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My dog won't eat after companion died. Is it grief or illness?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 4 years and 6 months old

My dog won't eat since my other dog died. It's been a month and for the past 4 days he won't eat his food. I even tried changing it and hand feeding him.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 23rd, 2016

First off, I am sorry that you lost your other dog. It's always so hard to lose a beloved pet. Dogs do feel the loss of a companion, and will often seem down or depressed afterwards, and may go off their food. That being said, a month is a very long time for a dog to mourn, and him not eating for 4 days suggests there is something medically wrong with him. I would recommend taking him into your vet for a health check to see if there is something medically that is causing the anorexia. There are many potential causes which can be attributed to a dog not eating. For example, most diseases (including infectious, autoimmune, respiratory, gastrointestinal, bone, endocrine and neurological diseases) will cause a dog to avoid eating because of pain, obstruction, or other factors. Anorexia can also be due to a psychological problem, such as stress or changes in routine, environment or diet. I'd take Sammy into your vet as soon as possible for an exam. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

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15Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Paula Simons

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Depression can cause a dog to stop eating food but illness can as well. I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian to ensure that he is healthy before we look toward behavioral reasons.

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    8Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 26th, 2018

    Dogs can definitely experience grief when a housemate dies, and this is even more likely with littermates or parents/offspring. You could try offering canned food instead of dry, or putting warm water in the dry food and letting it sit for a few minutes. Both of those options are smellier and therefore more interesting for most dogs. If she's still not really eating, I'd recommend talking to your vet to see if a short term anti-anxiety medication or supplement would be appropriate.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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