my dog won't eat his food

I feed my dog but he will not eat it is normal for dogs not to eat
because it is hot outside?

Amy Dahl...

It is not normal for dogs not to eat. Healthy dogs are
usually hungry at their mealtime. When I
have a dog that does not eat, the first thing I do
is take his temperature. Do you know how to do
that, and what normal should be?

Next I check for signs of dehydration. In a young
dog, if you pinch some of his skin into a "tent" shape
and it stays tented up for a moment after you release
it, he's badly dehydrated and needs a quick trip to the
vet. If the inside of his mouth is tacky or dry instead
of nice and wet, he is probably somewhat dehydrated,
and you need to do something about it.

I've often heard that dogs can go several days without
food and come to no harm, but IME they can also get
into a cycle of anorexia and dehydration that turns into
real distress.

Poisoning is another possibility. If he seems at all
listless or unusual in his behavior, I'd get him to the
vet ASAP.

If he has a temperature or is dehydrated, I would take
him to the vet. Otherwise, I would call the vet, describe
the symptoms, and follow their advice.

I am not a vet, and this is not a comprehensive list of
possibilities--just things I happen to have had experience
with.

Amy Dahl

karsan...

My dog was at my cousins house for the last 3 months. I have cold water
for him everday .

pfoley...

First take the dog to the vet to eliminate any health related problems. If
the dog is in good health otherwise, maybe the dog is missing the home it
was in for three months and needs to now adjust again.

pfoley...

===========
Another thought might be that the place where your dog was staying had food
he preferred; dogs don't like to have their food changed. Is the dog eating
the same food? Did the dog eat at the previoius place; what is the
difference in the way they fed the dog? Did they add something extra to the
meal that the dog liked? These are most likely not the reasons for not
eating, but something to check out.

karsan...

They kept bringing him back to me then taking him back and somtimes I
did not see him at all. My cousins did not call me to take him.

Mirelle...

Is your dog eating yet?

Amy Dahl...

It is not clear if the dog is still at the cousins/aunt/whoever's house,
or staying with Sabina. Lots of dogs don't eat when they switch
from one environment to another, even if the food is the same.

Not that that's OK; as I said, I've seen cases where anorexia
leads to dehydration and a very ill dog.

Amy Dahl

shore...

Assuming he checks out okay at the vet, from what we know
about the dog's age and his circumstances I'd give strong
consideration to the possibility that he's simply being
given too much food.

Mirelle...

It is normal for them to eat less.
Not eating at all is not normal.

Judy...

Any chance that the food has spoiled? If it has been hot and humid, it's
possible that the food has gotten moldy or maybe has just changed taste.
Have you tried a new bag of food? Is the dog otherwise acting hungry? Will
he eat hand-fed treats if they are offered?

Mary Healey...

IIRC, Sabina's dog is a Min Pin. Smaller dogs can't sustain lengthy
fasts, and two days is about a day longer than I'd be comfortable
letting things go. They're also susceptible to pancreatitis, so
tempting a smaller dog's palate with rich foods might be the exact worst
thing to try.

No, it is not normal for a dog to refuse food merely because it's hot
outside. Particularly if the dog is inside with you, cool and
comfortable.

Mirelle...

Cool off your dog with cool water.

Mirelle...

This may help.
Do this a few times a day.

Rocky...

How long has he gone without food? Is it cooler inside?

Suja...

Is he completely off his food? If so, I would have him checked out by the
vet. I know dogs that eat a whole lot less when the weather gets warmer,
but none of them actually stop eating.

If there is nothing wrong with the dog and he's just being finicky, catering
to him by doctoring his food is one way to make a picky eater even pickier.