Just like humans, a dog can lose their appetite when they’re feeling under the weather. One missed meal generally isn’t a cause for major concern, but if your furry friend continues to refuse food, it’s crucial to understand the underlying reasons and take appropriate action. Knowing what to feed a dog that’s not eating can make a significant difference in their recovery and overall well-being. This guide from Dog Care Story will walk you through common causes, when to seek veterinary help, and effective strategies to encourage your sick dog to eat. If your dog is being particularly picky or you’re looking for solutions for a fussy dog, explore more options here.
Why Your Dog Might Be Refusing Food
A dog’s loss of appetite, also known as anorexia, can stem from various physical and psychological factors. Understanding these common reasons is the first step in helping your canine companion feel better.
The most common reasons a dog will lose their appetite are:
- Illness: Many health conditions, from minor stomach upsets to more serious diseases, can reduce a dog’s desire to eat.
- Infection: Bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections can cause discomfort and lead to a lack of appetite.
- Disease: Chronic diseases affecting organs like the kidneys, liver, or heart can significantly impact a dog’s eating habits.
- Recovering from surgery: Anesthesia and post-operative pain can temporarily suppress appetite.
- Mourning a death: Dogs can experience grief and stress, which may lead to a temporary refusal of food.
- Aging: Older dogs may have a reduced sense of smell or taste, dental problems, or underlying health issues that decrease their appetite.
- Stress: Changes in environment, new pets, loud noises, or separation anxiety can cause stress, leading to a dog not eating.
When to Contact Your Veterinarian
While a temporary loss of appetite might not always be serious, certain accompanying symptoms warrant immediate veterinary attention. It’s always best to err on the side of caution when your dog’s health is concerned.
You should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for an examination and potential testing if your dog exhibits any of the following symptoms in conjunction with a loss of appetite:
- Vomiting
- Lethargy (unusual tiredness or sluggishness)
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Gagging
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Signs of dehydration
If your dog has gone 48 hours or more without eating or drinking, immediate veterinary care is essential.
Methods for Encouraging a Sick Dog to Eat
Sick lab on white couch
When your dog isn’t eating, it can be distressing for any pet owner. Fortunately, there are several different methods you can try to entice your sick dog to eat. Which method works best will depend on your individual dog, their personality, and the underlying cause of their lack of appetite. If the first method doesn’t work, don’t give up; keep trying new approaches until you find a solution that helps your dog start eating again. Patience and persistence are key.
Give Them Time
If your dog won’t eat, the first step is often to allow them some time. Healthy dogs can generally go for a day or two without eating anything, though they must stay hydrated. It’s normal for a dog to turn down one meal every once in a while; just like people, dogs aren’t always hungry. You may want to leave your dog’s food out for them to graze on throughout the day as they become hungry, ensuring it’s fresh and accessible.
Offer a Special Treat or Human Food
If your dog hasn’t been feeling well, you could try treating them with food they don’t normally get. Human food like plain, cooked chicken or even meat-based baby food can be so irresistible that your dog might be enticed to eat something. Start with a very small amount of human food to see if they will eat it. If not, try adding a bit more or mixing it in with their existing dry food to encourage them to eat their normal diet along with the treat. Just be sure not to overindulge your dog in these treats, as it can negatively affect their health, and always avoid what foods dogs can’t eat.
Try a Different Food Brand or Wet Food
If you typically feed your dog dry kibble and they are having a hard time eating, another brand or type of food may be a better fit. You could try a sample pack from the pet store to see if your dog likes a different dry food brand better than the one you’ve been buying. Alternatively, mixing in some wet food can often stimulate a dog’s appetite more than dry food, as it’s typically more palatable and fragrant.
Warm Up Their Food
Heating up your dog’s food increases its smell and palatability, which can be particularly helpful for sick dogs. When a dog is ill, their sense of smell and taste might be hindered. Food that has been warmed up will smell more fragrant, and this enhanced aroma can help entice your dog to eat it. The improved taste and scent can encourage your dog to continue eating after that first bite.
Add Broth to Their Food
Adding warm broth to your dog’s food not only helps with smell and palatability, similar to simply heating up their existing food, but it also adds additional flavor. If your dog isn’t used to getting broth and has become disenchanted with how their current food tastes, a savory broth may be just the thing to get them eating again. Ensure the broth is low in sodium and free from ingredients like onions or garlic, which are harmful to dogs. For more information on ingredients like what in onions is bad for dogs, check out our detailed guide.
