The puppy stopped eating and became lethargic. The dog eats poorly, is lethargic: what to do, reasons for refusing to eat

Lethargy with a simultaneous lack of appetite can serve as signs of illness in many living beings, including. But you can observe these in a healthy animal if, for example, the dog ran a lot for a long time in hot weather, and bitches are characterized by a decrease in appetite and some lethargy during the period of estrus.

Lethargy may be caused by stomatitis or other gum infections. His characteristic features there are ulcers and small abscesses in the dog’s mouth and gums. Ear infections, which are accompanied by discharge that has bad smell, also delivered to the dog discomfort and she becomes lethargic, loses the desire to play and run. Such infections are also dangerous because, unknowingly, you can grab the dog by the sore ear and cause an involuntary aggressive reaction in it. Therefore, pay attention if the dog begins to shake its head, tilts it in one direction or the other, if its ears are touched.

Ear infections may be signs of allergies caused by food sensitivities or atopic dermatitis. In this case, the dog should be transferred to a special hypoallergenic food and consult a veterinarian who will select her diet. However, in all of the above cases, you should not self-medicate, but show the animal to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Related article

It happens that pet suddenly refuses food, not paying attention to the bowl of food or the knocking of the refrigerator door. Then the owner is faced with the question of why he doesn’t eat, what to do about 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 new food, which the dog for some reason does not consider edible? Or you prepared fresh porridge with meat, deciding to add carrots instead regular cabbage, what confused your pet? It could also happen that you did not come across quality food or meat; you didn’t notice it, but the dog immediately smelled it and decided to refuse food.

Think about it: are you 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 will eat any amount of food at any time of the day, but your dog may not be one of them. Healthy dog She may well refuse to eat because she is full. This usually happens to young dogs when the owner incorrectly calculates the amount of food the pet needs. Perhaps your dog should be fed twice a day rather than three times a day, or reduce the portions.

If everything is in order with the food and the amount of food, refusal to eat may be the first sign that the animal is not feeling well. Take your dog's temperature. To do this, insert the tip of the thermometer, after lubricating it with Vaseline, into the animal’s rectum and hold for one and a half to two minutes. If the temperature manages to rise above 38.5, your pet is sick. Go to the vet because elevated temperature in a dog does not mean that it has a cold. This could be a sign of anything from fleas to piroplasmosis.

If your dog refuses to eat, observe him for a while. How is she behaving? Is your animal active? Did the dog refuse food only once or is he skipping more than one meal? In the end, even an animal may simply have no appetite.

Among the diseases that occur in cats, piroplasmosis is quite common. This infection is transmitted from an infected tick when it bites pet. To protect the cat from unpleasant consequences, it is important to carry out as early as possible correct treatment.

How does piroplasmosis occur in animals?

How to recognize a disease in a cat?

Piroplasmosis in cats occurs in acute or chronic form, diseases usually occur 1-4 days after the bite ixodid tick. It is very important to notice changes in the behavior and condition of the animal, which makes it possible to promptly treat the pet, avoiding the development of many complications.

The disease in cats is manifested by the following symptoms:
- increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees;
- rapid breathing;
- lack of appetite;
- lethargy and apathy.

Attentive cat owners may notice that the conjunctiva and mucous membrane of the eyes have become yellow color, which is caused by damage to the kidneys. All these signs of piroplasmosis are especially noticeable in young animals, therefore, in order to detect the disease in old cats, it is necessary to carefully monitor them during the period when ticks are spreading.

How to treat piroplasmosis in a cat?

If signs of piroplasmosis are detected, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Treatment must be carried out in the first two days from the moment the first symptoms of piroplasmosis appear. Diagnosis of the disease is carried out using a blood test taken from auricle pet

Veterinarians recommend that pet owners spring-autumn period use special protective equipment from ticks, since such actions are reliable prevention piroplasmosis. Such prophylactic agents Available in the form of shampoos, ointments, gels or collars. It is also important to strengthen the cat’s immunity; this can be done through the use of echination. It is often used in the production process biologically active additives, produced in the form of mixtures. Preventive actions will increase the cat's body's resistance to various infections, dangerous to their health.

