Are you concerned about your puppy not eating anything? Puppies sometimes refuse to eat and they may be picky eaters or might be suffering from any health issues. Puppies are little creatures that every pet parent loves. These puppies are sensitive and have different eating moods at different times. If puppies stop eating for more than a few hours, then they might be suffering from serious illness and should be taken to the vet. Not eating food by puppies should never be ignored as loss of appetite is the root cause or among the first signs of any health emergency.

Reasons Why Your Puppy Won’t Eat and How to Stop It?

There can be a number of reasons which may stop dogs from eating. These reasons can be physical, emotional, psychological or any other. We have discussed all the reasons that may cause the loss of appetite in your dog along with the possible solutions.

SUMMERY:

Why is my puppy not eating and sleeping a lot?
Why is my puppy not eating his food anymore?
Why is my puppy not eating and throwing up?
Why is my puppy not eating as much?
Why is my puppy not eating or drinking?
Puppy not eating but drinking water.
Why is my puppy not eating his dog food?
Why is my puppy not eating all his food?
Puppy not eating and diarrhea.
How long can a puppy go without eating?
Why is my puppy acting normal but not eating?
Why is my 4 month old puppy not eating?
Puppy not eating food but eating treats.
Puppy suddenly not eating breakfast.
My puppy is not eating Royal Canin.
Can a 6 week old puppy go 8 hours without eating?
Can 4 week old puppies go 8 hours without eating?
My New Puppy Won’t Eat. What Should I Do?
Can puppies go overnight without eating?
Is it normal for a puppy to not eat?
Should I worry if my puppy isn’t eating?
Will my puppy eventually eat?
Conclusion.

Why is my puppy not eating and sleeping a lot?

Puppies mostly are active animals. They don’t sleep except at their proper nap timings but sometimes 8 week and 6 week old puppies may stop eating anything and keep sleeping. These signs are alarming as they might be suffering from any kind of health issue or discomfort like teething pain, organ disease, respiratory issues, kidney pain etc. If your puppy doesn’t eat and is sleeping and lazy all the time, then you should immediately take him to the doctor to get his checkup done.

Why is my puppy not eating his food anymore?

If your puppy suddenly stops eating food, just keep him in close supervision as there may be a solid reason behind it. Apart from that, if your puppy is a picky eater then switching the food may help. But if he does not eat anyway, then the situation is alarming. This means your pup is sick and might have any pain, discomfort, intestinal blockage or any organ disease that may be causing loss of appetite. The major reasons of the loss of appetite in puppies are mentioned below:

Picky eater:

Your pup might not be eating just because he is a picky eater and you mostly know it. The food served is probably not liked by your picky eater pet and once switching to a new food, he suddenly starts eating. Picky eaters mostly get bored with one type of food given consistently, so you need to alter the food to let him taste new flavors so that he does not get bored. You may find out some amazing picky dog food ideas here.

Stress:

Your dog may not be eating due to psychological reasons as he might be in extreme stress or anxiety. Like humans get depressed, dogs may also suffer from anxiety and mental health issues like epilepsy, hallucinations etc, which may cause extreme stress and anxiety in dogs.

Digestive issues:

Sometimes dogs might be suffering from digestive issues such as indigestion, acidity, stomach infections, stomach congestion, constipation, loose stools etc. These conditions cause disturbance and unrest in dogs which may lead to the loss of appetite in hounds.

High fever:

High temperature and fever may also be the reason of your dog not eating. Usually ordinary dog parents don’t have any idea about it, therefore it can be severe in some cases. So always consult a vet if the condition persists.

Teething:

Some pups may be in the developing stage of their life. Meanwhile teething and growing teeth is a painful process and puppies avoid eating when they have this teething discomfort going on.

Digestive obstructions and blockages:

Puppies are not mature enough to understand what to eat and what not to, therefore they eat the things they shouldn’t like swallowing plastic ball, corn cob or a food that is allergic. Therefore, these things might upset his stomach or may cause stomach blockages. So, for this reason until the dog doesn’t pass this unwanted material through feces, he remains upset and has no appetite.

Respiratory disease:

Sometimes deadly coughs, kennel cough and influenza are common in puppies that lead to no appetite. So, for this it is better to get them vaccinated for these diseases on time and get them vaccinated according to their growing up schedule.

Organ issues:

Their might be a dysfunctional organ in puppies that may lead to appetite loss. The puppies may have a kidney disease, kidney pain, heart disease, might be suffering from any hormonal issues or a problem in any other body organ.

How to stop it?

Just take your dog to the vet and get him checked properly. If the tests are required, get the health tests done and whatever the diagnosis comes out, start the complete treatment. This is the only way you can cure the disease and make the dog feel better who will ultimately start eating again.

