Who can survive without food? Simply no one. We all need food to have a healthy and beautiful life. And same with a puppy. A proper diet can make your puppy more healthy and lively. A healthy diet is really important for a puppy’s perfect growth and nutrition. And most puppies love to eat.
All my days are raising so many puppies into an adult dog, I have seen them spending most of their time sleeping. And when they wake up, the first thing your puppy will look for is food.
It can also happen sometimes that the puppy not eating as much as usual. That’s very normal if he doesn’t want to have his meal someday. But when a puppy refuses his favorite food for almost 48 hours or more, then it’s a matter of concern. And seeing your puppy not taking food can be pathetic for you to tolerate from the point of love and affection you have for them. And at that time it would be fair enough if you wanted to ask anyone how long can a puppy go without eating. And that’s why we are here to answer your question.
Not just the answer. We will try to break down all those things that make your puppy refuse food and what you can do to resolve it.
So stick to this write up to get all those answers.
Why Won’t Your Puppy Eat? Some Reasons –
Now you may ask why even your puppy chose not to eat. So we have compiled a few reasons that may create a lack of interest in having food.
Maybe Food Is the Main Problem
The food you are putting in your puppy’s food pot may be discouraging him from eating. If you give your puppy the same food each time you feed him, that food may bore him. He may want something new in his pot. That’s why he is refusing to eat.
Don’t wonder if you see the opposite. Sometimes the change in diet can also make the puppy refuse the food. The new taste may not suit his tongue so he may push the pot away. So don’t change the diet in all of a sudden. If you want to change the diet, try to do that gradually. You shouMix the new food with the previous one. And after doing that for a few days, you can completely change the diet.
Also, another thing you must remember is, dogs are picky. They don’t eat all kinds of food you keep in front of them. So it’s better if you choose the food your pet loves. And let him decide. It may take a lot of trials of food, and that can be costly also. But ultimately this can be the best solution for your dog, not eating.
Never expect your puppy to eat contaminated food.
Health Problem
Do you feel hungry when you are not feeling well? Your illness may cause you to lose your appetite. And there is no exception in case of dogs. Your puppy may also lose interest in having food for his physical illness. And in most cases, you will not be able to sense it before 48 hours. Illness that can cause your puppy to lose his appetite:
- Parasites.
- Infection.
- Pain.
- Tumour.
- Dental Problems.
- Allergies.
- Organ Damage
- Stomach ache.
- Bacterial Infection
Don’t think only health issues can be the reason for your puppy, not eating. There are also some other reasons. But undoubtedly, health issues are the first thing you need to consider while assessing the reason.
Mental Issues
In many cases, we have seen that when we are depressed, we tend to eat whatever we see in front of us. There is a saying that Eat when you are sad. But it’s totally opposite for a pup. Because when there is any kind of mental problem such as depression, anxiety, sadness, stress etc., your pup will lose his appetite.
If your puppy is depressed, he will not bark at you. They will not do any hyperactivity. They will not sleep as usual at the time of depression. And they will not even eat or drink. Not liking the things he used to do before is also a sign that your puppy has some psychological issues.
And at the time of anxiety, they will do exactly the opposite they do while in depression. Barking, running desperately, trembling, aggression are the signs that your puppy is in anxiety.
Many people overlook the fact that puppies can have all these mental issues. And they end up finding their beloved dog not eating for a week.
Social Engagement
If you have a puppy not eating while living with other dogs, that means he has some social issues. He may be frightened of eating in front of them. And that fear anxiety may discourage him from eating properly. And most elderly dog won’t eat in front of puppies so sometimes they frighten them into leaving.
So if you ever see this happening immediately change the puppy feeding times. Or you can take him to some other place to eat.
Sometimes Your Absence Can Be a Cause
We have seen this in many puppies that they don’t take food until their owner comes. If in any case, your dog is doing the same, don’t panic. This is also a reason for your dog not to eat food. If you see your dog did not take food while you were gone for a few days, try to feed him by yourself before you make an appointment to the veteran for your puppy, not eating food.
Things You Need to Do
When you see your dog not taking food for almost 48 hours, the first thing we suggest is to see a veterinarian. But there is something in your hand to resolve the issue.
Figure Out What Causing This
There are a lot of reasons why puppies go without eating for days. But to treat your puppy correctly, you must figure out precisely what causes this deadly behaviour. Unless you find out the problem, a solution is impossible. So it’s in your hand if you can to find out what’s happening with the puppy that discourages him from eating.
Try Different Diets
Trying a different diet when a puppy goes without eating is the easiest thing you can do. Though it costs a lot of money buying different food, it’s an effective solution. Sometimes your puppy may wait for something tastier.
Treat Him Sometimes
Do you remember when you last gave a treat to your puppy? If it’s been a long time since the last treat, try to treat him with something they love. It can be a toy, or even a piece of cookie can make your dog happy. These things actually can deal with the depression and anxiety of your pup.
A simple treat can remove all kinds of depression, making your doggie eat as usual as before.
Contact a Veterinarian if Things Go Out of Hand
After trying various approaches to stimulate your puppy’s stomach if you see there is no change in your dog’s appetite, then only a vet can solve this issue. So make an appointment as soon as possible to avoid any unwanted health problems for your puppy.
The question is how long.
Before we get into anything else, let’s talk about how long a puppy can go without eating.
So if you have a healthy puppy or dog, then he will be able to survive for upto 5 to 7 days without eating. But they must need to drink water at that time. Not drinking water can make the condition of your dog or puppy worse. And without drinking water surviving for only five days will be tough, sometimes impossible.
But this timeline is not for the dogs who are pregnant, injured or suffering from any health issues. If the dog is not well and refusing food even for 48 hours, that can be deadly. But they can survive almost three days even in their worst condition without taking food. Want to know how? By just drinking enough water.
Timeline:
Healthy puppy- 5 to 7 days. ( without drinking enough water- Not more than five days.)
Unhealthy puppy – Not more than three days. ( without water- Not more than two days)
Now the question is how long can a dog go without water.
How Long Can Puppies Go Without Water?
When your dog not eating but drinking water, you will have to try to make him eat. But if he doesn’t drink water, that can create some massive problems. You must check the water intake of your dog no matter if he is eating or not. Without water, survival will be more challenging than ever. Suppose a pregnant dog won’t eat what you have given her to eat, but you must make sure that she is drinking enough water. Doing otherwise can hamper the birth of the newborn puppy. A puppy needs more water intake than others.
Without water, a puppy can go only 8 to 12 hours. If the puppy is ill, he may survive only 3 to 5 hours. Not drinking water can cause dehydration. So coming from the office if you see the water pot is still full, make sure you immediately make him drink water.
Conclusion:
In this write-up, we have tried to answer the most common question asked by the puppy owners how long can a puppy go without eating. So it’s our responsibility to let you know the perfect answer with the best solution. And that’s what we have done.
After raising so many puppies into a dog, I have figured out all sorts of answers a puppy owner looks for. And in this article, I wrote down my experiences to guide you.
Hope you will like this. If you do, feel frank to share your experience of raising your beloved puppy.
Have a great day!
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