Sources:

  • Piroplasmosis in 2019
  • Piroplasmosis in cats in 2019

Distemper is one of the most serious diseases of carnivorous animals (including domestic dogs). The disease can affect the brain and nervous system, any internal organ and limbs. IN severe cases animals that have suffered the disease remain disabled.

What is plague

Distemper is contagious viral disease, to which domestic dogs and wild carnivores such as minks, ferrets and others are susceptible. The causative agent is a group of paramyxoviruses. Other pets and humans this disease not getting through. A dog that has recovered from the disease develops immunity. The main risk group includes ages 2 to 1 year. This is due to the fact that the baby’s body is weakened due to changing teeth and active growth. Puppies fed on their mother's milk receive protective antibodies and are less likely to become infected. All breeds without exception are susceptible to this disease, but purebreds are included in increased group risk compared to mongrels. Among canine diseases, distemper is considered the most terrible disease after rabies.

Routes of infection and vectors

Carnivores are typically infected by any of three routes: through Airways(nose), digestive (mouth) or hearing aids(ears). Once in the body, the virus penetrates the blood and tissues. The disease is transmitted at any time of the year, but spreads faster in bad “dirty” weather (spring). “Favorable” factors contributing to the disease are: lack of vitamins in the dog’s diet, colds, poor living conditions, inadequate feeding.

The main sources of infection are sick and recovered animals (direct and indirect), infected objects external environment(feed, water, air, secretions of sick animals, feeders, rooms and bedding, care items - everything that was used and where sick animals were kept). In addition, human carriers can be vehicles, birds and even insects and worms.

IN environment the virus comes out in urine, dead skin epithelium, feces, and discharge from the nose, eyes and mouth. A sick dog, even before the first symptoms appear, can infect other animals with its breath. The incubation period of the disease is 2-3 weeks, depending on the form of the disease. A cured dog retains the ability to infect other animals for 2-3 months.

Studies have shown that the distemper virus completely disappears from the blood 2-3 days after the first symptoms appear. The disease continues, mainly due to the development of secondary infection. Although the virus is no longer present in the blood, it still lives in other parts of the body, and in later stages often causes very serious damage to internal organs.

Unambiguous and effective treatment this terrible disease does not exist. Healing procedures are aimed mainly at maintaining the vital functions of the body, raising immunity and blocking the spread of possible secondary infections. All manipulations with a sick animal are carried out based on the severity of its condition.

Despite all their efforts, they are practically powerless against the plague. And death rates are still high.
This is due to the fact that in the dog’s body, as in the body of every animal, there are beneficial bacteria, which are involved in the process of digesting food. With a sudden change in diet, the number of bacteria changes dramatically, and they do not bring the required benefit. The result is stomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting, gas, or constipation.

Scheme for transferring to a new food

The dog must be accustomed to food within 10-12 days. This period must be divided into 4 parts - 2-3 days each.

In the first 2-3 days, prepare a single dose of food as follows: mix 75% of the old food with 25% of the new food. In the second 2-3 days, prepare a single dose of food in the proportion of 50% old and 50% new food. In the next 2-3 days - 25% old and 75% new. The final stage is the presence of 100% new food in the diet. If during the transition from one food to another the dog’s condition and stool have not changed, continue to feed according to the scheme. Otherwise, you should discard the new food and choose another one.

If the dog is reluctant to eat food on the first day, it is necessary to reduce the amount of new food. Let's say, increase the volume of feed not by 25%, but by 20 or 10%. Thus, the period of transfer to a new food should be divided not into 4, but into 5-10 parts. It is also advisable to increase the transfer period itself so that the dog gets used to the taste and smell of the new food.

Varieties of food

Each food is aimed at specific breeds of dogs and contains micro and macroelements aimed at maintaining the health of your pet.

For example, each manufacturing company has in its assortment food for puppies, sterile, lactating and elderly animals.

This is due to the fact that at a certain period of life an animal needs a different set of vitamins and microelements to increase the activity or maintain a certain organ or system, for example, to maintain liver function or genitourinary system.

In my own way appearance food is divided into dry - moisture content less than 14% (granulated food, biscuits, croquettes, etc.), semi-dry (boiled meat containing preservatives) and food with high content moisture - frozen and canned meat products.

