Why Is My Dog Not Eating? Causes and What To Do

A dog not eating or eating less than usual isn’t always a sign that something is wrong. However, as a good pet parent, you want to rule out any underlying conditions.

Your dog’s appetite is regulated by a complex mechanism that involves the brain, the fullness and distention of stomach and intestines, and specific hormones.

Appetite can be altered by medical conditions, behavioral conditions, environmental changes, or issues with the food itself.

When a dog has no appetite and isn’t eating food, this is called anorexia. Anorexia in dogs is not the same as anorexia nervosa in humans.

Hyporexia is when the dog has a decreased appetite but still eats some food. If your dog has a normal appetite but is physically unable to eat, this is called pseudoanorexia.

When your dog isn’t eating, your veterinarian must differentiate between conditions causing a lack of appetite and conditions causing an inability to eat.

Most adult dogs can go three to five days without eating as long as they’re still drinking water. However, this doesn’t mean you should sit idle while your dog isn’t eating for several days. If your adult dog hasn’t eaten in the past two days—even if he is otherwise acting normal—contact your veterinarian. 

If your diabetic dog is skipping any meals, contact your veterinarian immediately. This lack of food intake may adversely affect your dog’s response to insulin and serious consequences can develop.

Why Is My Dog Not Eating?

Let’s look at a few reasons why your dog may not be eating.

Medical

There are several medical conditions that could decrease your dog’s food consumption.

Some medical conditions that could cause anorexia or hyporexia in dogs include:

• Gastrointestinal disease—Parvovirus, dietary indiscretion causing stomach upset, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), stomach ulcers, or constipation

• Obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract—Foreign object obstruction such as a toy ball stuck in the stomach

• Organ dysfunction and systemic illness—Kidney failure, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), liver disease or hepatitis, or pancreatitis

• Dental disease—Periodontal disease or fractured teeth

• Tumors or cancer—Masses specifically related to the gastrointestinal tract (in the mouth or back of the throat, stomach, or intestines), or lymphoma. However, any type of cancer in dogs can negatively affect a pup’s appetite.

• Orthopedic—Arthritis makes it difficult for a dog to lower their head to the food bowl. Hip dysplasia can cause pain in dogs when they walk to the food bowl.

• Medications/toxins—Many side effects of medications—either over the counter (OTC) or prescribed—can lead to a decreased appetite.

Behavioral

Dogs can experience similar emotions and phobias as humans. Examples of behavioral causes for decreased appetite may include:

• Stress

• Fear

• Anxiety, including generalized anxiety and separation anxiety

• Phobias

• Cognitive decline in senior dogs

If your dog has severe behavioral concerns that affecting his eating, contact your vet. For some dogs, medications like fluoxetine or trazodone may be necessary to help manage their condition.

 In the meantime, you can support your pet by:

• Avoiding any obvious triggers for their anxiety

• Providing him with a safe space, such as a comfortable but secluded room or crate (if previously accustomed to) when visitors are present

• Using calming pheromones

• Ensuring he’s getting plenty of exercise

• Supplying toys or activities that provide mental stimulation like food puzzles and nose work

• Make introductions to new pets and children slowly

• Reduce the movement of their food and water bowls so there is routine and consistency

Environmental Changes

Environmental changes play into your pet’s emotional well-being. Significant changes to the home environment can cause stress and anxiety, which in turn affect appetite.

This includes:

• Moving to a new home

• Adding a new pet or new child

• Having houseguests

• Construction in the home

• Rearranging the furniture

• Moving food and water bowls

Age

Healthy senior dogs have a lower calorie requirement than younger pups, so you may notice a slight decrease in appetite as your dog gets older. 

However, age is not a reason for a dog to become anorexic. A significant change in your senior dog’s appetite is a reason to contact your veterinarian.

When supporting your senior dog’s appetite at home, consider:

• Using a raised food bowl if he’s having trouble reaching the food

• Place a nonslip mat around the bowls to avoid falls

• Offer softer foods so he can easily chew

• Feeding at consistently scheduled times of day to help with cognitive decline

Problems With Your Dog’s Food

If your dog has routinely eaten the same food and now shows no interest in it, make sure to check for the following:

• Is the food moldy or expired?

• Is the food wet?

• Did you get the right flavor?

Any time you change a dog’s diet, it should be done gradually over several days to weeks to avoid upsetting their stomach, which can lead to a decreased appetite. 

Double check that your dog isn’t being fed by anyone else in the home.

Also, be sure that your pup isn’t being fed too many treats—which includes human food—as he may hold out on his regular diet or be full by the time meals are given. 

As a rule, dog treats should make up no more than 10% of your pup’s calories.

How To Get a Dog To Eat

A few things you could try to help motivate your dog to eat include:

• Warming the food

• Offering a more palatable or different flavor of food

• Adding a food topper

• Offering for a short term boiled rice and chicken (without spices or seasonings)

Treats can also be enticing and may help coax your dog to eat.

If your dog has any chronic medical condition such as diabetes, food allergies, or kidney disease, be sure to speak with your veterinarian prior to changing your dog’s food.

Make sure to consider whether your dog is experiencing any stressors; if noted, take steps to minimize them or prevent them altogether.

Additionally, your veterinarian may prescribe a short course of an appetite stimulant, such as mirtazapine or Entyce™ (capromorelin). 

Other drugs, such as Cerenia® (maropitant) or onansetron, can be beneficial for nausea which can contributed to your dog’s poor appetite.

If you’re noticing a decreased appetite but your dog seems otherwise healthy, contact your veterinarian for an appointment.

If your dog is also vomiting or having diarrhea, acting lethargic, has a tense or distended abdomen, or yelps when their abdomen is touched, contact an emergency vet for guidance.

When To Call Your Vet

If your dog remains uninterested in food, especially if it persists over a couple of days, contact your veterinarian for an evaluation. If your dog has known chronic medical condition like diabetes or is a puppy, contact your veterinarian immediately as these pets cannot go as long without food.

If your dog has no appetite but is drinking excessive amounts of water, this may be a reason to seek emergency attention.

For example, he could be experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis. At a minimum, call your veterinarian for advice.

Puppies can’t go as long as adult dogs without food. 

If your puppy is skipping meals, contact your veterinarian.

If this is accompanied by other symptoms like vomiting and/or diarrhea, the number one issue to rule out in a puppy would be parvovirus. Emergency care is required for severe symptoms.