A dog has a bad appetite: why and what to do?

Caring owners of four-legged pets treat their pets with great trepidation, so they are worried about the slightest changes in their condition. Dogs may refuse to eat for various reasons, starting with low physical activity, ending with the heat and simply not wanting to eat. Today, we will look at everything about it to relieve you of anxiety.

The reasons why the dog does not eat

If you have noticed that a four-legged pet does not eat well, this has its own explanation. Try to find out and exclude the reasons, only then try to feed the dog (if circumstances require). Problems, as you know, are serious or harmless, the latter are eliminated by themselves.

1. Optional dog loses craving for food due to illness. With excessive heat and humidity of the air, not only in humans, but also in animals, appetite is lost.This applies to pets with long hair who live in apartment conditions and are constantly at temperatures above 25 degrees.
2. If the pet has estrus, it may lose its craving for food due to sex hunting. When this period ends, the bitch gradually returns to a normal diet, begins to eat and drink water.
3. In cases where the animal is being treated with a vitamin-mineral complex, all valuable substances for the body come in the proper amount. Therefore, there is simply no need for food.
4. Some breeds by their characteristics are few and rarely eat. This can include major representatives, these are their features. Also, the dog eats poorly due to large portion sizes.
5. If we talk about young animals, during the change of teeth or their long growth the dog may lose its appetite. Since the whole process of chewing is painful, the pet tries not to injure itself once more. Check if your dog may have teeth.
6. It is worth paying attention to the physical activity of the fourfold friend. If you hardly walk with the dog once a day, as a result of which it sits all day at home, of course, the animal will not want to eat.The dog simply does not lose energy, so there is no need to replenish stocks.
7. All experienced dog breeders know that dogs tend to experience strong emotions. If the dog is stressed, then it will not be able to eat or sleep. All the same as with a man. It is important to find out the cause of stress and eliminate it as soon as possible.
8. Strongly whimsical dogs refuse to eat their usual food because they are fed up with it. This usually applies to animals that have been transferred from one type of feed to another. If your dog is tired of the diet, change it, make something new and tasty.
9. There are many more factors that affect the pet's diet. In particular, he may refuse to eat because of the recent vaccination or de-worming (prevention of worms). This list also includes diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (for example, constipation), medication, etc.

When to worry

If you have touched your pet's nose and revealed dryness, mark apathy and lethargy in a pet's condition, the dog refuses to eat for more than 2-3 days, then it's time to get worried.Stick to the following algorithm.

1. First of all, see how fresh the food is. If it is spoiled, smells unpleasant, discard.
2. Watch out for the dog. If she not only has a craving for food, but also has become very lethargic and sleepy, the animal can be hurt. To the same symptoms include a dry nose.
3. Open the dog's mouth, see if there are inflammatory processes. Assess the condition of the teeth and gums, if the latter are red, go to the vet, the dog is sick.
4. Ears are used in the process of chewing food, so check your hearing.
5. If with a dry nose, a dog has lethargy and refusal to eat, measure your pet's temperature. Normal is the temperature in dogs in the range 38-39 degrees. Performance may rise in summer.
6. Check the pet's belly. Place the dog on your back, touch the abdominal area. If it is rounded, firm, then in contact with the dog will be unpleasant. Immediately go to the vet.
7. If you have not found any signs of illness, but the dog refuses to eat for a long time, it must be urgently sent to the clinic for an examination. In this case, do not forget to explain to the doctor what's what (symptoms, duration, etc.).
8. In situations where refusal to eat is accompanied by vomiting spasms, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, fever, do not self-medicate. Take the dog to the clinic.

Clinical examination

1. While visiting the clinic, you and the veterinarian should find out the reason for the lack of appetite in the animal. Tell the specialist what the dog previously ate. Remember if you gave your pet something unusual. Perhaps the day before you did the prevention of worms. Drugs can affect appetite.
2. The veterinarian should get the most detailed information from the owner of the animal. Thus, it turns out to eliminate the apparent causes of the problem. After they are excluded, the vet examines the dog for any abnormalities.
3. To establish an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will take blood and urine for analysis. A specialist will conduct research on hormones. There will also be x-rays. The picture will help eliminate the presence of tumors. Also required tests for the presence of parasites and ultrasound.
4. After all the procedures performed, the veterinarian will make certain conclusions.If necessary, treatment will be assigned to the pet. Sometimes the doctor prescribes special drugs or products that can significantly improve the appetite of the animal.

Why a healthy dog ​​does not eat

It is not uncommon for a specialist to not find anything bad after an examination. It turns out that a healthy dog ​​simply refuses to eat. To raise an appetite with a pet, you should follow some rules.

1. It is forbidden during the day to pamper the animal with various goodies and snacks. It is strictly forbidden to give the dog human food from the table. It's no secret that a pet will prefer a piece of sausage instead of a balanced feed.
2. If the dog does not finish eating the position, there is nothing to worry about. Remove leftover food. In the future, servings are recommended to do less. Focus on the needs of the animal. Do not give your dog large portions of food.
3. Try to spend most of your time with your pet on the street. Play more often. The animal must expend a large amount of energy in order to wake up a normal appetite. In addition, a pet can be given special means to increase appetite.

So that the dog always has a good appetite, it needs to be fed daily and at the same time. Provide a balanced diet for the animal. Choose a premium premium feed. Walk more and play with the animal. Against the background of low activity, the pet may not need to eat, hence, the uneaten food or the untouched bowl.

Video: what to do if the dog does not eat and why is this happening?