Why is my puppy not eating and throwing up?

If your puppy is not eating at all and throws up every minor thing that he eats or even a small amount of water he drank, then this means he has been suffering from serious ailment. Vomiting is the major sign related to stomach upset or indigestibility and stomach blockage or obstruction. So in such cases you should immediately start giving very light food to your dog that is easy on stomach and also more intake of water. In some cases, vomiting may not be caused due to stomach upset and it may also be a sign of any other serious disease like parvovirus that is common among puppies and can be life harming. But if the situation doesn’t improve, then you must connect to your vet immediately.

Why is my puppy not eating as much?

There may be many reasons your puppy might not be eating enough food as he usually eats or eating lesser than before:

Your pup may not like that food anymore and he just eats small amount as to fulfill his appetite and leave the rest of food because he is bored of eating the same food over and over again. For example if you are giving your dog wet food non stop for a month everyday and twice a day, then he may get bored of the food. So, try giving your puppy a variety of food so that he develops taste buds and give alterations in food like one day or week give him wet food other day feed him with dry dog food.
Your pup might be suffering from any disease or has fever.

Why is my puppy not eating or drinking?

There may be many reasons the puppy might not be eating and drinking water. Puppy can go for some time without eating food but not drinking water can be very dangerous for puppies as it can cause severe dehydration in the dog’s body specially in summers.

If your dog’s stomach is upset and he is vomiting then due to that he might lose a lot of water from the body. So, in such case not drinking water can lead to a life threatening situation in dogs and they can die due to dehydration.
The other reason can be that he might have eaten garbage, some dirty thing or poisonous insect, some rotten egg or anything expired that may cause his stomach to go bad and ultimately leads to vomits and loose stools.
Your dog also might not be eating or drinking due to his vaccinations. The vaccinations normally causes discomforts in dogs due to which they stop eating or drinking for sometime.

Puppy not eating but drinking water:

If your pup is eating less food or is not eating food at all and is drinking a huge amount of water, then:

This can be the sign of diabetes. In this case get him checked and start a proper treatment for his diabetes.
He may also be drinking a lot of water if he has developed bristles in his mouth or has mouth pain, teething pain, nausea, acidity or stress.
Thirdly if the puppy has digestive or stomach problem, then he might be drinking a lot of water.

If the problem disappears in a few days, then its good. Otherwise it may be the indication of some serious infection, so promptly visit a vet to get your puppy checked.

Why is my puppy not eating his dog food?

There are many issues that may lead a puppy to not eat his dog food. These issues may be health issues which may be physical health, behavioral or even psychological health. The major reasons can be serious sometimes and they may become the reason of no appetite in puppies. These reasons might be:

1). Cancer.
2). Bowel disease.
3). Intestinal infection.
4). Liver dysfunction.
5). Kidney ailment.
6). Flu or fever.
7). Intestinal parasites.
8). Oral infection/teething pain.
9). Food issues.

Why is my puppy not eating all his food?

The puppies might not eat all of their food due to many reasons such as they might have drunk a huge amount of water which makes them feel full and they eat less food, they are either feeling sick or they don’t like the food anymore and are not interested in eating that food.

Puppy not eating and diarrhea:

Puppies may not be eating due to severe diarrhea. Diarrhea may be caused by bacteria like Coli bacteria, or Clostridium bacteria etc. Once the bacteria enters the puppy’s stomach, it may immediately upset puppy’s stomach and eventually causes diarrhea and no appetite. The reasons may include:

Puppy might have eaten some expired product or food.
He has eaten a fungal plant or food.
He has consumed some dirty animal or insect.

All these things may have dangerous bacterium and can lead to upset stomach of puppies and no appetite. In severe cases, this can be life threatening. So, book an appointment with a veterinary doctor if the condition persists.

How long can a puppy go without eating?

Puppies cannot survive without eating for more than 12 hours and they may die after that or become unconscious. Puppies are small dogs and not fully developed. They don’t have heavy bodies and can’t store nutrients and therefore they can’t survive without eating for long. Hypoglycemic dogs can get more complications if not given food for long.

Why is my puppy acting normal but not eating?

The puppy may act normal and still may not be eating due to a number of reasons and issues.

He might be suffering from separation anxiety from his mother or friend or partner dog from which he got separated.
He might not be eating due to change of environment, for example if he was shifted from one house to another or one owner to another.
He might be a picky eater and may not like the food served.

Why is my 4 month old puppy not eating?

There can be a number of reasons behind your 4 months old puppy not eating kibble or anything:

He might be picky eater.
He might not be comfortable with the environment.
He might be teething because 4 months old puppies are usually teething and have teething pain and gum discomfort.

