Problems that Affect Your Dog’s Appetite

Gastrointestinal diseases—which affect the esophagus or stomach—can make eating uncomfortable. Causes include parasites, like roundworms, hookworms, and giardiasis; viruses, such as parvo; bacterial or fungal infections; ulcers; and food allergies. Look for the following symptoms: salivation, vomiting, diarrhea and general sluggishness.

Liver diseases cause the body to back up with waste and toxins, which ultimately affects the brain and dulls hunger. Common diseases include chronic hepatitis, liver cancer, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), and portosystemic shunt (a blood circulation issue). Symptoms include constipation, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, swollen belly, orange urine, increased drinking and urinating, yellowed skin, seizures, and occasionally, bleeding problems.

Kidney diseases affect your dog’s ability to filter out body wastes and regulate blood pressure. Loss of appetite is the main symptoms. Others include excessive drinking, frequent urinating (and maybe even urine leakage), vomiting, muscle weakness, and overall listlessness.

Pancreatic diseases decrease the production of digestive enzymes—juices that dissolve food into small pieces the intestine can absorb. If the pancreas is inflamed, those enzymes may actually digest the surrounding organs. This causes great discomfort, not to mention vomiting and lethargy. Pancreatic problems include pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), pancreatic tumors, diseases of the exocrine portion of the pancreas (related to the digestive enzymes), or diseases of the endocrine portion (related to the control of blood glucose).

Blood diseases, including leukemia (cancer of the blood), leukemia-related anemia, blood loss due to ulcers, and polycythemia (excessive red blood cells) can cause reduced appetite. Other symptoms include weakness and even occasional collapsing.

Dental problems, like periodontal disease can make chewing painful. If you notice your dog chewing on one side of his mouth only, that’s a sure sign. Other symptoms include bad breath, bleeding gums, irritability, and even vomiting or diarrhea.

Psychological issues may also affect your dog’s appetite. If you’ve recently moved somewhere new, introduced another pet into your home, or even switched your dog’s food, he may react by snubbing food for a while.

If It Seems Like a Simple Problem

If you don’t notice a string of alarming symptoms, don’t panic just yet! There are a few things you can do right away to encourage him to eat.

• Do a little research. Maybe someone is sneaking him extra treats during the day spoiling his appetite for meals.
• Empty out yesterday’s dish if he doesn’t empty it and replace it with fresh food. This way he’ll be more apt to dig in.
• Make sure you aren’t feeding him expired food, or try a different brand that might be more appealing.

If You Notice Serious Symptoms

If you suspect a serious problem may be the root of your dog’s decreased appetite, schedule an appointment with your vet. He’ll recommend:

• A specific treatment, like antibiotics, to address an underlying cause
• A supportive treatment, like fluid therapy, hand feeding, or appetite-stimulating drugs, to stimulate his appetite

To get to the root of the problem, ask yourself these questions:

Is there a medical problem or is he just being finicky?

Visit your vet to rule out diseases that cause appetite loss, like parvovirus, pancreatis, or kidney disease.

Do you feed him people food?

Your dog won’t be thrilled with a bowl of Kibble if you frequently toss him chunks of juicy meat. Make sure everyone in the house knows to stick to doggie treats—especially since certain people foods are harmful to dogs.

Has your dog been raiding the garbage?

If your dog gets his snout into some rotten or contaminated food this could cause serious digestive problems. Make sure your trash has a tight lid and keep it where Fido can’t get at it.

Are you teaching your dog to be picky?

When it comes to variety, dogs aren’t like people. Pick one type of food, see that your dog likes it, and stick with it instead of mixing things up; otherwise he may learn to hold out for other options when you feed him.

Have you created a consistent feeding schedule?

If you feed your dog at the same time every day, he’s more likely to get onboard with the program. Teach him that when the food comes out, he needs to eat by leaving it in front of him for 15 minutes and then taking it away.

Is your dog too distracted to eat?

Playing children, a blaring TV, a couple chatty neighbors—all these can make your dog feel anxious. Feed him in a peaceful area so he’ll feel comfortable and focus on the task at hand. (This is especially useful if you’ve recently brought your dog home from the shelter or moved to a new place since he’ll need time to feel safe in the new environment.)

Have you changed his food abruptly?

If you’d like to change your dog’s diet, make the change slowly by mixing the new and old food together over a week-long period. Start by replacing just a handful of the old food with the new food, and increase the percentage gradually.

Is it hot outside?

Dogs often eat less when it’s hotter out. So long as he’s getting 90 percent of the calories he consumed in the winter, he will be just fine.

Do you help your dog work up an appetite?

Maybe your inert dog isn’t hungry because he hasn’t expended any energy. Make sure to walk your dog frequently, or try some exercises alternatives.

You should find the problem once you get through this list. If you have another idea, add it to the comments! We’d love to know what’s worked for you.