Hand-Feed Your Dog
Owner handfeeding their dog
Sometimes, the simple act of hand-feeding individual pieces of your dog’s food can provide comfort to a pet who isn’t feeling well and encourage them to eat. This personalized attention can make a significant difference. This process may take a while, but hopefully, your dog will begin to eat out of their bowl after you’ve hand-fed them a couple of pieces and they feel more secure and less stressed.
Check Medication Instructions
Some medications can reduce a dog’s appetite. If your dog is currently on antibiotics or any other prescription medication, this could be the culprit behind their refusal to eat. Always make sure you carefully read all instructions provided with your dog’s medication. It’s often recommended to wait at least fifteen minutes after administering medication before offering your dog food. This waiting period ensures that the medicine has had time to reach and coat your dog’s stomach fully before any food arrives, potentially reducing stomach upset.
Allow Them to Eat Grass (with caution)
Two brown dachshunds eating grass
If your dog won’t eat its normal food but keeps trying to eat grass, you should generally let them. Eating grass can sometimes make your dog vomit, which may actually be a good thing if whatever is making your dog feel ill will be eased by expelling it. Your dog’s instincts may be leading it to eat grass for this purpose. Just make sure to keep your dog well-hydrated, as vomiting can lead to dehydration. However, if your dog vomits more than twice or eats grass every time they’re outside, that’s a clear sign that you should take your dog to the vet.
Stimulate Your Dog’s Appetite with Medication
If your dog has refused food for a prolonged period, or if they have a diagnosed health condition that suppresses appetite, your veterinarian can prescribe or recommend a medicinal appetite stimulant. There are various types of stimulants available; some work by reducing nausea, while others mimic the hormones that naturally make your dog feel hungry. This method will require you and your vet to first determine the precise reason your dog isn’t eating so that the correct stimulant can be administered effectively and safely.
Syringe Feeding
Force-feeding via a syringe is a more drastic measure and should only be considered if other methods haven’t worked and under veterinary guidance. If your dog hasn’t eaten in two days and your vet approves, you can try using a syringe to feed your dog liquids like broth or watered-down wet food. If your vet has recommended medication for your dog, you could also try feeding medicine to your dog using a syringe, ensuring they receive necessary treatment. We strongly recommend speaking to a vet before attempting this, as syringe feeding needs to be done correctly to avoid negative health effects such as aspiration pneumonia.
What Foods Should I Feed My Sick Dog?
When your dog is feeling unwell, certain foods are more appetizing and easier on their stomach than others. If your dog isn’t feeling well, there are some gentle yet nutritious options you can try.
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Wet Food
If your dog typically eats dry kibble, try introducing wet food. For many dogs, wet food is an exciting and highly palatable treat. As an added bonus, wet food has a higher water content, which can help keep your dog hydrated, an essential factor when they are sick and potentially not drinking enough water.
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Baby Food
Plain, meat-based baby food is easy to eat and can be quite tasty for dogs, making it a good option when they’re refusing other foods. Plus, it can be surprisingly nutritious. When selecting baby food, look for varieties that are meat-based, such as chicken, lamb, or turkey, and critically, ensure they do not contain onion or garlic powder, which are toxic to dogs.
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Bone Broth
Bone broth is exceptionally mild, yet highly nutritious, and generally sits very well in an upset stomach. If your dog hasn’t been eating and has a suppressed appetite, bone broth can be an excellent way to provide them with some essential nutrients and hydration without overwhelming their digestive system. Ensure it’s plain and unsalted.
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Chicken Broth
Similar to bone broth, plain chicken broth will not only taste appealing to your dog but will also be gentle on their stomach. If the cause of your dog’s loss of appetite is an upset stomach, a warm, unseasoned chicken broth can be a comforting and easy-to-digest food to try. Again, ensure it is low in sodium and free of harmful ingredients like onion or garlic.
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Shredded Chicken
Plain, boiled, and shredded chicken is easy for dogs with upset stomachs to digest and can be a strong incentive for your dog to eat something. Dogs typically love chicken, and as long as it’s unseasoned (seasonings can further upset a dog’s stomach) and cut into small, manageable pieces, it can be a good, protein-rich option for a sick dog.
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Chicken and Rice
A bland diet of plain, boiled chicken and white rice is often recommended by veterinarians for dogs with digestive issues. This combination is found as ingredients in most dog foods and is bland enough to be easy on an upset stomach, provided you don’t season it. Make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked (by boiling it) and that it’s cut up into small enough pieces that it’s easy for your dog to eat, along with plain white rice, not brown, which has more fiber and can be harder to digest for an upset stomach.
