Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog isn't eating. What are common reasons for dog appetite loss?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Husky | Female | unspayed | 6 months and 26 days old | 33 lbs

Our dog is not eating well for the past week and we are worried about her. What could be the reason behind it?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on March 9, 2018

I am sorry to hear that Sansa isn’t feeling well. There can be many reasons for a decrease in appetite. However, in a young dog I worry about things like intestinal foreign objects, intestinal parasites, congenital kidney disease, and even more rare would be an infection of the uterus . I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on December 18, 2017
Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lovely is adorable! At times, decreased appetite in dogs can resolve on its own. However, it can also be caused by foreign bodies, intestinal parasites, pancreatitis, or even toxin ingestion. I recommend keeping a close eye on Lovely, and having her seen by a vet as soon as possible. She should be seen sooner if you notice she is not acting like herself, or is vomiting/having diarrhea. Your vet can perform some bloodwork and x-rays to determine what is going on. I hope all is well with Lovely!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on April 2, 2018
There are many many issues that can cause decreased appetite. I would recommend offering her a few different types of food, including a wet food, but if she hasn't eaten in over 24 hours, she needs to go to your vet for evaluation. Best of luck to you and Sise
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on October 7, 2018
I am sorry to hear about Zoey. Any time we have a significant decrease in appetite that lasts longer than a day or two this is of concern and can indicate an underlying health problem, which can range from primary gastrointestinal issues, to problems with liver or kidneys, infections, and more. I would recommend bringing Zoey into the vet for an examination. They will examine her and may recommend testing such as bloodwork or x-ray to look for underlying causes of her decrease in appetite.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My dog won't eat and is losing weight, but seems happy. What's wrong?

I am sorry to hear that Jengo isn’t feeling well. Being a young dog the possible causes that come to mind would be things like intestinal parasites, intestinal foreign objects, congenital organ disease such as the kidneys, diaphragmatic hernia, or even a liver shunt. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. An x-ray, fecal exam, and blood work may be recommended to help determine the diagnosis and the best treatment plan. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My dog acts normal, won't eat her food, but eats human food. Why?

I am sorry to hear that Camila is not eating and I can see why you are concerned as am I. It is great that she is acting normal and playful but as most dogs are very food motivated a decreased appetite is their way of telling us they don't feel like themselves. Decreased appetite is unfortunately a very common symptom for many different problems, some more serious then others. It can be from something going on with the GI tract itself or any other body system (other organs). Is there anything she could have eaten that she was not supposed to (got in to the trash, chewed up toys)? What I would recommend is that Camila have a visit to a veterinarian for an examination. More than likely they will also want to check some lab work to look at her organ function and potentially take some x-rays. Based on these results they may prescribe some medication or may recommend additional testing to investigate her decreased appetite further. I hope she is feeling better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23, 2025

My puppy suddenly won't eat or play. What's wrong? Is she sick?

I’m so sorry Lilith isn’t feeling herself. Has she had any vomiting or diarrhea? Coughing or sneezing? Has she been vaccinated yet? These are all things I think about with a young puppy not feeling well. I worry about infectious diseases most often at this age, such as parvovirus, distemper, or parasites. They also become dehydrated very quickly. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. In the meantime you might be able to entice her appetite with a small amount of boiled chicken and rice. Best of luck and I hope she is back to normal soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Why is my 7-year-old unspayed female dog refusing to eat?

Hi there! I'm so sorry poppy isn't feeling well. Given her signs, and that she isn't spayed, she does run the risk of having a pyometra, which is an infection of the uterus. This can become very, very serious if left untreated, so I would have her examined by your veterinarian right away. Aside from the above, which would be at the top of my list until proven otherwise, Poppy is 7 years old. This makes her a senior dog. She should have blood tests to check not only for a pyometra, but for other illnesses such as diabetes, or kidney disease, for example, that may cause her decreased appetite. Good luck!

Updated on September 23, 2025

Training & Behavior

My active dog suddenly won't eat but drinks water. What's wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Max evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Updated on September 23, 2025

My dog won't eat. What are common reasons for a dog's poor appetite?

Inappetence can be a sign of something quite serious especially if it is accompanied by lethargy, vomiting or diarrhea. If it has been more than 48 hours since Digby ate, a trip to the veterinarian tomorrow morning is warranted. Good luck! I hope Digby is feeling better soon.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Why is my 11-week puppy lethargic, not eating, and peeing herself?

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Based on your description this could be a number of things. She is a large breed growing puppy so they often go through spurts of sleepiness where they may not eat as much of their food. With that said, this should then be followed by a spurt of activeness and engorging in her food, within a 24 hr period. If she is lethargic and not eating well for more than a day, then she may have an infection and should be checked out by your vet asap. Pets also don't often pee on themselves, even at this age. This concerns me for a possible urinary tract infection, which causes her to have an inflamed bladder, which then causes her to not be able to pee in a designated area. At almost 3 months of age though, she may still be potty training. At any rate, it is best to get her seen with such vague symptoms, just to make sure she doesn't have an infection and to get her treated right away if there is one present. I hope that your fur baby Sansa feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share