I came across this when my 14-year-old Natty suddenly stopped eating. I tried every trick to somehow seduce her, and my veterinarian did a whole range of research, trying to find the reason for her refusal to eat. What to do if your dog won't eat? Does she have any health problems or is she just picky? This is the first question that the owner must ask himself and, having found the answer to which he will solve this problem. Here are some tips to help you determine which approach to try first:

Does your dog always eat what you offer him or does he sometimes skip 1-2 feedings? Sudden refusal to eat, especially in dogs that have previously been different good appetite, this is a reason to visit the veterinarian.

Are there any other symptoms? When lack of appetite is accompanied by lethargy, fever, shortness of breath, other signs of pain, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice or anything else atypical, this is a definite cause for concern and a visit to the veterinary clinic cannot be postponed.

Review the events of the last few days. For example, if you've recently changed your food, or started using a new supplement, your dog may just be letting you know that he doesn't like it. Try going back to the old brand and see if her appetite returns? Household events, such as the loss of another animal or family member, can also cause a dog to refuse food.

Is your dog losing weight? I have sometimes heard people complain that their dogs do not eat, but they have a very significant excess weight. Very often, dogs refuse to eat because they are offered much more food and treats than they need. Talk to all family members who come into contact with the dog to see if he has truly lost his appetite.

Lack of appetite or complete failure food always makes dog owners nervous. “What if she got sick!” - this is the first thought that comes to mind. After it, the owners panic, and they may completely lose the ability to analyze and objectively assess the situation. Therefore, our first advice is to calm down. Now and immediately.

Even if the baby is really sick, the frightened owner will not be able to help her, but he can easily harm her. But her indifference to the food bowl is not always a symptom of something terrible. And our task is to teach you to soberly assess the situation and, with a clear understanding of it, find the right way to solve the problem of poor appetite.

Why is hunger strike dangerous for minis?


No, your dog will not die of hunger in a day, two or even a week. Another question is if he doesn’t eat or drink. But we'll talk about this later. For now, only about the hunger strike. So he will live. But he will lose weight. And very quickly. And what smaller doggy– the faster and more noticeable this process will be. In addition, refusing food is fraught with:

  • Lack of vitamins and microelements to ensure normal life. The dog simply will not replenish their reserves, and the existing ones are gradually eliminated from the body with secretions
  • Violation metabolic processes. The dog’s body will switch to working in a “gentle mode”
  • Change hormonal levels. For example, a heat that has barely begun may stop.
  • Hypoclycemia, i.e. sharp drop sugar levels, which can manifest as slight twitching of the limbs or convulsions.
  • Exacerbation chronic diseases. Especially related to the digestive organs
  • General weakness and increased drowsiness of the patient. We need to somehow save energy.

And again we want to focus your attention on the fact that the smaller and thinner your mini was before loss of appetite, the more pronounced all these symptoms will be. Therefore, the first thing to worry about is the owners of mini-Yorks, Chihuahuas, toy terriers and Spitz dogs. But if you have a well-fed pug or a fat miniature, then you can safely let him fast for a day or two. Of course, if you are 100% sure that he is healthy. No, this is also stress for him, but the stress is rather beneficial, and the lack of vitamins can be easily compensated with the help of special medications. And don’t forget to make sure your dog drinks properly.

When to go to the vet

Refusal to eat very often appears in the list of symptoms of a wide variety of canine ailments. Including such dangerous ones as plague, enteritis, hepatitis, etc. And this is precisely the main reason for the fears of all owners when the pet does not eat anything. Therefore, it is so important to learn to understand when a hunger strike is alarm signal, and when - only a reason for further monitoring of the ward.

So, refusal of food really indicates a pet’s illness if:

  • In addition, any other symptoms are observed. This may include vomiting, diarrhea, discolored discharge, rapid breathing, sharp decline strength
  • The animal’s body temperature increases (less often decreases)
  • The dog's coat loses its shine, looks disheveled, and dandruff suddenly appears.
  • The dog hides in secluded places, is reluctant to make contact, does not respond to calls, does not meet you from work
  • The appetite suddenly disappeared, and before that the pet ate everything that was given and quickly. And if there are no other symptoms, then it is highly likely that the baby swallowed something inedible.

