For most pups, chow time is the best time of day. However, when your dog turns up his nose at dinner or you later find kibble thrown up whole in an undigested mess, the people at Nextrition say that it could signal digestive issues. Difficulty keeping food down or lack of appetite stem from a variety of causes needing veterinary investigation. Getting to the root of these mealtime troubles greatly affects your dog’s nutrition, weight, energy levels and quality of life. Through patience and detective work with your vet, you can get your buddy happily scarfing down supper once again.
Assess Appetite Loss
Picky eating and food refusal result from sickness, stress, dental disease, insufficient flavor or just sheer stubbornness in dogs. Determine the primary driver of poor intake by assessing associated symptoms and making meal modifications. If energetic and healthy otherwise, try enticing with irresistible wet foods, real meats, broths or incentive sprinkle powders. Check teeth and gums for pain inhibiting chewing as well. Persistent disinterest for multiple days, however, hints illness and warrants bloodwork plus exams to pinpoint the problem. Senior pets also commonly grow apathetic simply because of aging bodily changes. Customizing meals to your dog’s preferences and abilities keeps their golden years glowing.
Tackle Regurgitation
Finding partially digested or whole chunks of kibble vomited hours after meals indicates food moving too rapidly through initial digestive phases. This regurgitation results from gulping instead of properly chewing, anatomical abnormalities, and diseases impairing digestion like pancreatitis or kidney failure. First, slow speedy scarfers by placing large rocks or puzzle toys in bowls forcing them to navigate around and take time eating. Additionally, switch to smaller, frequent meals more easily processed by sensitive stomachs. If infrastructure allows, raise feeders to use gravity to elicit slower intake. Most importantly, have your veterinarian run bloodwork and evaluate for underlying illness driving digestion difficulties. Getting the green light on organ health and structure helps determine the best treatment paths for resolving repeat rejections.
Settle Sensitive Digestion
For less severe issues causing upset digestion, tailor nutrition and practices promoting easier food assimilation. Probiotic supplements help stabilize stomachs by populating the gut lining with beneficial microflora for appropriate chemical balance easing breakdown. Prebiotic fibers in pumpkin, sweet potatoes, oats and bananas also feed these bugs. Transition gradually to limited ingredient diets with alternate protein sources to pinpoint intolerances triggering irritation. Ask your vet about antacids, anti-nausea medication or stomach acid reducers that provide relief if temporary symptom management is required.
Prevent Problems from Recurring
Once stabilized post-treatment, take preventative measures to keep future appetite and vomiting issues at bay through:
- Purchasing puzzle feeders or divided plates slowing intake
- Hand feeding portions encouraging chewing
- Brushing teeth routinely to avoid plaque/gum disease that interfere with eating
- Managing weight carefully not to over- or under-feed
- Keeping meal timing, location and environmental noise consistent
- Scheduling twice annual veterinary check-ups to screen for illness
- Following any specialty diet or medication instructions provided
Staying vigilant after illness recovery keeps your pup’s delicate digestion on track for the long run. Reach out urgently at the very first signs of relapse, as catching quickly increases positive prognoses.
Conclusion
A dog unwilling or unable to keep down their food signals big problems requiring rapid response. Getting to the root cause, whether it be pickiness, regurgitation, foreign bodies or sensitivities determines treatment approach for restoring healthy digestion once again. Close partnering with your veterinarian provides the care and answers needed to resolve mealtime miseries. Stay calm, attentive and proactive to help your hungry hound happily eat without issue.