Dog not eating or eating less than usual
Dogs skip meals for many reasons, from picky eating, stress or a change of food to nausea, mouth pain or illness. An adult dog that leaves its food but still eats treats and is otherwise bright, drinking and playing can usually be watched for up to a day, while a dog that has eaten nothing for more than 12 hours, or an older dog eating less, should see a vet within 24 hours. Not drinking, vomiting or diarrhea, weakness, collapse or a seizure, pale gums, a swollen belly, pain, a possible toxin or swallowed object, or a young puppy skipping meals needs a vet now.
General health information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your pet, contact a vet.
How urgent is it?
Go down the list and stop at the first row that matches your pet.
See a vet now
- Is not drinking either, can’t keep water down, or seems dehydrated
- Is also vomiting or has diarrhea, there is blood in the vomit or stool, or the poop is black and tarry
- Is very weak, wobbly, trembling or confused, has collapsed or had a seizure, or the gums look pale or white
- Retches or tries to vomit with nothing coming up, especially with a swollen belly, restlessness or heavy drooling
- May have eaten something toxic (such as chocolate, xylitol, grapes or raisins) or swallowed an object such as a toy, sock, string or bone, even if your dog still seems fine
- Seems to be in pain: cries or flinches when the belly is touched, stands hunched, or seems to hurt while eating
- Is a young puppy (under 6 months) that has skipped a meal or is eating much less, especially a small or toy-breed puppy; a dog with diabetes that has refused even one meal; or an older dog that wants to eat but can’t, or will only eat soft food
See a vet within 24 hours
- Has eaten nothing for more than 12 hours, even if it seems fine otherwise
- Isn’t eating and is much quieter than usual: sleeps a lot, just lies around or doesn’t want to play, but is alert and still drinking
- Seems to want to eat but doesn’t, drops food from the mouth, will only eat soft food, paws at the mouth, drools more than usual or has bad breath
- Is an older dog that is eating noticeably less or skipping meals, even if it still drinks water
- Refuses treats and favorite foods too, has been eating less for more than two days, is losing weight, or is drinking or peeing more than usual
Watch at home
- An adult dog leaves its usual food but happily eats treats or table food, and is otherwise bright, drinking, playing and pooping normally: keep watching, and call your vet if it is not eating normally again within 12 to 24 hours
- An adult dog eats less after a recent change (new food, a move, visitors, the family being away, hot weather) but otherwise acts normally: keep watching, and call your vet if its appetite is not back within 12 to 24 hours
Not sure which row fits?
Describe your pet’s symptoms and get a free urgency check in about a minute.
Check my pet’s symptomsCommon causes
| Cause | What you may notice | Usual urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Picky eating | Leaves its own food but takes treats or table scraps; energy, weight and poop are normal | Watch |
| Stress or a change in routine | Eats less after a move, a new pet, the loss of a companion, or while the family is away | Watch |
| A problem with the food | Stale or rancid food, a recipe change, a food your dog dislikes, a sudden switch, or very hot weather | Watch |
| Mouth or tooth pain | Wants to eat but struggles: drops food, prefers soft food, drools, has bad breath or paws at the mouth | Within 24 h |
| Nausea or stomach upset | Not eating together with vomiting, diarrhea or belly pain | Within 24 h |
| Illness (for example kidney, liver or heart disease, diabetes, infection or cancer) | Eating less over days, low energy, weight loss, changes in drinking or peeing | Within 24 h |
| Side effect of a medicine | Appetite drops after starting a new medicine; tell your vet | Within 24 h |
| Low blood sugar in young puppies | A small or toy-breed puppy that is not eating becomes weak, trembles, collapses or has a seizure | Now |
| Swallowed object | Not eating with vomiting, lethargy or belly pain; a toy, sock or piece of string may be missing | Now |
| Toxic food or substance | After getting into chocolate, xylitol, grapes, raisins or onions; can be followed by vomiting, wobbliness or seizures | Now |
| Bloat or stomach twisting (GDV) | Retching with nothing coming up, swollen belly, restlessness, drooling; more common in large, deep-chested breeds | Now |
What you can do at home
- Keep fresh water available at all times and watch whether your dog drinks.
- If your adult dog is otherwise well and just picky, feed at set times, leave the bowl down for 15 to 20 minutes, then take it away until the next meal, and skip treats and table food in between.
- To make food more tempting, warm it to about body temperature, soften dry food with a little warm water, or offer some wet food. Hand feeding helps some dogs. If you use a microwave, stir well so there are no hot spots.