All this is very severe symptoms and your only and immediate action should be an urgent visit to the veterinary clinic. Or at least call the doctor.

It is also possible that the dog doesn’t have anything like that, but you clearly understand that he doesn’t want to eat because of a whim. This happens, for example, when a baby has a toothache. Alas, she won’t be able to say about this for sure, and then refusing food (any food or just solid food) will become another reason to look into her mouth.

Loss of appetite can occur against the background of any other pain. But if the reluctance to eat is accompanied by drinking too much, you may suspect something wrong with the kidneys. Or simple overheating.

Or maybe he just grew up?

Now let's talk about the most common reasons for loss of interest in food not related to illness. And here the leading position is occupied by the owners’ banal ignorance of the pet’s physiology.

So, the most standard development of events. We bought a puppy with a good appetite, playful, and curious. A miracle, not a child! Of course, let him eat - “He’s growing! Oh, he's asking for more! What a fine fellow!" And they feed the baby “as if for slaughter,” completely forgetting about the norms and advice of the breeder. Moreover, he poops well and has no diarrhea. So everything is fine!

And then day “X” comes. You put a bowl of food for him. Everything is as usual. And the dog ate it sluggishly and ran away. - “I got sick!” But no, he’s playing, he’s eager to go outside and everything is the same as always, but he’s stopped eating. What's happened? - Nothing supernatural! The puppy has simply grown up and now needs a little less food to function normally. Moreover, it was necessary to reduce the portion a couple of weeks ago. And now he is, roughly speaking, “overeating.” And he can afford to be capricious and gorge himself on grub.

A similar situation occurs during another transition period in a dog’s life. Namely at 8-10 years old, when she gets old. Usually at this time pets begin to be less active and sleep more. Their metabolism slows down and such high-calorie (especially fatty!) food is already excessive. There should be little food, but it should be healthy and varied, taking into account age needs. And if the owner has forgotten about this, then his old man may also begin to refuse food and arrange “fasting days.”

Alas, it is very difficult to say exactly when your baby needs to “cut back on soldering.” For growing bitches, the first heat can be a unique indicator of maturation. It's more difficult with males. However, most breeders small breeds We are unanimous that starting from 6-7 months you need to closely monitor the baby. And if he clearly begins to gain weight or does not lick the bowl well, the amount of food should be reduced. And be sure to compare with the age norm:

  • 3-5% of body weight with natural feeding
  • according to the instructions for dry food for a specific dog weight

Our recommendation is a gradual reduction in portions plus monitoring eating behavior . Keeps leaving pieces? “We need to clean up a little more.” Licks everything and asks for more? – You got carried away and you can give him a little more.

We do the same with aging animals, but do not forget that reducing the volume of feed should in no case lead to a decrease in its nutritional value. If your mini sneeze or shih tzu always eats much less than normal and nothing can be done about it, then a good multivitamin complex will help provide them with everything they need.

Hormonal reasons

Hormones are something that can radically change the behavior, habits and mood of any living creature. Their deficiency, excess and imbalance can lead to increased levels of anxiety and aggression, loss of strength and excitement and, of course, affect the feeling of hunger. And here we can put sex hormones in first place - estrogen and testosterone.

All owners of male dogs know that it is unrealistic to feed a boy who has smelled the smell of heat. At this moment he is completely at the mercy of sexual desires, and therefore higher level hormones. The behavior of bitches in heat, as well as in the first weeks of pregnancy, when there is a baby in the body, can be very similar. full swing hormonal changes are taking place.

Yes, it is very difficult for the owners to look at a miniature boy who has lost weight from love and, even more so, at a pregnant toy who has been starving for a week. But there's nothing you can do about it. All you have to do is wait for the hormonal storm to subside and enjoy every bite you eat. Thank God, complete refusal of food in such a state is very rare. Rarely, little, but doggies still eat something. And if it’s really scary, then you can support your ward with vitamins.

