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What To Do When Your Dog Has a Loss of Appetite

Name: Earth Buddy Pet CBD Oil for Dogs
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Did you know hundreds of thousands of dogs in the U.S. struggle to eat enough food? Dogs are known for overeating, but eating too little can also be unhealthy. Read on for five common causes of reduced appetite and plenty of tips to help you address them. ¹

Key Takeaways:

Appetite is complex and can fluctuate as a result of natural processes, like aging and hormonal changes.
However, a significant loss in appetite can lead to poor health outcomes for dogs.
If your dog's not eating, consider adjusting their diet and feeding routine.
By watching out for other symptoms, you may be able to identify other causes of reduced appetite, which can include stress and physical discomfort.
Supplements can help support the health of your dog's teeth, gut, and joints.

Understanding Your Dog's Appetite

A dog's appetite might seem simple, at least at first. Dogs love food. Right?

Not so fast. While many dogs might fit the food-obsessed stereotype, it's perfectly common for our furry friends to have more complex attitudes towards their food.

What Influences A Dog's Appetite

A dog's appetite can be influenced by various factors. First, genetics can play a large part in determining both your dog's appetite and how motivated they are by food in general. ²

Therefore, it's common for dogs of different breeds to have different appetites. ³ Research shows that retrievers and labradors, for example, are both genetically hardwired to have larger appetites. ⁴ Many of these dogs' DNA literally makes them feel hungrier than other dogs!

However, genetics are far from the only factor influencing your dog's appetite. Their environment also plays a large role. How you behave toward them, especially in regards to food, is also very important. ⁵

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Possible Outcomes of a Reduced Appetite

You might be wondering why we're so interested in our dog's appetite. After all, studies show that about 60% of dogs are actually overweight. Isn't a lower appetite a good thing?

Not quite. Remember, your dog's food is essential to their overall health. If they suddenly start eating less than usual, they can lose weight and muscle mass, among various other potential poor outcomes. ⁶

To take just one example: In 2012, researchers tested dogs before eating, 30 minutes after a meal, and 90 minutes after a meal. They found the dogs performed best 30 minutes after eating, which suggests hunger can negatively impact your dog's cognitive performance. ⁷

Then there's you, the owner. It can be difficult to watch your furry friend struggle with their appetite. Research shows this can be emotionally challenging, especially when your dog's appetite loss is clearly negatively impacting their quality of life. ⁸

Different Types of Decreased Appetite

Here, it's important to distinguish between a few different kinds of appetite loss.

First, your dog's appetite can fluctuate. For example, studies have shown that female dogs' appetite can be influenced by their reproductive cycle, also known as their estrous cycle. In one study, female dogs displayed an appetite decrease of 16% over the course of their cycle. ⁹

Second, appetite loss can vary in intensity. Your dog might be a little less interested in food, like the female dogs in the study above. Or they might stop eating altogether.

As you can likely guess, these two situations require very different responses.

However, while a decreased appetite can sometimes be natural, it also may be a sign that something else is upsetting your furry friend.

Determining what, exactly, that "something else" is can be very difficult. In turn, so can figuring out what to do.

We've compiled five common factors that might be causing your dog's loss of appetite — and included some science-based tips and tricks that might help your pup stop picking at their dinner.

Bonus: 6 Signs Your Dog Is Unhappy, And Ways You Can Help

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5 Causes Of and Solutions For Your Dog's Loss of Appetite

#1. Dog Won't Eat Due to Stress or Fear

Stress, fear, unease... How do you feel when you experience these emotions? Probably not hungry.

Research shows that stress and similar negative emotions can cause dogs to lose their appetite. ¹⁰

The obvious solution, then, is to try to make your dog feel more secure. A safe, comfortable dining location might make them more open to eating. Sticking to a consistent feeding routine and avoiding any unnecessary stressors, like unfamiliar people or noises, could also help.

You could also try one of our calming products. These range from delicious, naturally-flavored treats to tried-and-tested products like our Hemp Extract Oil for Pets. We also offer a spray, which might be helpful if your pup is absolutely refusing to eat anything.

All of these calming products contain CBD, which helps keep your dog calm and relaxed.

#2. Dog Not Eating Due to Discomfort

Negative emotions are certainly discomforting. Physical discomfort, meanwhile, is another common factor that can influence your pet's eating habits.

For example, your dog might have some discomfort in their stomach area. As you can likely guess, this can reduce their appetite. ¹¹

Our Colostrum Gut Health Supplement contains grass-fed bovine colostrum, which is packed with helpful and healthy nutrients, bioactive compounds, and more. ¹² It helps support a healthy gut and proper digestion and can even help with occasional gastric distress.

