My Dog Won't Eat — When Should I Worry?

What this symptom can mean

A sudden appetite drop can happen for simple reasons like stress, mild nausea, weather changes, or recent routine shifts. But appetite is one of the most useful health signals in dogs, so a longer refusal to eat should never be ignored. Puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with chronic disease can decline faster than healthy adults.

The key is context: how long your dog has refused food, whether water intake changed, and what other signs are present. If appetite loss comes with vomiting, diarrhea, pain, weakness, or behavior changes, it is more likely to need urgent care. Triage helps you sort normal short-term appetite variation from situations that need same-day veterinary evaluation.

Use this page as a fast decision guide, not a diagnosis. A symptom can look mild early and become urgent later, especially overnight. The safest approach is to combine your dog's symptom details with behavior, breathing, hydration, and gum color. If multiple warning signs appear together, urgency rises quickly.

If you are unsure, choose the safer option and run triage now. The goal is to avoid missing emergencies while also reducing unnecessary panic trips. Taking two minutes to assess timing, progression, and red flags gives your veterinary team better information and helps you act with confidence.

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