Most other hormones act on dogs in approximately the same way, namely, when their level in the blood exceeds the norm, the animal’s appetite disappears. Everything is back to normal - the dog is eating great again, sometimes even better than before. And here the main thing is to control yourself and not overfeed your pet to celebrate.

Weather, stress and other external factors

We are all children of nature and, like any “mother,” she has a very strong influence on her “offspring.” Remember yourself. In the heat, frost, in the autumn storm. How was your appetite? When you couldn’t tear yourself away from the refrigerator, and when you felt sick just thinking about food? Why do you think that dogs are somehow different from us?

Dogs even in to a greater extent tend to react to natural disasters. They are more sensitive to its slightest changes, especially anomalies. And if your Yorkie or Pug refuses to eat in the heat or sluggishly goes to the bowl before an autumn shower, then there is nothing to worry about. It is enough just to make sure that the hunger strike does not drag on for a long time and the baby does not become dehydrated.

By the way, you may lose your appetite even when it’s -20 outside, if at the same time it’s +27 in the apartment. This temperature is unlikely to be comfortable for a Shih Tzu or Spitz. But heat affects the toy’s appetite much less. Even at +40 he feels much more cheerful than his shaggy brothers. Low temperatures on the contrary, they encourage the animal to spend more energy, which means it will need to be regularly replenished. By the way, in winter, many dogs can even lose a little weight, but only if they are regularly outside.

Do not forcefully stuff your dog after any stress or fear. First she needs to be allowed to calm down. But if she stubbornly refuses to eat even after a few hours, it means the stress was too much. You may need to contact your veterinarian. By the way, separation from the owner can be a good example of prolonged stress. From longing for him, the dog can go hungry even for several weeks and this is very dangerous for representatives of small breeds.

Or maybe everything is much simpler? And your sneeze or Pekingese is simply not satisfied with the quality of food? Dogs are smarter than us and often refuse stale or suspicious foods. For this reason, the dog may not eat a certain type of meat or food from a certain brand, refuse yesterday’s porridge or not quite fresh vegetables.

And, of course, there is nothing to worry about if the little “thief” who two hours earlier stole a cutlet or sausage from the table refused dinner. But you still need to follow him. Who knows how his stomach and liver will react to such a “gift of fate.”

How to feed a capricious pet?

If your baby is absolutely healthy, is kept in comfortable conditions, receives only the freshest and healthy foods, but every feeding of him turns into torture for both, then you can only blame yourself. Alas, the scenario for turning a puppy into a capricious dog is almost always the same:

  1. It all starts with the first piece from your hands - “Well, that’s what he asks for!”
  2. The dog hasn’t finished eating what’s in the bowl, and you again feed him something tasty (not always healthy!) - “He’s not full!”
  3. The baby has already stopped eating cereals, vegetables and some types of meat. Requires liver and sausages. And you give it to him! - “He doesn’t eat anything anymore! Don't go hungry"
  4. You no longer know what to offer him. He doesn't want anything! We took him to the vet and bought some vitamins. We are ready to feed you anything, as long as he eats.....

Well? Was it wrong for you? No, some deviations, which we wrote about above, are also possible. Alternatively, your appetite disappeared after illness. But even here it would hardly have happened without your help. You were so afraid that he would die of hunger, and you were happy if the pet ate at least something. And he simply decided that now they would always please him.

But stop digging into the reasons. The situation needs to be corrected urgently. So, in order to restore a healthy appetite to your ward, you need to:

  • Start going for walks with him regularly. And not just 15 minutes a day walking, but an hour or more. Active, fun with games and jogging. Even if you have a seven-year-old Pekingese or Papillon. He can also run and play. You just haven't tried it for a long time. Of course, this should not be done in the heat of the day and definitely not in the rain. But a walk in the cold, on the contrary, will be very useful even for a capricious toy terrier. Just dress him warmly and you can safely work up an appetite.
  • Pull yourself together and stop giving him kibble between feedings. No matter how you look. Does not work? – Then we kick the dog out of the kitchen during your lunches, dinners and cooking. Whining and scratching under the door? - Strict “Ugh!” or we just don't pay attention.
  • Once again we read books and articles about feeding dogs. We select necessary products or quality food. We learn to measure norms.
  • We establish clear rules regarding feeding. Strictly by the hour, immediately after the walk. A bowl of food costs no more than 15 minutes. If he didn’t eat, he was put away until the next feeding.
  • For particularly stubborn minis, instead of a bowl, you can use special rugs and other devices in which you can hide pieces of food. You can also use meat sauces, mix vegetables and porridge with minced meat or baby meat puree. By the way, many dogs happily eat human baby food.

