Dog wants to eat but yelps with dry food. Is it dental pain?

We can see these signs with oral or neck pain, but self limiting episodes of unknown generic pain are possible as well. Salivary glands inflammation, neck pain due to nerve impingement or more severe dynamic intervertebral discs compression are only few of the possible differentials. Practically I would recommend to monitor her and see if the signs are repeating over time. If that is the case a check up could be needed.

I'd tell your parents you spoke to a vet for free, and you were advised that he does need to see a vet. It's not normal at all for Koda to scream when yawning, and the fact he's not biting down to eat his kibble. He may stop eating from the pain, which will lead to weight loss. This has to be checked out by a vet, he won't grow out of this. Please have your parents take him into a vet today. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rosie. See if she will allow you to look in her mouth. You even use something soft like a Q-tip to lift her lip. I am concerned that she has a painful mouth if she will only eat the soft food. Dental disease is very common in her breed. Ear infections do not typically affect a dog's appetite. Has she had any vomiting or diarrhea? This will make a dog not want to eat. Another condition common in small breed dogs is neck pain. This could explain her screaming as well. She will need to see a veterinarian when you are able. In the meantime, offer soft food. You can add warm water to soften it further. I hope this information helps!

I'm sorry your dog isn't doing well at the moment! It's good that she isn't vomiting, but I understand why you would be concerned that she isn't eating her normal food. There could be a couple of reasons why this is happening. Given that she is rubbing the underneath of her mouth on the carpet, it could be her mouth is painful. That would explain why she won't eat the dry food but will eat something softer such as chicken and rice. She could have a dental problem causing her pain, such as severe gingivitis, a tooth root abscess, or a broken tooth to name a few causes. It could also be that she is feeling nauseous and the chicken and rice is the only thing that settles her stomach. I would monitor her for now. Just offer her the chicken and rice tonight, but try the dry dog food again in the morning. If tomorrow she is still refusing to eat her dry food and rubbing her mouth on the carpet, I'd make an appointment with the vet for her to be seen. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

If Kayla won't eat her normal dry food but will eat canned food, I'd be concerned that she has a dental problem causing this change in eating. Dental problems can be common in senior dogs, and can include a tooth root abscess, broken tooth, or severe periodontal disease. I see as well that she isn't spayed, and a pyometra (a life threatening infection of the uterus) can also be a cause of a deceased appetite and a reduction in energy. Given the risk of a pyometra in an older dog, the best thing to do for her is take her into a vet today to get the cause of her symptoms diagnosed so she can be treated. Should she have a pyometra, spaying her is part of the recommend treatment. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Patty could be licking her dry food to get it moist before eating it because she is having dental problems and it may hurt to eat dry food. These dental problems could be gingivitis, a tooth root abscess, or a broken tooth. I recommend taking Patty into your vet for a health exam. Your vet can check out her mouth and determine if there is a dental problem causing this behavior. If there is a dental issue, she will need a cleaning, scaling, and polishing, plus any broken teeth may need to be removed. I would take her into your vet today or tomorrow. In the meantime, try soaking her food with low sodium beef or chicken broth to see if that helps her eat.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to mouth pain. This may be due to bone discomfort or perhaps any sort of fracture or trauma. It could also be due to muscle pain. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck and have a great day!