My dog is not eating, what should I do?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
If an adult dog skips a meal but is bright, drinking and toileting normally, offer its usual food at the next mealtime and watch. Call your vet if it has not eaten for more than a day, or sooner if not eating comes with vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, pain or a swollen belly. Puppies and unvaccinated dogs should see a vet the same day.
Vets first ask whether the dog does not want food or wants to eat but cannot, because mouth pain looks very different from illness. Heat, stress and a new place often dull appetite for a day; do not hide a longer problem by switching foods or adding treats.
When does a dog not eating need a vet now?
Not eating plus any of these is a reason to call a vet today, not to wait and see.
If Retching with nothing coming up, a swollen belly, restlessness
Go to the nearest 24-hour vet immediately. AKC says any sign of bloat should be treated as an extreme emergency. American Kennel Club
If A puppy or unvaccinated dog that is quiet, off food or vomiting
See a vet today. Cornell says lethargy, poor appetite and vomiting are usually the first signs of parvovirus, which most dogs do not survive without treatment. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
If Repeated vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, a painful belly, or two or more signs together
See a vet the same day, as AKC advises for a possible blockage. American Kennel Club
If Lethargy, collapse, sticky gums or sunken eyes
See a vet urgently. PDSA lists these, including the signs of dehydration, as red flags. PDSA
If Not eating after it may have swallowed a toy, sock, bone, mango seed or poison
Call your vet now. AKC says there are no home remedies for obstructions, and a true blockage rarely gets better on its own. American Kennel Club
If Pale or yellow gums, or red or brown urine, after ticks
Go to a vet now: TroCCAP lists these among the signs of babesiosis, a form of tick fever. Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
How long can a dog go without eating before you call the vet?
There is no single safe number of days. It depends on the dog and on what else you see.
If An adult dog skips one meal, but is bright, drinking and toileting as usual
Watch. Offer the normal food at the next mealtime and note whether it eats. American Kennel Club
If An adult dog has not eaten for more than a day, or it is very unusual for this dog
Call your vet. AKC treats appetite loss that lasts more than a day as a reason for a vet visit. American Kennel Club
If A dog in a new place, such as boarding or a new home, eats little for the first day
Common at first: Texas A&M says many animals do not eat for the first 12 to 24 hours somewhere new. Call the vet if it lasts longer or other signs appear. Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine
If A puppy, an unvaccinated dog, or a dog with a known illness such as diabetes or kidney disease
Call your vet the same day; do not wait a day to see. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
If Not eating with vomiting, diarrhoea, pain, lethargy or a swollen belly
Vet today, or now if the belly is swollen or the dog is retching. Signs your pet needs a vet now PDSA
Does my dog not want to eat, or can it not eat?
This is the first thing a vet works out, and you can help by watching closely.
VCA Animal Hospitals separates true anorexia, where a dog is not interested in food, from pseudo-anorexia, where a dog is hungry but cannot eat because picking up, chewing or swallowing food hurts or is difficult. A dog that walks to the bowl, sniffs, tries to chew and then drops the food, or chews on one side, may have a mouth problem rather than a stomach problem.
VCA lists the causes of pseudo-anorexia as inflammation of the mouth or throat, advanced dental disease, pain in the jaw or chewing muscles, salivary gland disease, oral tumours, nerve problems and pain elsewhere in the body. Look in the mouth only if your dog is calm about it: broken teeth, red gums, a bad smell, drooling or something stuck between the teeth are all worth telling your vet.
Why do dogs stop eating?
VCA groups the causes of true loss of appetite as below. Many have nothing to do with the stomach.
| Cause | What you might notice | What helps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stress or a change of routine VCA Animal Hospitals | A move, a new pet or baby, the owner travelling, Diwali crackers | Calm routine; vet if it lasts more than a day | |
| High heat VCA Animal Hospitals | Eating less on hot afternoons in an Indian summer | Feed in the cooler morning and evening, keep water available; vet if the dog is dull | |
| Nausea or a tummy upset Merck Veterinary Manual | Drooling, vomiting or diarrhoea alongside the poor appetite | Vet if it continues or other signs appear | |
| Pancreatitis PDSA | Not eating, vomiting, hunched or 'prayer' posture after fatty food | Vet as soon as possible | |
| Infection, organ disease, poisoning, pain or medicine side effects VCA Animal Hospitals | Any loss of appetite with fever, weight loss, drinking more, or after a new medicine | Vet, with tests |
What can you do at home, and what should you avoid?
