5. Tumors in the mouth area
But it's not just foreign bodies that can prevent dogs from eating and drinking: not many four-legged friends suffer from this Tumors in the mouth areawhich unfortunately are not always harmless.
According to the Oberhaching Veterinary Clinic, 6 percent of all malignant cancerous tumors in dogs are located in the mouth. These are the most common Melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and fibrosarcoma. They grow quickly and cause severe swelling – the mouth becomes almost unusable and the four-legged friend can then neither absorb solid nor liquid food well.
If it has come to this, the four-legged friend must be treated immediately, as any further waiting time would worsen the already unfavorable prognosis even further.
6. Tonsillitis
From one Tonsillitis or Tonsillitis Younger four-legged friends are particularly affected. As with us humans, this clinical picture in dogs is primarily caused by viruses and bacteria.
As a result, the animal not only has severe pain in the throat area, but also suffers from swollen tonsils severe difficulty swallowingwhich is why he usually stops eating and often drinks significantly less.
7. Laryngeal paralysis & Tracheal collapse
There are two mostly genetically determined clinical pictures that can lead to the dog being unable or unwilling to eat or drink Laryngeal paralysis and the Tracheal or tracheal collapse. The former disease usually affects larger breeds, while the latter almost always occurs in smaller four-legged friends.
Affected dogs then not only suffer from breathing problems, but also from difficulty swallowing. Therefore, it is not uncommon for them to avoid eating solid or liquid food in the advanced stages.
8. Injuries & Joint diseases
Refusal to eat can also occur when the dog actually has an appetite and is thirsty. Then the background is that he is physically unable to go to his bowls.
In some cases the dogs then suffer from one Injury, e.g. a broken bone, a sprain or muscular problems. The four-legged friend then remains lying in one place, for example in his dog bed.
Also chronic joint diseases such as arthritis, osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia can cause the dog to occasionally be unable to go to the food and water bowls due to pain.
9. Cardiovascular diseases
Another rather common cause of general weakness leading to refusal to eat are Cardiovascular problems. Most of the time it is chronic Heart failure, heart muscle disorders or defective heart valves.
The dog is then almost constantly exhausted and even when very hungry and thirsty he can barely make his way to the bowl. Affected four-legged friends usually pant heavily, including the infamous one “Cough of the heart” is a typical sign of such problems.
Cardiovascular diseases can be both genetic and acquired, for example, due to chronic obesity or overwork. It is often older dogs that suffer from this.
10. Animal food rivals
However, they are not all causes are physical: The “soul” can also play a role. If you own more than one pet, it is possible, for example, that the internal hierarchy among the four-legged friends means that one dog does not get to eat and water.
Then it is usually a very dominant conspecific who… Food rivals He makes it clear to the “victim” through subtle signs or even open aggression that the bowls in the house are his. The suffering four-legged friend then no longer dares to challenge this “monopoly” and prefers to remain without food or water.
11. Traumatic experiences
But even without animal companions, a dog can be afraid of eating and drinking. The background is then often a traumatic experience.
If you ask yourself how this can happen, you have to put yourself in the sensory world of dogs: they, for example very strong hearing. They not only use their ears to hear sounds from a greater distance, but can also react very sensitively to noise in their immediate surroundings.
Animals that feed from metal bowls often become “victims” of them Horrible experiences: It starts to rattle – for example after a wrong movement – the dog notices this and initially doesn't want to have anything to do with his feeding place anymore.
12. Depression
Dogs can also show symptoms that are… depression resemble. Very often they develop after drastic experiences for the four-legged friend – for example the death or long-term absence of a loved one.
Also Boredom, physically restrictive diseases as well as physical or mental Under- and over-demandingg can make the dog dangerously sad. Very often they have no appetite and not only refuse to eat, but also drink significantly less.
Other signs include very calm or aggressive behavior, significantly more sleep than usual or a lack of motivation, for example when going for a walk. Since these symptoms can also occur with physical illnesses, it is advisable to have your four-legged friend checked out carefully.
13. Symptoms of poisoning
If the dog suddenly loses its appetite and thirst, this can also be a problem poisoning be behind it. Unfortunately, there are many everyday traps that await our four-legged friends: In addition to poison bait, this also includes artificial fertilizers, some plants and certain foods.
In many cases, the four-legged friend reacts very violently to toxins in order to protect his body: he hardly eats any new food and only eats grass. The ability to drink is also reduced; instead, nausea and diarrhea – often bloody – appear.
Also typical of poisoning sudden apathetic behavior combined with visible pain. Since this is always an emergency, an immediate trip to the vet is essential to save your four-legged friend's life.
14. heat
Is your dog very restless but doesn't seem sick? At the same time, he doesn't even think about eating or drinking? Then it is also possible that he is simply from his hormones is directed.
This can occur in both unneutered male dogs and female dogs: If a male dog smells a female ready to mate, he immediately wants to reproduce and forgets his need for food. Female dogs in heat “think” very similarly during their ovulation.
Because of their excellent sense of detection, dogs can also detect other dogs who are on the street or in other houses. The problem should usually go away after a few days and recur at the start of the next reproductive cycle.
15. old age
And finally, refusing food and liquid nutrition can unfortunately also be a sign that your four-legged friend will soon be leaving our world.
Many Dogs dying of old age withdraw first. This is instinctive, because a four-legged friend who is close to death could attract predators in the wild and endanger the entire pack.