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Pumpkin
Pure canned pumpkin (not pie filling) is excellent for your dog’s digestion due to its high fiber content and a variety of vitamins, including iron, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Feed your dog a small amount (around four tablespoons for a medium dog) of unseasoned canned pumpkin. It’s crucial to avoid pumpkin pie filling because the added sugars, spices, and other seasonings can further upset your dog’s stomach and may contain toxic ingredients.
Healthy Human Foods Your Dog Can Eat (with Vet Approval)
While dog foods are formulated to provide all the necessary nutrients, there are some “human” foods that can be very healthy for dogs when given in moderation and prepared correctly. Always consult with your veterinarian before introducing any new foods into your dog’s diet, especially when they are sick. For a comprehensive list of what human foods dogs can eat, refer to our guide on what human food that dogs can eat.
Here are a few healthy options:
- Cooked eggs: A good source of calcium, antioxidants, protein, and several vitamins. Ensure they are fully cooked to eliminate the risk of salmonella.
- Omega-3s: Often found in fish oil supplements, these are excellent for dog joint health, skin, and coat.
- Mushrooms: Some varieties of mushrooms, especially store-bought ones, are filled with vitamins and nutrients that can be beneficial for your dog. However, never feed wild mushrooms, as many are highly toxic.
The Critical Importance of Water
When your dog is sick and refusing food, it’s easy to focus solely on their food intake and potentially overlook the importance of water. However, water intake is arguably even more critical than food intake. If your dog refuses to eat, in the meantime, you’ll want to strongly encourage water consumption to help keep them hydrated.
Dogs are naturally able to go longer without food, but their tolerance for not drinking water is much less. At most, a dog can go three days without water intake, but can survive for five to seven days or more without food. Realistically, you don’t want to test your dog’s limits. It’s vital to encourage drinking without forcing your dog, as this can lead to aspiration pneumonia, a serious lung condition. Seek immediate medical attention if your dog is not eating or drinking for 48 hours or more.
How to Encourage Water Intake
If your dog is not showing any interest in their water bowl, try these tricks to encourage them to drink again:
- Give your dog an ice cube to lick: Many dogs find ice cubes appealing, and they can be a gentle way to get some fluids into them.
- Offer water on your fingers: Sometimes, the direct contact of water from your fingers can entice a reluctant dog to drink.
- Offer Pedialyte: Only if recommended and approved by your veterinarian. Pedialyte can help replenish electrolytes, but it must be veterinarian-approved.
- Add ice to your dog’s water bowl: The coolness and novelty of ice can sometimes make water more appealing.
- Provide multiple water sources: Place fresh water bowls in different locations around the house.
Signs of Dehydration
Keep a close eye on your dog for any signs of dehydration, as this can quickly become a serious condition. These are the most common symptoms of dehydration to familiarize yourself with:
- Loss of appetite
- Panting
- Lethargy
- Loss of skin elasticity (skin tenting when gently pinched)
- Dry and sticky gums
- Dry nose
- Dry-looking, sunken eyes
Seek immediate veterinary attention for your pet if they are showing signs of dehydration. Your veterinarian will be able to provide subcutaneous fluids to help rehydrate them while also treating the original cause of their sickness.
What Not to Feed a Dog When They’re Sick
If your dog is sick, you absolutely shouldn’t feed them anything too rich or unfamiliar. Sometimes, dogs can become ill from eating too many rich foods or human scraps. If you tend to treat your dog frequently with human food, you should cut back on the number of treats you give them, especially if they are already feeling unwell.
Your dog may also be feeling under the weather due to something they’ve previously consumed. If your dog is already sick, double-check that they haven’t had access to any of the following foods, which are commonly toxic or harmful to dogs. For a complete overview, see our list of what foods dogs should not eat.
