My dog won't eat. When to worry & how long do Boxadors live?

Poor Stryker! It definitely sounds like something is wrong. In a young dog like this (especially a Lab!), one thing that I worry about if she hasn't eaten in several days is that she may have an intestinal blockage due to something she swallowed. It's also possible that she has an illness or infection of some kind, dental pain or something wrong with her mouth, or may have ingested something toxic. Since it's been multiple days now that she isn't eating, I would definitely recommend taking her to the vet for an exam as soon as you can. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.

Hello there. That is a good question! Sorry to hear that Jax is not feeling well. You should definitely be concerned. It is really not normal for a puppy to not want to eat. One meal......not a huge deal but if this continues for more than 12 hours or if he starts vomiting, is very lethargic, begins having diarrhea or otherwise acts abnormal then you need to take him to your vet immediately! This can be an early sign of something more serious. Puppies can go from bad to worse quickly so you don't want to wait to long to get them medical help if they need it. I hope that a Boxer puppy at 8 weeks of age weighs more than 3 pounds so I hope that is a typo or I definitely think he is not getting enough food.... Jax will need to be seen by a vet at 12 weeks of age for vaccine boosters, a fecal test and dewormer so be sure to make that appointment. You don't want him to miss out on that - it is very important. I hope this was helpful. Best wishes to you and Jax. Dr. Amber

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Bruno is acting fine, I would continue to monitor him for another day. If he isn’t vomiting or having diarrhea and he isn’t lethargic, I am not concerned about the short time he hasn’t eaten. Dogs can go several days without eating and be ok. I would leave him alone and offer him another meal at the next feeding time. If he still won’t eat in 24 hours, or he is vomiting or having diarrhea, I would contact a vet. Good luck and kisses to Bruno!

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Bear has not been eating. Since it has been more than a day that Bear has not eaten, I recommend taking him to the vet. It could be anything from not liking his original food, to an upset stomach, to something more serious like pancreatitis, a foreign object, oral pain etc. Your vet can perform a full physical exam and decide if additional diagnostics are warranted at that time (blood work, fecal testing, radiographs). If Bear has any vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy- I would recommend taking Bear in sooner to the vet.

An adult dog that has no other medical conditions can usually go for 12-24 hours without eating as long as he is still drinking water and is alert. He may just have a bit of an [upset stomach](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-treat-your-dogs-upset-stomach) from something he ate (that he wasn't supposed to) or he could have a touch of gastrointestinal infection. Continue to monitor him. If his symptoms worsen - he stops drinking, becomes lethargic, develops a fever, or begins [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/article/vomiting-in-dogs) or has [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/diarrhea-in-dogs), then you should [contact your veterinarian](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-handle-a-pet-emergency/).

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! His current anorexia is likely why he has not been defecating. Anorexia for 3 days is concerning given the possible diseases that could be causing it such as pancreatitis, foreign body ingestion, inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases and even cancer, especially in an older dog. I highly recommend that you have Batista evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment of this. Diagnostic tests are likely to include bloodwork and abdominal radiographs though other tests may be recommended based on the physical examination findings. You may try to offer Batista a palatable diet including things like boiled chicken, ground beef and white rice to entice his appetite though it is extremely important to figure out what is causing it to be able to help him. Keep water available at all times to prevent dehydration. Good luck with your boy! Will keep my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Rocco! I do not think him being neutered 6 months ago has anything to do with a poor appetite and lethargy. the heat can make dogs slow down but it doesn't make Labs not eat! Labs love food. I am worried and recommend you have him seen by your Vet for an exam, blood work and belly X-rays. Possible causes are: kidney problems secondary to Lyme disease (huge issue in US with labs, even young ones), ate something causing a blockage, cancer and many other things. I would take him in since it has been a few weeks. I wish you the best!