How to overcome this?

Try adding variations in food like start adding broth in kibble.
You may also put the food in a toy plate so that he gets amused and starts eating.
You may also use a flavor spray or toppers in your puppy’s food which will add extra flavors.

Puppy not eating food but eating treats:

Partial Anorexia is a condition in which puppies usually don’t eat their food but eat treats. This condition means that your pup is not completely starving itself and is eating a certain amount of food but not that much which is necessary for the healthy maintenance of puppy’s body. Partial Anorexia is also because your pup is feeling unwell and is suffering from any health issue. So, just get your pup checked immediately from a veterinarian in such a situation.

Puppy suddenly not eating breakfast:

If your puppy was eating everything, properly on time and in enough amounts and suddenly stops eating breakfast, then this is a matter of concern. This means your pup may not be well. A sudden disinterest in the meal may be because of:

Fever at night.
Any organ issue.
A sudden pain which may lead him to the loss of appetite.

If the pup’s behavior is suddenly changed and is not eating his breakfast, then immediately get him checked from a vet.

My puppy is not eating Royal Canin:

If your puppy is not eating Royal Canin dry food, just try mixing it with wet food or chicken broth. Mixing Royal Canin with other wet food or any other type of food either canned will make the puppy’s food more appealing. You can just add three parts of Royal Canin in one part of warm water which will not only soften the dry Royal Canin but will also make it look tastier.

Can a 6 week old puppy go 8 hours without eating?

No, a 6 week old puppy cannot survive without food for 8 hours as he is too small. Also, puppies don’t have enough reserved nutrients in their body therefore they cannot survive for 8 hours without food.

Can 4 week old puppies go 8 hours without eating?

No, a 4 week old puppy is very small and young and cannot conserve nutrients in the body. Therefore, if he doesn’t eat or drink for even more than 6 hours, then this is more serious because puppies are more prone to dehydration than larger breed dogs and it may cause your puppy a life threatening situation and you might have to shift him immediately to the hospital.

My New Puppy Won’t Eat. What Should I Do?

When you bring a new puppy to home, the puppy is not attached to you yet, neither he is friendly, nor he is used to living with you in your home. It’s a new environment, new parent and new home for the new canine friend. So he might not eat or eat very little food. That is just because of the separation anxiety from the previous home. He will take a bit of time to adjust in the new environment and will slowly and steadily start eating.

Can puppies go overnight without eating?

No, puppies cannot go overnight without eating. Puppies are very small in storage capacity and they don’t have nutrient reserves in body therefore cannot go too long without eating. If your puppy doesn’t eat food for more than 6 hours, then there might be a serious illness and you must take him to vet immediately before he dies of starving.

Is it normal for a puppy to not eat?

Yes, puppies are picky most of the time. They can show a lot of tantrums before eating food and it is normal for puppies to go off their food for some time. If your puppy seems fine and isn’t eating, just consider it a timely tantrum to seek attention or play break or something else but if your puppy seems sick or lethargic, then it’s alarming because a healthy puppy wont skip more than 2 meals.

Should I worry if my puppy isn’t eating?

If your puppy is a picky eater and you know it already then he will eventually eat if given some alternative food according to anything he likes. But if he isn’t much picky and used to eat normally every food he was served and suddenly one day he stops eating, then this can be a thing of concern and worrisome. There can be certain health issues your puppy might be facing like oral problem, lungs or kidney infection, intestinal obstruction, fever or any other thing. If your pup does not eat for more that 6-8 hours, then take him straight to the veterinarian and get him checked properly.

Will my puppy eventually eat?

Yes definitely, your puppy will start eating eventually.

If he wasn’t eating due to environmental change, then he will become used to it with time.
If he wasn’t eating due to vaccination discomfort, then he will be fine eventually and will start eating.
If he was suffering from any medical issue and ailment and once diagnosed and treated, he will feel better with treatment and medication and will start eating.
If he wasn’t eating due to some stomach issues, diarrhea, intestinal infection or any other health problem, then once he is treated properly, he will start eating.

Conclusion:

There can be many reasons for a puppy not eating food. Some puppies can be moody, picky and may show tantrums but if served any alternative food, they start eating. The other reasons for puppies showing no interest in food might be stress, digestive issues, fever, respiratory disease, organ disease, teething, vaccination discomfort or intestinal obstructions. Some pups also might not eat when shifted to a new environment and they take time to adjust there but eventually start eating. Normal puppies cannot survive without food for more than 6 to 8 hours. If the condition persists and they don’t eat anything for 6 to 8 hours, then immediately take your pup to a veterinary as it can be a daunting situation.

Why is my puppy not eating and what should I do about it?