It happens that a pet suddenly refuses food, not paying attention to either the bowl of food or the knock of the refrigerator door. Then the question arises before the owner, why the dog does not eat, what to do with it and how dangerous is it?
First of all, take another look at what you are trying to feed your dog. Perhaps you gave her a new food that the dog, for some reason, does not consider edible? Or did you cook fresh porridge with meat, deciding to add carrots instead of the usual cabbage, which confused your pet? It could also happen that you came across poor quality feed or meat; you didn’t notice it, but the dog smelled it right away and decided to refuse to eat.
Think about whether you are spoiling your dog? Perhaps you give her treats from your table so often that your pet does not consider it necessary to eat regular food, hoping that he will get something tasty.
Of course, there are dogs that are willing to eat any amount of food at any time of the day, however, perhaps your dog is not one of them. A healthy dog may well refuse to eat, as it is full. This usually happens with young dogs when the owner incorrectly calculates the amount of food the pet needs. It may be worth feeding your dog two times rather than three times a day, or smaller portions.
If everything is in order with the food and the amount of food, refusing to eat may be the first sign that the animal is not feeling well. Measure your dog's temperature. To do this, insert the tip of the thermometer, having previously lubricated it with petroleum jelly, into the rectum of the animal and hold it for one and a half to two minutes. If the temperature has managed to rise above 38.5 - your pet is sick. See your veterinarian, as a dog's fever does not mean that it has a cold. This can be a sign of anything from fleas to piroplasmosis.
If your dog refuses to eat, watch him for a while. How does she behave? Is your animal active? Has the dog refused to eat only once, or is he missing his first meal? After all, even an animal may simply not have an appetite.