without knowing more about what's going on with John, the best thing I can recommend would be to have him seen by a vet for an exam - he/she can also do diagnostic testing such as blood work and x-rays if needed to help determine why he isn't eating.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Wookon. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. There is likely an underlying reason that he is having a decreased appetite. He could have a bad tooth, an upset stomach (even with normal bowel movements) or be experiencing pain elsewhere in his body. His veterinarian will perform a thorough examination and then make treatment or diagnostic recommendations. In the meantime, you can try offering warm water in the kibble or some warmed canned food. I hope this information helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Bufford is having a problem with his diet. This happens occasionally due to a few reasons including boredom with the same diet, loss of satisfaction from the food, oral discomfort, jaw pain, among others. Your veterinarian can perform a physical exam and then advise some diet recommendations or advise some testing to evaluate his health (fecal exam, blood tests, x-rays, etc). Unless you can find an appropriate diet they he likes I would let your vet take a look at him and go from there. Good luck with Bufford.

Your dog needs to be seen by your vet as soon as possible. Any abrupt change in behavior or attitude is a sign he's not feeling well, and without an exam from a vet there's no real way to know what's going on and therefore, how to treat it. He could have eaten something he shouldn't have that's causing an obstruction or irritation, he could have been exposed to something toxic that you weren't aware of, there's a number of possibilities. Your vet will do an exam, lab work, possibly x-rays if indicated, and based on these results, your vet will be better able to understand what is going on with your dog and how best to treat him.

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 Eugene 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!

Hi there and thanks for posting! If Ethan has been eating normally up to this point and has suddenly stopped eating, there may be a health problem that is causing his inappetence. There can be a lot of different health conditions puppies can get that causes decreased appetite so it would be a good idea to have Ethan seen by his veterinarian soon for an exam so the cause can be determine and he can receive any treatments needed. In the mean time, you can try softening the food and warming it up a bit to bring out the flavor and entice him to eat. If that doesn't seem to help, he should see his veterinarian.