Only for a bright, otherwise well adult dog with none of the warning signs.
Do
- Keep fresh water available and check your dog is drinking and passing urine. PDSA
- Offer the usual food at normal mealtimes, in a quiet spot away from other pets. VCA Animal Hospitals
- Warm wet food to body temperature: VCA notes that warming food can make it more appealing. VCA Animal Hospitals
Don’t
- Give appetite boosters, antacids or other human medicines. Any medicine is your vet's decision. VCA Animal Hospitals
- Tempt your dog with fatty foods such as ghee, butter, cheese or rich festive sweets: PDSA links high-fat food with pancreatitis. PDSA
- Offer onion, garlic, grapes or chocolate in the hope of getting your dog to eat; they are toxic to dogs. ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Keep switching brands day after day; a sudden change of food can itself upset the stomach. PDSA
- Wait days for a puppy to eat; take it to a vet the same day. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
What will the vet do?
VCA describes the first step as a detailed history to tell true anorexia from pseudo-anorexia, then a full physical examination including the mouth. Depending on what the vet finds, tests can include blood counts, blood chemistry and electrolytes, X-rays or ultrasound, and sometimes endoscopy or a biopsy.
Treatment depends on the cause. VCA says a dehydrated dog may need fluids through a drip, nausea is treated, and a dog that cannot eat enough may need a temporary feeding tube.
What does a Petym sitter do if a dog stops eating?
A Petym sitter follows your dog's feeding plan as you write it, logs every meal as it happens and sends a daily photo update, so a missed meal is noticed and you hear about it the same day. If your dog shows a warning sign, the sitter calls you and takes your dog to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
My dog is not eating but drinking water. Should I worry?
- Drinking is a good sign, but it does not rule out illness. If your dog is bright and has missed only one meal, watch and offer food at the next mealtime. If it has not eaten for more than a day, or seems dull, vomits or has diarrhoea, call your vet.
Why is my dog not eating in the summer heat?
- VCA lists high heat among the causes of reduced appetite in dogs. Feed in the cooler early morning and evening, keep fresh water available and avoid midday walks. A dog that is dull, panting heavily or refusing water in the heat needs a vet, because heatstroke is an emergency.
My dog is not eating since I went on holiday. Is that normal?
- Many dogs eat less for the first day after a change of routine or place: Texas A&M says not eating for the first 12 to 24 hours somewhere new is common. If your dog still is not eating after a day, or shows vomiting, diarrhoea or lethargy, the carer should call your vet.
Can I give my dog an appetite medicine from the chemist?
- No. Do not give any human medicine to a dog without your vet's advice. VCA notes that vets sometimes prescribe short-term appetite stimulants, but only after examining the dog and looking for the cause, because the medicine does not treat the reason the dog stopped eating.
My puppy is not eating. What should I do?
- Take your puppy to a vet the same day, especially if it is not fully vaccinated. Cornell says lethargy, poor appetite and vomiting are usually the first signs of parvovirus, which mostly affects puppies of about 6 weeks to 6 months, and that early treatment improves the chances of recovery.
Keep reading
- Signs your pet needs a vet nowThe red flags that cannot wait until morning.
- Dog behaviour after you returnAppetite, sleep and tummy upsets after a trip.
- Heatstroke in dogs
- Indian foods dogs can eat
- Pet first aid basics
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Anorexia in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- American Kennel Club: Intestinal blockage in dogs: signs, symptoms, treatments (opens in a new tab)
- Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine: Planning ahead: reducing stress when boarding your pet (opens in a new tab)
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Parvovirus: transmission to treatment (Riney Canine Health Center) (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Vomiting in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Pancreatitis in dogs (opens in a new tab)
Show all 11 sourcesShow fewer
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders of the stomach and intestines in dogs (dog owners) (opens in a new tab)
- Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites: Canine guidelines: Babesia (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: What to do in a dog or cat emergency (opens in a new tab)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: People foods to avoid feeding your pets (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Diarrhoea after a change of food (opens in a new tab)