Author Topic: What could cause a dog to not want to eat?  (Read 4806 times)

Offline shangrila

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What could cause a dog to not want to eat?
« on: August 22, 2005, 02:38:42 pm »
I have been out of town for a week and Dan called me today to tell me that Zoey has refused to eat for the past 24 hours. This concerns me alot because she has never been reluctant to eat - even when she has been sick in the past she has still wanted to eat what we give her. The last time I can remember her poassing on a meal was when she was a teething baby and had a hard time chewing.

Here is my question: what are the possible causes of her not wanting to eat? Obviously an upset tummy is one (Dan did admit he let her have a peice of pizza  >:( ) but he says she is drinking and pooping normally, and I think she would have diahrea if that was the problem. Heat is another, but she sits in the air conditioning pretty much all day. Inactivity might reduce her appetite, but Dan has been taking her out on walks like usual.  The only other thing I can think of is that she might be depressed because I have been gone for so long she probably thinks I'm dead. Am I missing anything?

I am worried about her and I won't be home until thursday to take care of her myself. I told Dan to give her a pepto incase it is an upset tummy and if she still won't eat at dinner I am going to tell him to cook up some hamburger (she has never turned down hot meat so I will be really worried if she refuses even that). Any other suggestions for what I should tell him to do?
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lins_saving_grace

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Re: What could cause a dog to not want to eat?
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2005, 02:40:05 pm »
my vet told me that it's natural for dogs to not eat when something is wrong and natural for us to insist they eat anyway. 
Might be something that just needs to run its course.    Hopefully!

Kiahpyr

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Re: What could cause a dog to not want to eat?
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2005, 02:51:10 pm »
I went on vacation and unfortunately I couldn't bring Kiah. I left her with a friend of mine and Kiah barely ate her food. It was like she ate enough not to be starving. I was gone for four days. When I got home she ate normally again. I think they're like kids in this way. Vet said it was normal and not to worry unless she was acting lathargic (spelling?) and not drinking anything.

Offline brigid67

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Re: What could cause a dog to not want to eat?
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2005, 04:41:34 pm »
sounds like she is upset because your gone.  Dogs can go days without eating and still be fine.  My vet suggests to even fast them for 2 days if your feeding them Raw Meaty Bones...  As long as she is drinking and appears to be normal.

Offline shangrila

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Re: What could cause a dog to not want to eat?
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2005, 07:23:20 am »
Well Dan took zoey to see her boyfriend at the pet store to cheer her up, and got her to eat dinner normally last night again breakfast this morning. So it looks like she was just not eating because she was depressed after all.

But now I have a way more major issue that Dan told me about this morning. Apparently, she has had some  accidents in the past couple days, and Dan has had to re-instate the crate as a result. She even had one in the bedroom, which until now she has always considered sacred territory (even as an un-potty trained accidents). It appears she's so pissed off at me for abandoning her that she no longer cares about the rules about where to potty. Now I am afraid that, unlike the eating, this won't go away automatically when I get home. What the heck am I supposed to do now? Re potty train her? I am so screwed.

I'm going to be afraid to take vacations and trips after this. I might expect her to act up if we left her at a kennell or something, but for christ sake her puppy-daddy is there with her at the house.
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Offline Carolyn

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Re: What could cause a dog to not want to eat?
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2005, 12:48:53 pm »
You sound like me. I hate going away. As soon as you get back home & back on your routine everything will be fine.
We have to go away for 2 nights. If it were up to me I would never go away.
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Offline kildeskennel

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Re: What could cause a dog to not want to eat?
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2005, 07:45:46 pm »
Sounds like a case of missing mom.  Beauty won't eat when I am away either.  There has been a flu going around as well in other states, but seems to resolve in 48 hours, that however is accompanied by general listlessness, not wanting food, etc...
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