A person gets a dog to guard property and protect his family, or simply to have a loyal creature nearby. For many centuries, dog breeds developed independently of humans, but in recent decades, humans have learned to create new breeds artificially.
Now we can get a dog adapted for living in small apartments, which does not require constant walks in the fresh air.
Causes of poor appetite in animals
If your puppy is not eating well, has missed a couple of meals during the day, is not in the mood, is lethargic and inactive, then the most likely cause may be an underlying illness. You can check this in the following way - go outside and take a walk with your pet.
If your ward remains lethargic and is not happy about the fresh air and being outside, then something is still bothering him. In this case, you need to pay attention to the humidity and temperature of the nose.
A healthy puppy, with the exception of some dog breeds, should have a moist and cool nose. If these symptoms are also accompanied by:
- presence of redness, inflammation or discharge in the eye area;
- bad odor from the mouth and unhealthy color of the tongue;
- discharge from the ears, firm to the touch and clear;
The presence of at least one of the above points may indicate the presence of diseases and, as a result, contact a veterinarian.
When buying a puppy, new owners begin to feed the animal food that is unfamiliar to it. In such a situation, you will immediately notice that the puppy has begun to eat poorly. It is better to ask the previous owners in advance what kind of food they had before and continue to do as they did.
A puppy may not eat food well because he simply doesn't like it. In this case, it is better to focus your attention only on natural products.
If you observe that your pet is cheerful, runs around and reacts quite well to its name, perhaps the reasons lie in something completely different. To find out, we recommend using several methods that will certainly help increase your pet’s appetite.
Reasons for a dog's refusal to eat
An animal can refuse food in many cases, both completely harmless and threatening the dog’s death. The owner must carefully observe his four-legged friend and, in case of serious signs of illness, show the animal to a veterinarian.
There are the following causes of loss of appetite in dogs:
- Changing the usual food . Some animals react very sharply to changes in diet. In the case when the dog owner purchased a different brand of food instead of the one his pet was accustomed to, the animal may refuse to eat the new food. A dog on a natural diet may also not want to eat his dinner if any new ingredient has been added to the food.
- Frequent snacking . It is not recommended to feed the animal between meals, especially when the dog gets tasty morsels from the owner's table. In this case, she can easily refuse to eat her food.
- Feeding poor quality food . Food that is too salty or sour is unlikely to be eaten by your pet, so you need to check the quality of the food every time before giving it to your dog.
- Oral diseases . The pain felt from a broken tooth, infections of the palate, and gums are serious reasons for refusing to eat.
- Infectious and viral diseases . Almost all diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms lead to loss of appetite. A serious reason to contact a veterinarian is not only a complete loss of appetite, but also other symptoms (fever, pain, vomiting, diarrhea, discharge from the eyes, nose, etc.).
- Signs of poisoning . Food or chemical intoxication can be very dangerous to your pet's health. Signs of poisoning are: refusal to eat, vomiting with foam, bile, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness.
- Diseases of the kidneys, stomach and intestines . Acute renal failure, pyelonephritis, duodenal ulcer, stomach ulcer, intestinal obstruction - not only cause loss of appetite in the dog, but also seriously threaten the life of the four-legged friend.
- The presence of parasites in the body . Worm diseases have a detrimental effect on your pet's health. A sick dog, in addition to lack of appetite, also exhibits other symptoms (increase in the size of the abdominal cavity, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, pallor of the mucous membranes).
Some animals have high emotional sensitivity and may refuse to eat when depressed, sad, or sexually active. Often, separation (even short-term) from the owner is the main reason that a dog stops eating. During sexual desire, animals, especially males, often do not eat for a long time. In this case, you should not worry about the health of your pet; as soon as the sexual desire subsides, the dog will regain its excellent appetite.
If there are serious symptoms of various diseases, you should not expect the animal to recover on its own and under no circumstances should you force feed it. The best option would be to call a veterinarian at home, so the dog will be less exposed to stressful situations.
What to do? Puppy Nutrition Tips
Try skipping breakfast, and next time offer him the same food you gave him in the morning. Perhaps you simply spoiled him with food. Even if your pet misses lunch, then for dinner give him the same food that was offered for breakfast and lunch, then the puppy should start eating.
Also be sure to ensure the freshness of the food you use to feed your puppy. It is very important to know information about the proper feeding of your pet. It is necessary to maintain a routine and balanced diet.
Have you noticed that the puppy only managed half the portion? Most likely, the portion was larger than normal. Therefore, when feeding again, you just need to reduce the portion. Some owners very often offer the animal a portion disproportionate to the dog’s parameters.
You can use another trick. To increase appetite, give your pet a good walk. Being in constant motion, the desire to eat will arise many times faster than being sedentary in an apartment or in the country. Therefore, go out into the fresh air more often with your pet. When you return home, be sure to feed your dog. There is a high probability that the puppy will start eating after exercise.
If your appetite still does not appear, we recommend trying another method. Before you go to feed your puppy, give him a couple of pieces of salted fish. Such food promotes a good appetite.
There are dog breeds that love fish as much as meat. Use this method only if the previous ones did not produce any results. Just don’t overdo it with canned food, as salt in large quantities is harmful to dogs.
If you feed your puppy cereal and constantly give it one type, then change it to another. If your pet still doesn’t touch the food, then add his favorite treat.
Diagnosis of diseases
Refusal to feed accompanied by lethargy is a reason to immediately consult a veterinarian. To make an accurate diagnosis, the following series of necessary tests are performed:
- general clinical analysis of blood and urine;
- blood chemistry;
- scraping and taking biological fluids for bacterial inoculation on nutrient media;
- ultrasound diagnostics.
In controversial cases, X-ray examination and endoscopy are prescribed to confirm the preliminary diagnosis.
