My dog won't eat on his own. Is it a bad habit or something serious?

Question

Hey I have a Spitz who has this habit of not eating himself! I have to force food into him! He can remain hungry for soon long! He is of of two years of age and has been like this forever!

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

In my opinion, that is not a bad habit so much as it is a serious problem. It's one thing to occasionally have to coax your dog to have to eat. If you find your self having to force feed on a regular basis, my suspicion is that there is something wrong within the gastrointestinal tract. I would recommend a veterinary work up including blood work, x-rays, and ultrasound. This should help reveal any sort of problems within the vital organs, and ideally reveal any sort of possible mechanical abnormality that could explain your dog's inappetance. I understand that he has always been this way, but that doesn't necessarily mean that nothing is the matter. I would also make sure that the teeth are thoroughly examined, as oral issues can be painful and make dogs not want to chew their food. If you haven't already, I would recommend trying to switch to a different food first, just to make sure he isn't just not liking what you are offering. I hope you are able to figure things out with the help of your vet.

My dog won't eat on his own. Is it a bad habit or something serious?

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