My dog won't eat his food... why and what can I do about it?

Nov 21, 2023

If your beloved dog, who always ate his food with gusto, suddenly stops eating, you may be worried that he is sick.

Why won't he eat? We will introduce possible reasons and what you can do to deal with the situation. Observe your dog carefully and find out the reason!

Bow Wow Place offers a wide variety of foods that contain the nutrients your dog needs to stay healthy. We hope you will use the correct information to help maintain your dog's health!

1. Why has my dog stopped eating?

Have you ever had the experience of your beloved dog suddenly stopping eating?

If your dog, who always looks forward to mealtime and eats up all his food, suddenly loses his appetite, it may be a sign that he is not feeling well. There are four main reasons why your dog might not be eating:

■ Illness

■ Stress

■ Aging

■Others, such as rice not agreeing with the food

Do they drink water? Do they eat snacks or other things besides rice?

Check your dog's condition, such as how many days it has been without food, whether it has vomiting or diarrhea, and whether it has been stressed or tired, such as being left alone at home a lot, and whether it is possible that it is suffering from summer fatigue or heat stroke.

2. What symptoms should I look out for? What can I do?

Let's take a look at the symptoms and countermeasures of illness, stress, and aging.

◆ Illness

When your dog doesn't eat, the thing you worry about the most is illness. Noticing abnormalities early will lead to early detection of illness. If your dog shows the following symptoms, you should be careful.

Don't drink water

If your pet refuses to eat or drink anything, it is likely that it is ill. Severe periodontal disease or other oral abnormalities can also mean that your pet will not eat anything, so be sure to check its mouth.

Vomiting

If your child is vomiting even though they have not eaten, you should be careful. It is difficult to determine whether the vomit is gastric juice or bile, but taking notes on the color and condition of the vomit or taking a photo of it with your smartphone will be helpful during the examination.

You have diarrhea.

If your pet has diarrhea, just like with vomiting, you should check the color and condition of their stool.

●Lack of energy, lethargy

If your normally energetic dog starts to stop eating, doesn't come when called, hides behind furniture or in corners of the room, or seems listless and dazed, it could be that he has some kind of illness, fever, or is in pain, so be careful.

If your pet is in good health and is pooping and peeing normally, but is eating inconsistently, or is leaving a little bit of food instead of eating everything, then it's probably okay to wait 2-3 days to see how it goes.

However, if you suspect your pet is ill due to symptoms such as "not eating any food" or "lack of energy," do not make a self-diagnosis but consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Stress

When you are stressed, you may stop eating.
It is important for owners to quickly notice signs of stress-related loss of appetite. Let's take a look at some possible causes.

Changes in the environment

There have been changes in living circumstances, such as an increase in family members or pets living together, or moving.

Lack of communication

They feel lonely due to lack of communication with their owners, such as being left at home alone often and having little time for walks and interaction.

New Stimuli

I was able to experience new and exciting things, such as traveling to unfamiliar places and meeting other dogs.

Separated from owner

Pets were separated from their owners or placed in small cages when they were looked after at pet hotels, hospitalized at veterinary clinics, or visited pet salons.

If your child is not eating due to stress, first find out the cause and help them relieve stress!

Try to spend as much time communicating with your dog as possible, such as leaving him alone for as little time as possible, spending more time playing with him, and taking him on fun walks.

Aging

As muscle strength declines with age, the distance you can walk becomes shorter and you lose weight.

It is natural for older dogs to eat less food as they need less exercise, their daily calorie intake decreases, and their metabolism and digestive function slows down.

As muscle strength declines, it becomes difficult to maintain an eating posture, and people may stop eating as usual.

However, it may also be due to illness, so be sure to keep a close eye on your pet on a daily basis.

If your dog's appetite has decreased due to aging, you may be able to get him to eat more by changing the way you feed him, such as warming up his usual dog food to enhance the aroma or giving him soft meals.

If you can't eat a lot, it's also recommended to eat smaller portions and improve the quality of your meals.

It's also important not to be too concerned about meal times, but to give your baby small amounts of food at the times he or she wants to eat, while watching their reaction.

