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Dog does not eat: possible causes of loss of appetite

Dog does not eat

It can happen again and again that a dog does not eat or at least significantly reduces the intake of food. If the loss of appetite is short-lived, there is usually no need to worry.


However, if the quadruped refuses to eat for a longer period of time, this can become a serious danger for him. The reasons why your dog does not eat and how you can increase his appetite again are explained below.

Possible reasons why a dog does not eat

If a dog eats little or not at all, this can have completely different reasons. The possible causes for the lack of appetite are numerous and range from a harmless stomach upset to serious diseases.

If your dog refuses to eat, this may be due to the following reasons:

  • Medical causes such as diseases or medication
  • Psychological causes such as stress
  • Feeding error

Medical causes for which a dog does not eat

The loss of appetite in dogs is often due to a medical cause. There are many diseases that can lead to a dog not eating anymore. 


On the one hand, this can be due to the health problems themselves, but on the other hand it can also be related to the medication necessary for treatment. It is also one of the typical side effects of an operation that dogs temporarily have little appetite afterwards.

Among the medical causes for which a dog does not eat are among others:

  • Digestive problems such as nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting
  • Diseases of the internal organs
  • Thyroid dysfunction
  • Foreign bodies in the mouth or digestive tract
  • Dental problems and the associated pain
  • Poisonings
  • Chronic pain

Psychological causes of loss of appetite in dogs

The negative effects of psychological problems are still underestimated in dogs. They can have numerous consequences for the health and hit the four-legged friend among other things in the truest sense of the word also on the stomach.


Just excessive stress, which can arise for example from a move, excessive demands during dog training or a separation, often leads to the fact that dogs suffer from loss of appetite and no longer eat properly.

However, the following psychological factors can also cause loss of appetite in dogs:

  • A false pregnancy
  • Puberty
  • The heat
  • Submissiveness to fellow species

Feed errors can lead to feed refusal

Of course, nutrition also plays an important role in the dog's appetite. Thus, both the wrong food and general mistakes in feeding can lead to a dog not eating.


Please keep in mind that not every four-legged friend has the same preferences and not all dogs tolerate every food without problems. If your dog does not eat and there are no other symptoms indicating a disease, a closer look at the diet can often help.

If a dog refuses its food, this can be due to the following mistakes in the diet:

  • The four-legged friend does not like his food.
  • A too fast change of food has caused digestive problems.
  • The dog does not tolerate certain ingredients in his food.
  • The animal receives too many treats between meals.
  • The four-legged friend has the whole day a bowl with food at the disposal.

A dog that does not eat can be a case for the veterinarian

There is not always an acute need for action if a dog does not want to eat the food in its bowl. However, if the loss of appetite persists over a longer period of time, a visit to the vet definitely makes sense. 


After all, a permanent refusal to feed does not only lead to weight loss and deficiency symptoms. It can also be the symptom of a disease. This is especially the case when other symptoms, such as diarrhoea, vomiting, a bloated stomach or fever, are added.


In this case, the vet can examine your dog and determine what treatment is needed based on his diagnosis. As soon as the underlying health problems have been resolved, the four-legged friend's appetite returns.

The right food for dogs with loss of appetite

If you want to do something against the loss of appetite of your dog, you should ensure beside the exclusion of health-conditioned causes above all a species-appropriate nutrition of the four-legged friend.


When buying dog food, make sure that the product of your choice is as digestible as possible and does not contain any artificial additives or wheat. In this way, intolerances can be avoided from the outset as one of the possible reasons why a dog does not eat.


Therefore, always use natural dog food with a high meat content, as you will find in the Bellfor range. This ensures an optimal nutrient supply and a good taste, which is particularly important for dogs with loss of appetite.


If your dog suffers from a food allergy, we recommend that you directly pick our varieties with insect protein from the larvae of the black soldier fly. The hypoallergenic insect-based dog food is particularly well tolerated and reliably provides nutritionally sensitive animals with high-quality protein.

How Bellfor helps your dog recover

If your dog suffers from a lack of appetite after an illness, because of his age or due to a high stress load, it is important that you support your four-legged friend in his recovery. For this purpose, we recommend that you rely on a natural food supplement with Bellfor Rehabo.


Thanks to its special composition of carefully selected ingredients such as brewer's yeast and AXPro, the easily digestible supplement feed provides your dog with numerous valuable nutrients. Bellfor Rehabo is also ideal for young and old dogs that do not eat and can play a decisive role in promoting regeneration and improving general well-being.


Get to know Bellfor Rehabo.

Need advice? Then give us a call: +49 2255 9573996

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