My family has two dogs and recently I’ve noticed that they could not be more different. There are the obvious difference like breed, size, and age, but then there are more subtle disparities between them as well. People are quick to make generalizations about things based on singular experiences and their pets are no exception. There seems to be this myth that all dogs are always ravenously hungry and it’s reinforced through songs, movies, maxims, and more. Admittedly, until not so long ago, I, like the majority of people, subscribed to this misconception. It wasn’t until I was watching my own two dogs eat that I noticed the phrase “hungry like a wolf” may be a misnomer.

While the one dog could easily fall into the popular caricature of being ravenously hungry, the other seems to have no appetite. In fact, often he won’t eat unless he is fed by hand… talk about spoon feeding. The dogs’ variances in eating ~feed~ off each other, making each seem all the more extreme. This sparked concern and curiosity which, of course, resulted in some research. As a dog owner, if you have also experienced this seemingly shocking revelation that your dog isn’t hungry, then here is what you need to know:

Most dog foods have one fixed serving size recommendation; so, if you’re concerned because your dog isn’t eat all of his/her food, there are extenuating circumstance specific to your dog that you can consider. For example, the size of your dog compared to the amount of food may not add up. It’s similar to how not everyone is going to be able to eat a full three course meal– not all dogs are going to be able to consume all three scoops of food. You can also consider the amount of exercise your dog has gotten. If you walk your dog everyday and then one day it’s raining so you decide not to go for that walk, don’t be surprised if the dog doesn’t eat as much as usual. Lastly, some medications may affect the your dog’s appetite (for more information on that consult your vet).

However, when dogs consistently refuse to eat, they may have anorexia. Yes, you read that correctly. Dogs can suffer from anorexia too but it is a little different. For dogs, there are two types of anorexia: true anorexia and pseudo-anorexia. True anorexia is a full loss of appetite where pseudo-anorexia refers to the mental desire to eat but the physical inability to eat. Because of these distinctions, it is important to carefully analyze your pet’s eating habits as soon as you notice a change in them. If you think your dog may suffer from anorexia, you’ll need to figure out which one for treatment purposes. For example, because my dog still wants to eat, we decided that he probably has pseudo-anorexia. We found that bending down to his bowl may have been straining his neck since he is a bigger dog. Now that his food bowl is elevated he eats. Just because dogs don’t talk to us doesn’t mean they don’t communicate; try to be cognizant of the signs.

Not all cases are so easily solved, though. So, if you’re still struggling after noting the dog’s dietary changes, consult your vet and tell them your specific concerns. Based on your notes, the vet will be able to run diagnostic tests to see if there is a systemic root to the loss of appetite. While my dog’s loss of appetite was linked to an outward physical discomfort, for others it could be due to internal conditions linked to organ functions.

No dog is the same, but a consistent loss of appetite is cause for concern. There is a whole slew of reasons why your dog may change his/her eating habits; so, it’s important to pay attention to the signs, do research, and consult your vet with your notes. Your dog may simply be telling you that he doesn’t like his food anymore but it isn’t always so simple.

#bullyfambam