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DIGESTIVE ISSUES: Loss of Appetite

Dogs have very few ways to tell us when they don’t feel well; however, a change in appetite can be one of the most important signals. 

• Illness: A loss of appetite can signal anything from a temporary upset stomach or parasites to ingestion of something inappropriate or even an intestinal blockage. Therefore, if your Greyhound shows a change in appetite, a call to the vet is in order. This is especially critical if the loss of appetite is accompanied by panting, pacing, lethargy, vomiting, or constipation.

• Teeth: A loss of appetite can also signal a bad tooth. It is important to care for your Greyhound’s teeth with daily brushing and regular professional teeth cleaning. As you can imagine, a bad tooth is extremely painful for your dog. You can often guess that a dog has a bad tooth if he begins to eat but suddenly stops after a few bites.
  

Once all health issues have been ruled out, here are some other reasons for a dog’s loss of appetite:

• Overfeeding: While some Greyhounds will eat any thing and everything regardless of hunger, other Greys will stop eating once they have had enough. The amount to feed a Grey will be based on the dog’s size, age, activity, and metabolism, but generally a 55- to 60-lb. female will need about 1 cup of dry kibble twice a day. A 70- to 85-lb. male will need about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of kibble twice a day. (And remember that treats count, too) Overfeeding may cause a loss of appetite, and may lead to excess weight. Remember the two-rib rule: you should be able to see the shadow of your Greyhound’s last two ribs.
  

• Age: Some Greyhounds over age 11 or 12 may lose their appetites as part of the aging process. Their sense of taste or smell may be less acute, and they may require a tablespoon of canned food or some other enticement to eat.
  

• Heat: Similar to people, sometimes dogs will react to extremely hot weather by experiencing a lack of appetite. Be sure to care for the special needs of your dog in hot weather. For more information, read Hot Weather Dangers.
  

• Metal Food Bowl: The sound of tags clanking on a metal food bowl can scare some dogs and make meals an unpleasant time.
  

• Bullying by other dogs: If you have multiple dogs in the household, always monitor feeding time. Dogs send signals with body language. These signals can be very subtle and easily missed by humans. Your dog, however, will not miss those small body and lip movements that signal one dog intimidating another during feeding time.
  

• Spoiling by owners: Pet owners who pamper or indulge their dogs are creating finicky eaters. The dog soon figures out that he can hold out for “something better.”
  

Three final hints regarding feeding:

1. Make sure your dog has plenty of exercise. A sedentary dog has little chance to work up an appetite. However, do remember to not feed for ½ hour before or after rigorous exercise. This is especially important with dogs such as Greyhounds who are prone to bloat (see the section above on Bloat). 
2. Be careful about putting pills/medicine in food. If your Grey scarfs up food without much chewing, you can probably get away with throwing meds in the food bowl. If, however, your dog spends more time with each bite, he will likely end up biting into the pill and being hesitant to eat any more.
3. Don’t free feed (leave food out all day). Feed twice a day to keep out blood sugar levels more even, and to make meal times specific events in your dog’s daily routine. Put a measured amount of food down, and take up anything that is not eaten within 10 minutes.