Or maybe it's all in the bowl? - Yes, it happens like that. For example, she rattles too much while eating and scares the baby. Or too small for him. Or it may be made from low-quality materials and therefore all the food in it has an unpleasant aftertaste.

Have you tried everything, but the problem still persists? – Perhaps the standard norms are simply too high for your ward. For example, due to a slow metabolism or a phlegmatic character. What does he look like? Very thin or normal? The dog's condition is the best guide for the owner. And if your little one has normal weight, then the problem is no longer in him, but in your desire to feed at all costs.

The dog doesn’t eat anything at all, but is it definitely healthy? - Then there is a point in medicinal stimulation of appetite special drugs and vitamins. But such cases are very rare among animals and relate more to genetic and metabolic pathologies than to behavioral characteristics.

Secrets of a good appetite

As you know, it is easier to prevent any problem than to deal with its consequences later. The same goes for feeding your dog. From the first moment the puppy appears, it is enough to follow a few simple rules, so that you never face the problem of “How to feed a dog.” And here is their list:

  1. Do not teach your baby to eat from your hands. In a normal nursery, puppies don’t even think about begging. They are well-fed, clearly know the routine and don’t even raise their heads when their owners are having lunch. But it’s worth treating them a couple of times... That’s it! Those “hungry and unhappy” eyes will quickly do their job!
  2. Don't give him more than normal unless he looks thin. And no, he shouldn't have a belly. He's not a month old!
  3. Don't give him fatty foods, as well as any products from your table. Not only is it harmful, such a menu will very quickly discourage the patient from eating what is necessary and healthy.
  4. Mode – Yours best friend. When a dog is fed by the hour, it even gastric juice produced strictly at the right time. Therefore, problems with appetite are excluded.
  5. Don't let your dog pick up treats while walking. This will not only kill his appetite, but also risk getting serious problems with the digestive organs. And then you will have to forget about normal nutrition.
  6. Let your dog have his own tastes. He may not like carrots or refuse chicken. And if these are his only whims, then so be it. Not loving something and not eating it are completely different things.
  7. If you want him to always eat dry food, then try to spoil him infrequently natural products. Dogs are not stupid and will always prefer meat to dry food.

We really hope that our advice will help you avoid problems with feeding, and if you already have them, solve them safely. And let him gobble up everything with excellent appetite, to the delight of his owners!

If there is a problem with what domestic dog begins to refuse food, then every owner should try to understand what the problem may be. It is worth trying to identify the reasons why such difficulty in feeding the animal may have occurred. Best of all, if you don’t want to eat food for more than a day, you should take it to a specialist and ask him questions regarding why the dog refuses to eat. A professional will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment options that will help restore the animal’s health and appetite.

Reasons for hunger strike

If the question arises why the dog does not eat, it is worth understanding the problems that may be hidden behind a simple refusal to eat. The most common psychological factors:

  1. Resentment. If you had to leave the animal alone for some time, which is unusual for the usual daily routine, then it may well be sad and because of this refuse food after the owners return.
  2. Stress. If there was a need to transport the animal to another habitat, or simply spend a long time in transport, a temporary loss of appetite may occur due to fatigue and nerves.
  3. Loud noise. If there is a sharp and bright noise, the dog may become very frightened and completely refuse all the treats offered. It is worth quickly taking her away from the place that causes horror and calming her down.
  4. When there is a female dog in heat near a male dog, the possible outcome for several days is that the dog does not eat anything. At such a moment, the basic instinct awakens, which overshadows the basic needs of the body. This problem should go away on its own within a few days.