| Don’t Feed Your Dog: | Because… |
|---|---|
| Xylitol | It can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and liver failure |
| Avocado | Avocado seeds can cause an obstruction, and the fruit itself can cause illness in large amounts |
| Grapes or Raisins | They can cause kidney failure, even in small amounts |
| Caffeine | It can be fatal, affecting the heart and nervous system |
| Onions or Garlic | They can cause anemia or poisoning by damaging red blood cells |
| Alcohol | It can cause vomiting, breathing problems, disorientation, and potentially death |
| Milk or Other Dairy | Many dogs are lactose intolerant, leading to diarrhea and digestive problems |
| Human Medication | It can cause illness and potentially death, even common over-the-counter drugs |
| Chocolate | It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, and potentially death |
| Sugar | Sugary foods can cause weight gain, dental problems, and diabetes |
| Macadamia Nuts | It can cause muscle shakes, vomiting, weakness, and other symptoms |
| Raw Eggs | There’s a risk of salmonella or E. coli bacteria |
| Raw Fish or Meat | There’s a risk of parasites and bacterial infections |
| Uncooked Yeast Dough | It can rise in your dog’s stomach, causing bloating and potentially alcohol poisoning |
| Fat Trimmings | They can cause pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas |
| Spices, Baking Powder, or Baking Soda | They can be toxic to dogs, causing digestive upset or more severe issues |
| Bones | They can cause choking, splinter and cut your dog’s digestive system, or cause impactions |
| Fruits with Seeds or Pits | Seeds and pits can cause digestive problems or may contain cyanide, which is poisonous |
| Salt | Too much salt can dehydrate a dog and lead to sodium ion poisoning |
Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding a Sick Dog
Golden retriever laying on bed
Here are answers to some common questions dog owners have when their pet isn’t eating.
When Shouldn’t I Feed My Sick Dog?
If your dog has been vomiting or has diarrhea, it is generally recommended to wait at least twelve hours after the last episode before attempting to feed them again. Feeding your dog too soon after vomiting or diarrhea can upset their stomach further and potentially lead to more vomiting. If vomiting or diarrhea persists for two days or more, it’s crucial to take your dog to the vet immediately.
How Much Should I Feed My Sick Dog?
The amount you should feed your dog when they’re sick depends on the individual dog, their size, their usual caloric intake, and the type of sickness. It’s always best to consult with your veterinarian to get specific guidance to ensure you’re feeding your dog enough, but also let your dog guide you. Offer small, frequent meals rather than large ones. If your dog will eat some, but then refuses food again, try waiting a while before offering food again.
Do Sick Dogs Lose Their Sense of Smell?
Smell is often considered the most powerful of a dog’s senses, and a variety of factors can influence it. Allergies and infections (especially respiratory ones) can definitely affect the sense of smell, as can old age. If the dog’s nose is dry, that can also decrease their sense of smell. While illness on its own doesn’t necessarily affect it, many conditions that cause a dog to lose appetite can also impact their ability to smell, making food less appealing.
What Else Can I Do to Help My Dog?
Beyond food and water, ensuring your dog is comfortable is paramount. Make sure they’ve got a comfortable, clean, and quiet bed to rest on. Take your dog for short, gentle walks if they’re feeling up to it, as fresh air and a change of scenery can sometimes help. And crucially, try not to let your dog see that you’re nervous or overly worried – they are incredibly perceptive and can pick up on human feelings, becoming stressed themselves if you are. Staying calm and reassuring can positively impact their recovery.
How Long Can a Dog Go Without Food?
Dogs can usually go three to five days without food, however, this is not ideal, and it’s certainly not recommended to test this limit. If your dog has gone two days without food, it is highly recommended you call a veterinarian if you haven’t already. More important than your dog eating is their water intake. If you can’t encourage your dog to eat, prioritize convincing them to drink water (without forcing them to drink, to avoid aspiration).
Should I Feed My Dog After They Throw Up?
It is generally best to withhold food from your dog for a few hours (at least 6-12 hours) after they throw up. This allows you time to observe your dog’s behavior, see if they exhibit any other concerning symptoms, or continue vomiting. Always ensure you have fresh water available to your dog even after they vomit, as staying hydrated is crucial. Offer small amounts of water frequently.
Should You Force-Feed a Sick Dog?
Tech force-feeding dog
Force-feeding using a syringe should only be done if it has been more than 48 hours since your dog ate, and only after your veterinarian has examined your pet and explicitly determined that force-feeding is appropriate and necessary. It is crucial that you know how to force-feed your pet safely to prevent aspiration. Your veterinarian will be able to demonstrate how this is done correctly during an examination, ensuring you understand the technique and the types of liquid food suitable for this method.
What to Do After 48 Hours
If your dog is still refusing food after 48 hours, it is critical to seek out immediate veterinary care. At this point, the risk of dehydration, malnutrition, and worsening underlying conditions becomes very high. An expert team of veterinary professionals can thoroughly diagnose and treat your furry friend before their condition deteriorates further, providing the necessary medical interventions to help them recover.
