Why is my senior dog not eating or hesitating to eat his food?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lady. I'm sorry to hear that she is having these problems. I need a bit more information regarding any other symptoms she is having in addition to the decreased appetite and what testing has been done so far to make a more detailed recommendation. But I can outline my thought process for you. The first thing I would want to rule out is any source of pain on her physical exam. Pain from dental disease, arthritis or back pain can all affect the appetite. Then I would do blood work and a urinalysis. The blood work should include a complete blood count, chemistry panel and a test for pancreatitis known as a cPL. Next, I would do chest x-rays and an abdominal ultrasound. I may consider a trial course of pain medication or an anti-nausea medication. I hope this information is a starting point for you and I am available for a consultation of you want to discuss Lady in further detail.

I am sorry to hear about Sadd. Many different things can cause these symptoms in an older dog, ranging from infection to organ disease (such as liver or kidney issues), arthritis issues, pain for dental disease, and unfortunately in older dogs we do worry about cancer. I would recommend an examination by his veterinarian. They can do a good physical examination and based on that may recommend testing such as bloodwork or x-rays.

I would definitely recommend some blood work, if this hasn't been done recently. Older dogs are prone to a number of health issues that can cause decreased appetite along with being less active - chronic kidney disease and hypothyroidism are two possibilities that are both very common. In many cases, these issues are treatable (at least to some extent) once a diagnosis is made, so it's well worth checking for them if you can - hopefully, there are some things you can do to make him feel better for as long as possible, even though he's getting older.

Hi there and thanks for posting! It is hard to say what the cause of Beltre's new behavior around food may be attributed to without examining him first, but disinterest in food may be caused by a dental pain from an infection or gingivitis. There can be other medical causes as well but I would recommend Beltre see a veterinarian soon to rule out dental disease as a cause first. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Lyl. There are so many things that can cause not eating and lethargy so it is hard to say for sure what is going on. I would make sure her gums are pink - if they are white, yellow or grayish blue then she is in critical condition and needs to go to the emergency clinic. Otherwise, you can try feeding her some plain boiled chicken (no bones) and white rice tonight and see if she will eat it. If not, then I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to determine if she is in pain anywhere or if something else is going on. They will be able to do bloodwork and even X-rays if needed. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon!

This is a quite generic but concerning sign. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. In Boxer, especially of a certain age, spinal pain due to ostheoarthritis can be quite severe and cause the signs you described. The approach must be logic, starting from offering different kind of food. A check up is needed if inappetence last for more than 24hours. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Schazi may not be eating this food because she doesn't like the taste, or she could be ill. Not eating is one of the first signs of illness in dogs. I'm not sure when she had her last vet check, but it would be good to have her seen by a vet just to make sure everything is ok with her. If she doesn't have a medical illness, you may have to try a a different brand of food for her to get her to eat. Brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. First though, call the vet to make an appointment for a health check. Best of luck, I hope this helps!