Lack of exercise ⭐
By nature, Huskies are not gluttonous, so he must have a reason to eat.
Making sure your Husky gets enough exercise every day will give him a good appetite.
Huskies were bred to run and work with very little food. Over thousands of years of living this way, their bodies have developed extremely efficient metabolisms, meaning they only need small amounts of food to produce large amounts of energy.
Your Husky needs at least 2 hours of vigorous exercise per day. Which consists of running, walking, agility training, sled pulling and of course throwing your favorite ball in the park.
Without intense exercise, it is very likely that he will not feel the need to eat.
Husky chews everything
Huskies have design skills. Mine began renovations in the hallway and kitchen, stripping the wallpaper while he was getting it. Naturally, I finished it. Loves rearranging all the furniture that he can move (kitchen table, chairs, small bedside tables). Husky chews everything, not just shoes. She loves to unwind balls of thread, run away from you with your new jeans, and tear your friends' tights. Trying to fight this, I brought him different toys. Rubber balls are killed in two or three days, a tennis ball is eaten by the jaws of an adult dog in a day. Beef bones save the day, they last longer.
Thief and husky are synonymous words
The husky walks calmly next to its owner on a leash. Until he sees a cat, another dog, a new bush (and an old bush), a pigeon, a flying bag, a pile of garbage. At this moment, let go of the leash and let him run. We will also need shoulder and elbow joints. Thief and husky are synonymous words. Left the sandwich on the table and went out to get the phone? Come and make yourself a new one. Did you pour dumplings into boiling water and drop one on the floor? Don't even try to find him. By the way, this is a little plus, you don’t have to bend over to pick up food that has fallen on the floor. From experience I can say that it is very convenient when you drop an egg on the floor or spill sour cream.
Major health problems ⭐
In the worst case, he may not eat due to health problems.
If you can't determine a possible explanation for why he isn't eating, be prepared to make an appointment with your veterinarian. If he doesn't eat for 2 days, he needs to see a vet.
Siberian Huskies and many other northern breeds suffer from zinc deficiency. Zinc is one of the most important minerals in their body, responsible for many necessary processes.
Zinc deficiency in Huskies causes many health problems and lack of appetite can be one of the symptoms.
To properly rule out any diseases, you will need to visit your local veterinarian for a complete examination.
Husky big beggar
Husky is the biggest beggar in the world. Have you seen gypsies at the market? So, they learned from the huskies. The cat from “Shrek” also learned acting from the husky. If you get used to his puppy-like look, then your relatives and friends are ready to give him the last crust of bread in a hungry year. After all, “he’s asking.” In addition to being an interior designer, Husky is also a landscaper. The design of your yard will become very unique, no flowers, no small trees and shrubs. But there are a lot of holes. You will definitely step in one of them and sprain your foot. Shoes. Shoes will always be hidden. At first, guests who come to your home will leave wearing one shoe until they get used to hiding it. Don't expect to get slippers in my house. No, I'm not greedy, they were just eaten a long time ago.
What not to do if your dog misses a feeding
It is strictly forbidden to run after a dog with a plate, persuading him to eat at least a little. The dog must learn that if he refuses food now, he will only be able to eat during the next scheduled feeding, otherwise he will go to bed hungry.
Dog handlers do not advise making concessions to a puppy who does not want to eat. When the dog grows up, he will not be able to eat without coaxing, even when he is hungry. The main indicators of health in puppies are a wet nose and curiosity. Refusal to eat may be the result of overfeeding.
Husky remembers his kinship
Early spring and late autumn. Husky remembers his relationship (not proven by scientists, but I’m sure) with a pig. Puddle is your best friend. And with a dead, decomposed cat, we’ve been together since first grade. You definitely need to cuddle with him to bring home the aroma of fresh, rotten, decomposed flesh. Husky is a hunter. Personally, mine mercilessly killed two kittens, one and a half goats (I didn’t seem to finish off one, but I paid for two), and one chicken. And I don’t count small things like all kinds of rodents at all.
How long can a husky go without food?
One of the readers asked me a good question about this: how long can a husky go without food?
Technically speaking, an otherwise healthy adult Husky can go quite a long time (5-7 days) without food before it becomes life-threatening (ONLY if he is still drinking water).
If your Husky also refuses water, this is a completely different situation and you should seek help from a veterinarian within 24 hours.
If you have a PUPPY or SENIOR Husky, again this is a more delicate situation and you should seek help from your local vet no later than 24 hours after it appears.
How to Encourage a Husky to Eat Again
- Eliminate common allergens from his diet . Make sure you are aware of common food allergens and then try to remove them from your husky's regular food. This may be the needed change the Huskies are looking for.
- Change your protein source to fish, duck, turkey, salmon . Although people often think that their dog likes chicken, beef, and pork, they are actually all common allergens. Duck, turkey or salmon protein is easier to digest and does not cause a reaction.
- Add extra flavor to their food (for health). There are many beneficial ways to improve the taste of your dog's food.
- Set the correct feeding time and stick to it . Train your Husky to be hungry at certain times of the day. As lunch approaches, his body clock will be ready to eat. You can even take it a step further by limiting the amount of time you hold his food bowl.
Reducing food requirements in growing puppies and older dogs
A dog has a hot nose: causes and what to do
In the first days of life and until the age of two months, the puppy should eat at least six times a day. Further, the number of feedings will depend on age:
- puppies 2–4 months old are fed 4 times a day;
- A 4 month old dog needs less food. Until the age of six months, he is supposed to eat three times a day;
- from 7 months to a year the dog will be content with two meals a day;
- From the age of one year until the end of its life, the dog only needs one feeding.
As the dog ages, the owner changes the composition of his diet and reduces the number of servings.
Feeding a two-month-old puppy should be strictly on schedule