- Check the food: smell it and look at the date, and replace it if it seems stale. If you change foods, switch gradually over several days.
- If you have more than one pet, feed them apart so you can see who is eating and how much.
- Write down when your dog last ate normally, how much it eats and drinks, and any other changes. This helps the vet.
What not to do
- Do not give human medicines, appetite boosters or supplements unless a vet tells you to.
- Do not use home remedies or people food to tempt a dog that seems unwell. Some people foods, such as onions, garlic, grapes and chocolate, are toxic to dogs, so ask your vet first.
- Do not force food or water into your dog’s mouth unless your vet shows you how.
- Do not keep adding treats or switching foods every time your dog refuses a meal. This can feed picky habits, and sudden food changes can upset the stomach.
- Do not wait several days to see if it passes. Puppies, dogs with diabetes and dogs that may have eaten something harmful need a vet right away.
What to tell the vet
- When your dog last ate normally, and what and how much it has eaten since, including treats
- Whether it drinks, and any change in drinking, peeing or poop
- Other signs: vomiting, diarrhea, energy, coughing, weight change, drooling or trouble chewing
- Anything it may have eaten: trash, toys, string, bones, people food, medicines or plants
- Recent changes such as a new food, a move or a new medicine, and any known health problems such as diabetes
Questions owners ask
Why is my dog not eating his food but will eat treats?
A dog that refuses its own food but happily takes treats or table scraps is often being picky, especially if snacks between meals fill it up. If your adult dog is otherwise bright, drinking and pooping normally, feed at set times, take the bowl away after 15 to 20 minutes and stop treats between meals. A dog that seems to want food but avoids hard kibble may have mouth pain, and refusing treats too is a warning sign. Call your vet if the appetite is not back to normal within 12 to 24 hours.
How long can a dog go without eating before I should worry?
If an adult dog has eaten nothing for more than 12 hours, call your vet and have it seen within 24 hours, even if it seems fine. A young puppy that skips a meal, or a dog with diabetes that refuses even one meal, needs a vet right away. At any age, go now if your dog is not drinking, is vomiting, seems weak or in pain, or may have eaten something harmful. Do not wait to see how many days your dog can manage.
My dog is not eating and just sleeps or lies around. What should I do?
Low appetite together with low energy usually has a medical cause, so book a vet visit within 24 hours. Go now if your dog is very weak, wobbly or collapses, has pale gums, is not drinking, is vomiting, or seems to be in pain. Until then, keep water nearby and note when your dog last ate and drank.
My old dog won’t eat but still drinks water. Is that serious?
An older dog that eats less or skips meals should see a vet within 24 hours, even if it still drinks. Mouth and tooth pain is one possible cause: the more serious form of gum disease (periodontitis) usually begins at 4 to 6 years of age, and most dogs hide the pain, so look for dropped food, drooling or bad breath. Kidney, liver or heart disease and other illnesses can also reduce appetite. If your old dog wants to eat but can’t, will only eat soft food, stops drinking too, or seems very weak, go to a vet now.
Is there a home remedy for a dog that won’t eat?
No home remedy replaces finding out why your dog is not eating, and appetite boosters or other medicines should only be given if your vet prescribes them. What you can do is keep fresh water available, offer the usual food at set times, warm it slightly or soften it with warm water, and try hand feeding. Do not offer people food without asking your vet, because some foods such as onions, garlic, grapes and chocolate are toxic to dogs. If your dog still eats nothing after 12 hours, or shows any warning sign, see a vet.
Related symptoms
Sources
- Anorexia in Dogs, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Urgent Care for Loss of Appetite, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Testing for Decreased Appetite with Listlessness, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Caring for Your Sick Dog, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Testing for Low Blood Sugar, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Vomiting in Dogs, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Disorders of the Mouth in Dogs (Pet Owner Version), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Dental Disorders of Dogs (Pet Owner Version), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Disorders of the Stomach and Intestines in Dogs (Pet Owner Version), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Gastric Dilation and Volvulus in Small Animals, Merck Veterinary Manual
- Picky Eaters, NC State Veterinary Hospital, Clinical Nutrition Service
- Recognizing a Pet Emergency, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, 2019
- Guide to Pet Emergencies, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
- Why Is My Dog Not Eating? Common Causes of Loss of Appetite in Dogs, American Kennel Club
- Why Is My Dog a Picky Eater?, American Kennel Club
- People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets, ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Last reviewed October 25, 2026