My dog is not eating. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | 3 years and 3 months old

Poor John! Not eating can be a very general sign of illness, and could be due to dental problem, infection, systemic illness, or injury. If he hasn't been eating for less than 24-48 hours, I would try to tempt him to eat by soaking his dry food with gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth, or gently warmed wet food. You can also try feeing him a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. If he refuses to eat with these methods, and if he hasn't been eating for three days, then I would take him into the vet for an exam.

When a dog does not eat he usually does not feel well. As this is a very unspecific sign of illness, I suggest you offer him his favorite food, and if he does not eat for more than 2 days, take him to a veterinarian for an exam. This could be caused by nausea, gastrointestinal problems, kidney disease, liver disease and a multitude of other illnesses.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Cleo evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

My dog isn't eating his food. What should I do and when to worry?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | 3 years and 3 months old

My dog is not eating

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA 103

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on November 6th, 2016

I'm sorry to hear that! Unfortunately, without more information, it's hard to give any specific suggestions or advice. Not eating could be due to almost anything, from a mild upset stomach (or could even be normal for a picky eater), to a more serious GI problem like pancreatitis, or a severe systemic illness like liver or kidney failure. Without knowing more about what's going on with John, the best thing I can recommend would be to have him seen by a vet for an exam - he/she can also do diagnostic testing such as blood work and x-rays if needed to help determine why he isn't eating.

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My dog isn't eating his food. What should I do and when to worry?

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