The dog does not eat anything. What to do

In many families, dogs become real family members and any, even the most insignificant, pet's health problems cause real panic. But what if the dog does not eat anything? What can cause such behavior, and in what cases do you really need to worry?

The main reasons for the refusal of the dog to eat

The answer to the question why the dog does not eat anything are the following reasons:

1. Often this behavior is associated with a change of food , which the dog simply does not seem edible. In the case of natural feeding, one unusual ingredient is enough for the animal to refuse to eat. For example, among the usual vegetables suddenly appeared eggplant, having a sharp scent, the pet immediately found an unknown object and would ignore the entire batch.
2. Another common reason is additional feeding between meals. If the dog gets tidbits from the master's table, then it is only natural that its own food will seem less tasty to it. Yes, and an appetite such a gesture can be easily interrupted.
3. Poor food quality , the presence of excess salt or spices can also spoil the pet's appetite. It is necessary to check whether the food has gone bad.
4. Sometimes the reason for not eating can be in the mouth — pain from a broken tooth, infection of the gums and the palate, or other diseases will make it more difficult to eat.
5. Infectious diseases that affect the ears, also deprive the pet of appetite, as they are the causes of allergic manifestations , including food components. And, in addition, provoke pain.
6. Pain can be accompanied by other ailments, which can cause a lack of appetite. Usually these conditions are accompanied by additional symptoms :

• pet trembles;
• it is hard to breathe;
• hunched back;
• the activity of the animal decreases markedly, it most often lies on its side;
• if you touch a dog, it may snap;
• the dog sleeps longer than usual.

If the pet's condition has deteriorated significantly, the appearance has found signs of pain and depression, then this is probably a sign of a serious illness . You should especially be worried if the condition of the dog has not improved after skipping one or two feedings, and the pet is sluggish on the walking , does not show interest in the surrounding.

Among the diseases, refusal to eat is most often accompanied by gastric or duodenal ulcers, as well as kidney disease. If refusal to eat is accompanied by vomiting, frothy discharge from the mouth, then the pet is most likely poisoned. It is necessary to urgently flush the stomach and water the enterosorbents, for example, activated charcoal.

Naturally, it is not worthwhile to self-guess what has caused this state of the animal, it is clear that the disease has become the cause. A prompt visit to a doctor or a house call will help clarify the situation.

A very frequent cause of lack of appetite are helminthic invasions. A pet may feel nauseous, diarrhea , vomiting may occur, often the particles of helminths can be seen in the feces or in the pet's hair near the anus. In this case, degelmentizatsiya can correct the situation.

If the dog does not eat for several days, without any other signs of illness, you can also visit the vet. If this is an isolated case, then you should not worry. Most often, the man himself provokes this behavior of the dog when he does not follow the regime of feeding or treats the animal with goodies during the day.

See also : how to put a dog to sleep .

When a dog's refusal to eat is considered normal

• Like a person, a dog has life situations when it does not want to eat, and such a phenomenon is quite natural. For example, in bitches, a decrease in appetite, or the lack of it, may accompany estrus . At this time, the animal may feel bad, or sharply respond to sexual urges. At its end, the dog returns to its usual diet.
• The same thing happens with dogs in the period of sexual activity. They become irritated, can provoke fights, are tied up behind any leaking female and can live without food for a long time at her doorstep.
• Puppies, most often large breeds, in some periods of growth , suddenly begin to eat a lot, constantly feeling hungry, this behavior is then replaced by complete indifference to food.
• Teething in babies can disturb the pet, delivering an unpleasant sensation. Naturally, in this case, the crumbs are not at all up to food.
• Surgical intervention, or more precisely the anesthesia used, can deprive the animal of appetite for several days. This is for the better, because after surgical operations the first time is not recommended.
• In dogs, appetite decreases during the heat , as well as the addition of vitamin bait to food. Particularly fastidious pets may refuse any products that they consider insufficiently tasty.

The dog does not eat, what to do

A person who starts a dog takes full responsibility for its behavior, well-being and nutrition. Providing quality food is one of the main tasks of the owner of the four-legged friend. But what to do if all feeding conditions are met, but the animal refuses to eat? Here are some ways to influence his behavior:

• Skip feeding . This is the most effective way to get your pet back on track. But it is not necessary to make mistakes common among dog lovers by offering her something more delicious in return for her usual food. Food should be exactly the kind that the pet refused. Usually two passes are enough for the dog to wake up the appetite.
• Reduced portions . If the dog does not always eat up the entire contents of the bowl, then this may indicate a too large portion of food. In the next feeding, you can put the feed on a quarter less than usual and see how the dog will behave.
• Perhaps the proposed food does not meet the needs of the dog . It is necessary to take this issue more seriously if this has not been done before. Need to know about the features of feeding a particular breed. For example, the Japanese Hachiko - Akita Inu can not do without fish in the diet, pugs must be given raw bones, and some breeds with a tendency to stomach affections should include in the diet beef scar rich in digestive enzymes. Perhaps the dog lacks something important, which becomes the reason for the rejection of the food he is offered.
• Mandatory active walks . Fresh air, physical exertion fruitfully affect the appetite of the dog. Taking an animal, a variety of equipment, a treat to encourage the teams to be executed - and a run on the run. You can invite your pet to play, learn a new team or repeat already worked. After this, the dog by the ears will not be pulled away from the bowl.
• If 10-15 minutes before a meal, give the animal a couple of salty keels or capels , then you can make him want to eat.
• Perhaps the dog was just fed up with monotonous food . You can slightly vary the diet by replacing the usual cereal with another, for example, give buckwheat instead of rice, or mix several types of cereals at the same time. But you can change not only porridge, but also types of meat. Beef can be alternated with mutton, horse meat, periodically replacing with boiled offal or fish. Vegetables can be offered to the dog not only boiled, but raw.

In general, by trial and error, it is possible, not to the detriment of the pet's health, to choose a better diet, which will be enjoyed by the pet.

What not to do

Having worried about the condition of the four-legged friend, the owner can rashly act rashly. What is unacceptable in the case when the dog refuses to eat:

• Under no circumstances should you force a dog to eat by using physical force. Sometimes the owners, not finding another option, begin to "poke" the animal in a bowl. Such an attitude is unacceptable.
• You can not try to rectify the situation, treating the dog all sorts of sweets. Firstly, it will further strengthen the pet's reluctance to eat familiar food. Secondly, adversely affect the health of a pet.
• In no case can not leave food for the night or all day in the hope that the dog will come to its senses and eat. If this is possible with food, the usual food may just spoil.

In any situation, a person should remember that a dog is also a living creature that can experience, experience stress , joy and other emotions that can distract her from everything else, including from eating.