To prevent your dog from choking, use a food bowl stand that is adjusted to its height and allow it to eat while standing without lowering its head. If your dog has weakened and is bedridden and needs assistance eating, use a cushion to raise its head and feed it from the food bowl, or use a silicone spoon to put small amounts of food into its mouth.

Dog won't eat

3. Recommended Food

Let's take a look at foods that can be introduced to your dog when he or she stops eating. These foods are easy to introduce to your dog to deal with a temporary loss of appetite or when your dog has become picky.

◆ NOW FRESH Grain Free

NOW FRESH uses only fresh raw meat and fish - turkey, duck and salmon - as its primary protein source, with no dried meat powders or by-products.

They are particular about the oils they use, and only use 100% fresh oils such as coconut oil and canola oil. They also use three kinds of berries that contain large amounts of natural compounds called phytochemicals that are good for your health, and more than 10 kinds of nutritious fresh vegetables and fruits.

Digestive enzymes and good bacteria are gentle on the stomach and support healthy digestion and absorption. Contains glucosamine and chondroitin found in green mussels, which are good for joint health, and L-carnitine, which is good for heart health and fat burning. Grain-free, so it is also suitable for dogs who have difficulty digesting grains.

There are also extra-small pellet types, such as Small Breed, which are easy for small dogs with small mouths to eat, and are recommended for companions over the age of 7, whose internal organs and digestive functions begin to decline.

*For more information about NOW FRESH, click here

What is NOW FRESH, grain-free food made with fresh ingredients?

◆ Yum Yum Yum! series

Yum Yum Yum! is a dog food created with the aim of bringing happiness to families with delicious meals every day. In order to help your dog live a healthy life, we pursue the same level of quality as human food, and we are particular about creating food that is so delicious you can actually smell the aroma of the ingredients.

The main ingredients are meat and fish, with bonito flakes, tuna flakes, and Japanese dashi umami ingredients such as domestic kelp and shiitake mushrooms. The synergistic effect of umami brings out the flavor of the ingredients, and we select domestic ingredients whenever possible, carefully selecting safe, fresh, and delicious ingredients from contracted farmers we know personally. Of course, no colorings or flavorings are used. Another feature is that the ingredients are not oil-coated in order to preserve the natural flavor of the ingredients.

There are three types of soft dry snacks (chicken, tuna, and horse meat) that are suitable for all ages. They are small and easy to eat while still maintaining a moist and soft texture.

*For more information about yum yum yum!, click here

What is Yum Yum Yum!, the additive-free domestic premium food?

◆ HERRMANN'S

Dog food Hermann
In Germany, where HERRMANN'S is produced, dogs and cats enjoy nutritionally balanced meals made from a variety of ingredients every day.

Based on the idea that "feeding dogs a variety of foods" leads to happiness, a wide variety of menus are prepared to make your dog's mealtimes enjoyable, including dishes that make generous use of high-quality organic meat, vegetables, fruit, and herbs, as well as dishes that are just meat or just fish.
It is 100% additive-free, with no chemical pesticides, fertilizers, preservatives, colorings, or other additives used, and no hormones or antibiotics are used on the animals used as raw materials.

This is a product that is easy to choose according to your dog's preferences. You can rotate the flavors on a daily basis to enjoy a variety of different flavors, so it's a recommended treat with a wide variety! With a wide variety of flavors, it seems like it will be suitable for dogs who get tired of certain flavors easily.

*For more information about HERRMANN'S, click here

What is HERRMANN'S, the completely additive-free and organic food company?

However, please note that these products we have introduced are merely food products and we cannot guarantee that they will provide any protection.

summary

This time, we explained the reasons why your dog stops eating and what dog foods are recommended to help deal with the situation.

At Bow Wow Place, we offer a wide range of additive-free, safe and secure dog food.

Get 2% points back when shopping at Bow Wow Place!

If you are looking for a safe place to dine with your partner, please check out Bow Wow Place.

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My dog won't eat his food... why and what can I do about it?

1. Why has my dog stopped eating?