These reasons are easy enough to remove and make the dog enjoy life. It is worth spending more time with her, constantly playing and showing love. When the animal feels safe and is sure that nothing terrible is in store for it, it will be able to calm down and return to its usual daily routine and dietary standards. If she begins to refuse food, but with no stressful situations this is not related, which means the dog may have health problems. The main variants of diseases are:

  1. Stomach problems. If your dog is not eating anything, this may indicate that he may have an upset stomach.
  2. Sick teeth. When an animal begins to eat, but quickly spits out food, problems with the jaw or a separate canine are possible.
  3. Worms. They interfere with healthy digestion of food, causing the dog to not eat or drink anything, which causes him even more discomfort.
  4. Difficulties in the functioning of the heart. Due to general malaise, the animal loses its appetite.

It is definitely worth monitoring the dog’s condition if suddenly other problems are added to the refusal of food. additional factors and symptoms, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Symptoms

If affection and calming the animal do not bring results, and the dog continues to refuse food, you should think about possible problems with health. On difficulty and various ailments Some additional symptoms may indicate:

You should not delay a trip to the veterinarian if food refusal is accompanied by similar symptoms. Most likely, the animal is suffering and needs emergency help. After all, how much a dog may not eat is directly related to how much other problems expand and consume its body.

Without loss of health, this period is only 2 days, and then even more detrimental effects on the animal will begin.

Diagnosis of the disease

If the dog suddenly refuses food and water, and no external environmental factors have been found to influence this, the veterinarian will make a diagnosis after conducting several tests and laboratory studies.

  1. Ultrasonography. Based on this procedure, the specialist will be able to identify problems related to work internal organs.
  2. General blood analysis. It will show whether there are inflammatory reactions.
  3. X-ray. This test will help determine the presence of internal fractures, tumors, and enlargement of the heart muscle.
  4. Adrenocorticotropic hormone testing. ACTH tests can indicate how well a dog's adrenal glands are working.
  5. Endoscopy. At general anesthesia, a device will be inserted into the animal that will show the professional the possible visual internal injuries to the dog.

After passing all the tests prescribed by the attending physician, he will be able to accurately determine the diagnosis, on the basis of which he will select the optimal course of pills and other medications to restore health to his beloved pet.

Treatment and drugs

After understanding what reasons caused the animal to go hungry, you need to find out what to do if the dog does not eat. The doctor prescribes medications that can most quickly cure a sick animal. Depending on the diagnosis, several courses of tablets are prescribed. These may be anthelmintic, immunostimulating or bowel-improving medications.

Anthelmintic

Helminths can remain in the dog’s body all the time and not show up. But if the animal exhibits symptoms, then the following medications should be taken:

When taking any drug, you should monitor general condition animal to prevent poisoning and intoxication of the dog.

Immunostimulating

If a dog is found viral infection, then it is necessary to take drugs that increase immunity, since antibiotics do not always bring the desired effect.

Fosprenil. It is mainly prescribed by injection. It is of little danger to the animal and has a strong antiviral and restorative effect.

  1. ASD - 2. The dog should drink this solution along with plain water. Sometimes, the liquid is mixed with food. It is used for many diseases of the internal organs of animals and malfunctions of body systems.
  2. You should not constantly give your dog immunity-boosting drugs, as over time, addiction may occur, and at the time when the action is necessary, the treatment may not work.

Bowel preparations

Surprisingly, the most common medication prescribed by veterinarians for various disorders stomach, is a common Activated carbon. It will help quickly get your body in shape. When taking it, it is imperative to give the dog plenty of water and give it the opportunity to rest from any physical and psychological stress.

All these courses of drugs should help solve the problem of what to do if the dog does not eat anything. It is worth carefully ensuring that the treatment is completed as completely as possible and leaves no chance of the disease returning in the near future. This will be helped by a repeated examination by a veterinarian, who can definitely confirm that the animal has fully recovered. In addition, it is necessary to spend more time with your beloved dog so that it does not suffer from bouts of depression, which can worsen healing effect. She will be happy with the affection and attention from her owners and will continue to delight the whole family.

Hello. The dog is sick: it doesn’t eat anything, doesn’t drink, hides, doesn’t respond to its name. Very sad and sleepy. What about him? What did he get sick with? And what to treat?

