My dog won't eat and sleeps more. When should I take him to the vet?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Male | 10 lbs
My dog hasn't ate in a few hours. His nose is still wet but he is sleeping more. Souuld I take him to the vet?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 8th, 2020
If these are the only symptoms I would monitor him a bit longer. Sometimes dogs can have some mild stomach upset that quickly resolves without treatment. If he does not eat in the next 24 hours, if he vomits or develops diarrhea, or if he seems very weak or lethargic then I would contact your vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on March 1st, 2019
Sleeping a lot and eating little is, unfortunately, a general sign of not feeling well. This could be an infection, metabolic diseases (liver, renal), or something else. A veterinary visit is recommended, the sooner the better. That will help with a diagnostics and treatment plan. Good luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
hey i would like to ask about my dog's health. he is behaving really quiet opposite to whatvhe usually is. he also has a warm and dry nose with slightly red under his nose. he didnt eat as much yesterday as well. but he did not vomit or anything just
Poor Ace Arnold! A warm dry nose isn't a sign of illness in a dog; that's because a dog's nose can change temperature and wetness simply by sitting in the sun or next to a heat source. He does sound like he's a little lethargic, and has lost his appetite. Those are very general signs of illness, and could be caused by systemic illness, injury, inflammation, or infection. I would not take him into the vet right away, I would monitor him for the next couple of days. He might simply be feeling unwell, and may need a day or two to recover. You can try to tempt him to eat by soaking his food in low sodium beef or chicken broth, or feeding him a bland diet of boiled white chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If he's still lethargic after a couple of days, he refuses to eat the diet options I suggested, or he develops other signs such as vomiting or diarrhea, I would take him into the vet for an exam.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Panda has been reluctant to eat his food for 5 mornings unless I had feed he won't eat today he is not eating anything and not keen on treats his nose feels hot and dry he pooped OK this morning seemed bright but now not so happy should he go to vet
For a dog that usually eats well, 5 days is getting a little long to let it go. I would recommend that you have Panda checked out by a vet to see what could be going on. There are so many things that could be causing his vague symptoms, including pain, infection, intestinal issues (including obstruction), among many others. After physical examination and a thorough medical history discussion, your vet may recommend treatment, bloodwork, or x-rays to see what could be going on.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog hasn't ate in the past 2 days. His nose is dry and warm, he has no energy to do anything, he pukes a little.
Your dog should be seen by your veterinarian. Inappetence for this long, accompanied by lethargy is a cause for concern. Your pet may have eaten something he shouldn't have which has upset his stomach, he might have swallowed something, for example, part of a chew toy, that has gotten caught and is causing a blockage somewhere in his gastrointestinal tract. He could be sore from a hidden injury you are unaware of, he could have been exposed to some sort of toxin or irritant in his environment or this could be early signs of another condition or disease process. If he isn't showing any specific symptoms, I would still get him in to see your vet if he hasn't improved significantly. Your vet can do an exam, blood work and possibly x-rays to determine the cause of the illness and suggest an effective treatment plan.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has a dry nose and does not eat regularly and has been sleeping a lot
Unfortunately these symptoms can signal many many conditions. Just like people, there are many conditions that can make pets feel sick. This could range from an infection to cancer. Also like us, diseases are best addressed early and this may result in a better prognosis. I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian within the next 24 hours. The doctor will need to learn the underlying cause in order to give appropriate treatment. Bring in a stool sample in case the doctor needs to test it. I hope Blu starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My dog Sadie won’t eat this morning, she took a couple pieces of dog biscuits then fell asleep on the floor next to them , she normally loves her food so much ! Any ideas ? She’s 8 years old
Not eating is a very non-specific symptom. Pretty much anything that can ail a dog can cause it. My only suggestion is to monitor her and if the inappetence lasts longer than 2-3 days then you need to get her to your vet for an exam and some blood testing.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is not eating his food he will go to the bowl look at it and walk away the same with the water. What can I do?
If his only symptom is inappetence, I would keep an eye on him and not offer food for 24 hours. He can have water. That way, if something has upset his stomach, it will have time to rest and recover. If he has any other symptoms, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, fever, get him in to be seen by a vet right away as this may be signs or a more serious problem.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I'm dog sitting a couple pugs, the youngest is super spoiled and his owner has been gone for 3 days now. today he is sleepy and was shivering. shivering has stopped for the most part but he doesn't want to go outside or eat ... advice?
Hello, sorry to hear about free. He could be feeling a little sick from a cold or an upper respiratory tract infection. Monitor him for any sneezing, coughing, nasal or ocular discharge. If he had a recent change in diet or if he has been getting into things at home, then monitor for any GI signs such as vomiting, decreased appetite, or diarrhea. If you note any of these then he should see his veterinarian. Otherwise, this may be a single day event and he should be back to his normal self tomorrow. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is not eating but he's drinking water and is alert. What's wrong?
An adult dog that has no other medical conditions can usually go for 12-24 hours without eating as long as he is still drinking water and is alert. He may just have a bit of an [upset stomach](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-treat-your-dogs-upset-stomach) from something he ate (that he wasn't supposed to) or he could have a touch of gastrointestinal infection. Continue to monitor him. If his symptoms worsen - he stops drinking, becomes lethargic, develops a fever, or begins [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/article/vomiting-in-dogs) or has [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/diarrhea-in-dogs), then you should [contact your veterinarian](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-handle-a-pet-emergency/).
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Dog hasn't eaten in 3 days and looks lethargic
So sorry that he is sick. It is very concerning that he hasn't eaten in 3 days and is lethargic. There are many possible diseases that could cause those signs including infections, parasites, pancreatitis, gastritis/enteritis, kidney disease, liver disease, endocrine diseases, etc. You could offer him a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice and see if you can get him to eat. If he won't eat and is still lethargic then he should be examined by a vet as soon as possible for a work up. Your vet can run bloodwork and take x-rays to help diagnose and treat. Hope he feels better soon.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Chihuahua mix, approx 3 years, suddenly became lethargic. Decreased interests in eating, walking and playing which are usually highlight of his day. He skipped two meals but ate treats, not excited for a walk or playing for 36 hours as of now. No cha
Poor Poco. Given that he will eat something and is having normal bowel movements, I'd keep an eye on him for now. Offer him a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice. If he refuses to eat this, vomits it, or the lethargy continues overnight, then have him seen by a vet immediately.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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