However, physical discomfort can reduce appetite even when it's unrelated to the stomach. For example, your dog might find it difficult to reach their food bowl due to some physical discomfort. In turn, that might make them less eager to eat. ¹³

Our Mobility Hemp Extract contains organic CBDa oil and CBD oil, carefully formulated in a 4:1 ratio of CBDa to CBD to help maintain healthy joints and connective tissues.

#3. How Age Affects Your Dog's Eating

Physical discomfort can, unfortunately, be common in aging dogs. Getting older can also lead to a slightly decreased appetite. ¹⁴

While there's nothing you can do about getting older, you can take action to support your dog's long-term health as they age. We offer a Senior Support Pack to support and maintain proper body functions and overall good quality of life.

#4. Doggy Dental Issues

One specific physical discomfort that becomes more common as dogs age involves their teeth. Despite what you might think, animals suffer from dental problems just like us humans.

In fact, research suggests that up to 90% of adult dogs have some kind of dental issue. ¹⁵

Studies also confirm what you can likely guess: Dental issues can cause a dog to lose their appetite. Serious dental issues can prevent a dog from eating altogether. ¹⁶

If you're worried, look out for some other symptoms that can help you confirm the issue lies in your dog's mouth. Do they have excessively bad breath? Have you noticed broken bits of tooth in their food?

Those are both pretty obvious. But your dog taking longer to finish their meals, suddenly becoming reluctant to chew their toys (or anything they used to like chewing), and pawing at their mouth can all mean they have something wrong with their teeth.

So what can we do about it? You might consider taking your pet to a professional tooth cleaner. They or your vet can also help teach you how to brush your dog's teeth properly.

A diet change might also help. Wet food, for example, may be more likely to cause dental issues than dry food. Make sure your dog is eating (and drinking) from a clean bowl.

Colostrum may also help support healthy teeth and gums. ¹⁷

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#5. Switch Up Your Dog's Food, Bowl, and Routine

Adjusting your dog's diet can also be a great way to get them eating more.

For example, your dog might simply dislike the food brand you're offering. If you switched recently, consider switching back to their regular food and see if that helps.

There are also ways you can make your dog's dry food more appealing. Pouring warm water over it, for example, might make it easier to eat. A little chicken broth can also make kibble seem much more enticing. ¹⁸ (Just make sure it's low-sodium and free from any ingredients that might harm your furry friend.)

Research also reveals a few psychological tricks that might come in handy. For example, one study in 2019 found that dogs ate more when given larger portion sizes. This finding held true even when researchers excluded dogs that always ate everything they were given, no matter the portion. ¹⁹

Another study found that feeding dogs once per day resulted in better health outcomes. If you currently feed your dog two or more meals per day, you might consider trying just one. ²⁰

You can even trick yourself. In 2022, researchers found that humans tended to fill different dog bowls with different amounts of food. Bowls that were wider, shallower, and with flatter walls were generally filled with more food than other bowls. ²¹

Another option is to try a specialized nutrient and calorie-rich diet. Studies have shown these tailored diets can cause food-averse dogs to significantly increase their food, calorie, and nutrient intake. In turn, the studied dogs experienced significant improvements to their quality of life. ²²

Even small changes to your dog's diet could help. Research shows that a healthy diet can reduce stress, which could be beneficial to dogs who eat less due to stress. ²³

Other Possible Causes

These five causes are often the culprit when it comes to a loss of appetite in dogs. But there are many other factors that could be involved.

Certain medications, for example, can lessen appetite. All kinds of health conditions can similarly cause a dog to stop eating. ²⁵

If you're unsure what's causing your pet's condition, seek advice from your vet. They'll be able to help you figure out why your dog won't eat, and can help you figure out the best path forward to support your pup's appetite and overall health.

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Conclusion

Dogs sometimes become less interested in food for natural reasons, including age. As such, slight reductions in appetite aren't always a major issue, as long as your pup is still meeting their nutrient and calorific needs.

However, a loss of appetite can also be a sign of some other issue. The issue might lie with what you're feeding your dog. It may also be a psychological and/or physical problem.

In many cases, dogs experiencing these issues can be supported with diet changes, supplements, and improvements to their general health. When these don't work, your vet will be able to help you develop the best path forward to support your pet.

Keep Reading: 8 Best Natural Antioxidants for Dogs

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Earth Buddy is an environmentally conscious and family-owned company dedicated to providing natural solutions for pets. From our CBD oils to our colostrum supplements, our products are designed to promote calmness and encourage relaxation for our furry friends. To learn more and stay connected, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest.