My puppies won't eat in hot weather, but they drink water. Why?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Feeding in the morning and evening, or after they have had a chance to cool down is a good idea. Puppies ideally will have access to food at all times, so having a corner with food and water accessible for them throughout the day is best. Best of luck with your puppies!

Hello there, Sorry to hear about your situation. That sounds tough in this summer heat. It's normal for them to eat a little less when it is hot, but they should still be maintaining their body weight. If they are losing weight, then it may be too hot for them to thrive and you may need to find a situation to house them indoors. So tips for keeping them cool! There are a lot of warnings on the internet about not giving dogs cold water and frozen treats. This only applies to dogs that are severely heated and suffering heat stroke. As far as a healthy happy dog that's just hot, frozen treats and ice cubes are perfectly fine and can encourage appetite in the heat. Many dogs like to play with ice cubes! You can freeze kibble, chicken broth, and other fun things in the ice to make cheap, chilly toys. I also like to make big ice blocks in the freezer with tupperware containers, so that when I put the ice block in the water bowl, it takes several hours to melt instead of ice cubes that melt within a few minutes. You can also make mixtures of dog kibble and yogurt or peanut butter to stuff into Kong or other treat toys to make for a cold snack as well. If you can play with them with a water hose, or offer a kiddie pool, they may enjoy that as well. I would also try to keep on top of brushing your German Shepherd regularly to reduce the amount of the fluffy and warming undercoat. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If it is extremely hot in your area it may be that the heat is decreasing Pogo's appetite some, which can be normal. Feeding smaller meals a little later in the day may help encourage him to eat some, as well as making sure he has access to a cool shaded area with plenty of water. If the refusal to eat continues or you see other signs of illness such as vomiting, diarrhea or extreme lethargy, then bringing him to your vet for an exam is best.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sam. His abrupt change in behavior is worrisome. It is best for him to see his veterinarian. He could have an upper respiratory tract infection that is starting or maybe he is painful somewhere. Mild nausea can decrease an appetite as well. If his exam is unremarkable, then the heat could be a factor. You don't want to assume it is just the heat though and miss a subtle sign of illness. I hope this information helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would ensure that she has plenty of access to water and you can feed her canned dog food or home cooked food such as chicken breast, ground beef, chicken broth, pumpkin, etc. and see if she will eat more. If she continues to be inappetant, then I would recommend having her looked at by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions and I would be more than happy to help you further.

She is very young, i am assuming her diet consists of puppy milk replacer and wet dog food, in that case it is normal she is not drinking water, once she starts eating dry dog food she will start drinking water.

Hi ! It might be that Gemma needs to adjust to the heat. I would give her some time, we often don’t eat as much when the weather is hot. Just make sure you stick to a routine, offer her food and leave it down for 20 minutes then remove it untile the next meal. Always leave plenty of fresh water available and if worried have her checked over. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach !