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My dog is too skinny and won't eat or drink. What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 10 months old

How can I get my dog to eat more, I’m worried that he is too skinny. Also, I’m worried that he is not drinking enough.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 26th, 2018

I would actually recommend starting with a vet visit to confirm your concerns. Because so many dogs are overweight, sometimes ideal weight dogs look overweight to the general public. The vet can assess weight and hydration status to let you know if anything is wrong. If Barry is otherwise a healthy, normal dog, he's likely eating and drinking just the right amount for his body.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 26th, 2018

    There could be a medical reason as to why Barry isn't eating enough such as a dental problem. The first step to getting him to eat more is to have him seen by a vet for a health check. As for getting him to drink more, when you have him eating enough, you can feed him canned food or add water to his dry food. I would give his vet a call today to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

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