Question:
I have a 2-year-old hound mix that barely eats -- he will sometimes even refuse bacon, steak or liverwurst. He will go up to almost three days without a bite of food. We recently took him to the vet for his yearly checkup, and he received a clean bill of health.
Sometimes, when I put a bowl of food down, he will move his nose up against and around the bowl as if to cover it for later. On the days when he hasn't eaten anything in a while, I still take him for his daily 20-minute walk, hoping it will work up an appetite. He will also play in the yard, although I'm never quite sure how he has the energy to do so. Two things about him have me questioning whether or not they are the cause of his suppressed appetite: One is the yellow/brown stains on his back teeth and a few on his canines. I was thinking he could have a toothache that is discouraging him from eating. His gums look healthy and pink, and his breath smells normal, so I'm sure he doesn't have any kind of gum disease. I haven't seen him chew in a way that indicates he may be in pain, but I am still watching whenever I manage to get him to eat. I usually feed him kibble mixed with soft food or liverwurst. I also discovered a few tick bites on him recently. He is vaccinated against Lyme disease, and I started him on the K9 Advantix to kill any lingering ticks. I have no clue why he barely eats.
P.H., Poughkeepsie, NY Dec 20, 2009
Answer:
Dogs lose their appetites for a variety of reasons, usually associated with pain or nausea. You are right to worry about a cracked or infected tooth. There are neuromuscular diseases that can affect the jaws and kidney and liver diseases, for instance, that can cause anorexia.
Did his loss of appetite come soon after the Lyme-disease vaccination? This can make some dogs ill. I would stop the K9 Advantix medication.
Because your dog has a "clean bill of health," I would advise an injection of Vitamin B-complex to stimulate the appetite and offer him a choice of quality canned and dry dog food, as per the list on my Web site or make up my dog-food and cookie recipes. Offer your dog the food, but do not fuss or coax. The more anxious you become trying to get him to eat, the more anxious he may become around food. His apparent anorexia could be emotional. Being around other friendly dogs and seeing them eat may spark his appetite. Also, discuss with your veterinarian giving him nutrient supplements, including subcutaneous injections if he's seriously malnourished. Digestive enzymes and probiotics may also help.
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