What To Do If Your Dog Does Not Eat The Feed?
Has your dog not eaten the food in a while? Sometimes animals simply lose their appetite, but this could be due to several factors. The causes range from temperamental behavior to health problems.
Without a balanced diet, your furry friend could get sick. Therefore, when a dog does not eat the food, its owners must act quickly to avoid future complications.
Why is my dog not eating food?
Feed, also known as compound feed, is food processed for animal consumption. Mainly, they are the mixture of different food products.
These may or may not contain additives and be composed of organic and inorganic substances.
Some are processed in such a way as to fully meet an animal’s nutritional needs. However, there are foods that are complementary to the nutrition of our furry friends.
Hence, they are prepared with various raw materials and manufacturing processes. For this reason, each feed is different, so owners need to inquire before choosing it.
The nutritional needs of a purebred puppy will not be the same as that of an adult or senior one.
There are several reasons why a dog does not eat kibble. It is important that owners observe the behavior of their animals.
If a dog stops eating and drinking, they should be taken to the vet immediately. This could indicate a serious pathology, so it must be examined.
One possible reason why he stops eating could be a mouth injury. You should examine the animal’s gums and teeth if you notice abnormal redness or unstable teeth.
Also observe the changes in your skin if you have a dry nose or wet eyes.
When a feed is not suitable
It is possible that kibble is the reason for your dog’s lack of appetite, so examine them to see if they have the right texture. Also, check the packaging to see if they are expired: smell them and observe the color. If you notice anything strange, throw them away.
If you have recently changed the type of food, your dog may not want to eat the new one.
Your dog may not like the taste or smell of the new kibble.
Dogs are animals of habit, so they always prefer to eat the same food and reject sudden changes.
If this is the case, mix the new feed with the old one for a few days.
Many refuse the feed because they are used to eating food for people or homemade dog food.
Some tips to solve the lack of appetite
If your 4-legged friend does not eat for health reasons, you must consult a veterinarian immediately. Some symptoms may be fever, diarrhea, vomiting, prolonged tremors, dry or too wet mouth or eyes, and pale gums.
If your dog is not eating food for food-related reasons, here are some simple solutions:
- New food. If your pet refuses his new food, change it gradually. Mix it with the old one, this way it will slowly get used to it.
- Different tastes and smells. Dogs are animals with highly developed senses, especially the sense of smell, which is why they favor some flavors over others. Identify them to provide them with the right food.
- Higher or lower levels of fat in the feed. Make sure you take feed with similar nutritional values to those of the previous one. This recommendation applies only to owners who change their dog’s food for reasons not related to health.
- Sensitivity to some ingredient. If your pet does not eat its new food even when the transition has been slow, change it. There is a possibility that you are allergic to some ingredient in the food.