Answer

The symptoms described are characteristic of a dangerous disease - distemper. The disease is contagious and has a viral etiology. The virus infects the animal's head and spinal cord, in addition - respiratory organs.

In small puppies, the mortality rate from distemper is almost one hundred percent; in adult dogs, the chance of survival if timely access to the clinic is 50 percent. If your pet exhibits these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

The distemper virus is often spread by airborne droplets, but there is still a possibility of infection through food or water. In the animal's body, the pathogen settles in the blood and spleen. The virus leaves the body with physiological waste, saliva, lumps of hair or skin.

Infection can occur through sexual intercourse with a sick dog. The virus is transmitted on the host's clothing or with certain insects. Often the plague develops in the off-season.

How does the disease progress?

Once the infection process has occurred, the disease remains in a latent stage for a number of days. At this time, it will not be possible to identify the pet’s symptoms. The virus begins to actively invade the cells of the pet’s body and rapidly multiply.


Duration incubation period on average is a week. It happens that the duration reaches three weeks; in lightning cases, the incubation period can be reduced to two days. Although the seasonality of the disease has not been scientifically proven, cases of distemper in dogs are often recorded in the fall or spring. During the incubation period, no signs of the disease can be detected in the dog. However, the animal is already contagious and spreading the infection around itself. Even after recovery, the dog releases the virus into the environment for weeks.

The risk group for the development of the disease includes small puppies, weakened animals that do not have normal nutrition. If a puppy is fed with mother's milk for up to 2 months, the baby has antibodies in its body received from the mother, the risk of infection in this case is minimal.

First clinical signs

After the end of the incubation period, the first warning signs of the disease appear. The first manifestations are not too pronounced.

  1. Some lethargy and depression of the dog.
  2. Appetite decreases, the animal begins to refuse food and water. Sometimes vomiting begins.
  3. The mucous membrane of the eyes becomes bright red.
  4. Scanty mucous discharge appears from the eyes or nostrils.
  5. Mild digestive disorders may occur.
  6. The fur of most dogs with distemper becomes ruffled.
  7. Due to photophobia, the dog tends to hide in a secluded place, does not show itself to its owners and does not respond to commands.

The severity of symptoms varies widely. In the first days after the onset of the disease, the temperature rises and continues to remain high for three days.

If the dog is an adult, healthy and has a strong immune system, it is able to cope with the disease on its own, and soon the disease will regress.

Course and forms of the disease

In animals, distemper can have a lightning-fast course or occur in an acute or chronic form. With lightning-fast flow clinical symptoms the animal does not develop, the dog dies instantly. Everything happens within a day at most. In the hyperacute form, the pet has sudden jump temperature, the dog refuses to eat and drink. He quickly falls into a comatose state and dies within a few days.

The acute form of the disease is characterized characteristic symptoms given above. The temperature rises, neurological reflexes are depressed, the dog is afraid bright light and tries to hide. arise inflammatory processes mucous membranes.

When epileptiform seizures and paralysis of the limbs appear, the prognosis of the disease is considered extremely unfavorable. The animal dies. If a dog has suffered the disease and recovered, in almost 100% of cases it remains handicapped: the sense organs suffer and neurological ailments develop.

How to treat plague

If you notice signs in your pet that resemble distemper, call a doctor immediately. Today, no specific drugs have been developed aimed at destroying the virus that causes this in dogs. dangerous disease. The veterinarian prescribes symptomatic and pathogenetic treatment based on the existing symptoms in a particular animal.

An important component of treatment is the prescription of drugs that increase immune protection body. A sick pet is prescribed intravenous administration glucose, methenamine, calcium gluconate. IVs are placed with isotonic solution. Suprastin and diphenhydramine, vitamin C are administered intramuscularly. Proserin is prescribed to prevent paralysis and muscle paresis. If you need to relax the excess muscle tone– mydocalm. Cutaneous form plague involves the prescription of antibacterial therapy.

Do not self-medicate. The drugs are prescribed by the doctor. Drug dosages are calculated based on the pet’s body weight.

The animal should be kept in a dry and warm room, free from drafts. It is necessary to constantly maintain eye and nose hygiene.



Random articles

Up