Sisterhood Sharing Sessions | Life Lessons Learned | pet parenting: Loss Of Appetite
What I’ve Learned About My Dog’s Lack Of Appetite
Nutrition
I am a proud Pet Parent of two 4-legged lovable dogs, a gorgeous girl and a beautiful boy. What I’ve learned about determining if my dog’s lack of appetite was a matter of failing health or food snob syndrome.
As Pet Parents we want what is best for our furry friends. Good nutrition is at the top of the list for ensuring good health and a long life for our pets. We consult with our Veterinarian to understand the best food plan for our precious pooch. We carefully sparse portions for weight control and take care to choose a brand of dog food that fits the finicky flavor palate of our pup.
People-Plate
As consistent as we are, Pet Parents are no match for the penetrating puppy-eyes that programs us to bend the rules of our carefully arranged meal-time regimen. There is no doubt we dote over our adorable dogs. A detail not lost on our little darlings, and they know when and how to use this to their advantage. The brow shift from direct eye contact to our people-plate to coerce submission is cunning and irresistible. And so, inevitably we throw them a bone as it were. Pets give us so much joy, and we want to make them as happy as they make us. In a Pet Parent’s pursuit to make the best life for their little one, it is no surprise we ultimately spoil them. Other than cuddles and kisses, people-food appears to please our pets most.
Lack of Appetite
At some point I noticed my little guy was not eating his food. This was concerning as he, unlike my baby girl, always eats his scheduled meals as soon as they are served. When he turned his nose away from the morning meal, I thought it odd and slightly concerning. When the evening meal was met with the same snub, I began to worry.
Naturally, I gave him a quick Pet Parent preview for possible concerns. There was no apparent pain with pressure on his belly or other areas of his body. His ears were clean, nose wet to the touch, and no chipped teeth. Other than his apparent lack of appetite, he appeared physically fit. He ran during our walk, and his toys were still tantalizing to him. So, before swooping him up and carting him off to the Vet, I thought I would test one more thing. The Pet Parent go-to when your pet is refusing to eat, a nice juicy piece of boiled chicken breast. You guessed it, he quickly sucked the chunk of chicken into his mouth and with a couple of chews it was gone and he was poised for the next piece.
The Diagnosis
My life lessons learned about lavishing my 4-legged friend with table food and other tasty treats, resist or scale back. They quickly develop an aversion to their once perfectly satisfactory bowl of dog food. Knowing your pet’s eating habits and consistent monitoring of any change in behavior is key in proactively keeping your pet healthy, and of course proper meals are a part of that. In the final diagnosis of whether my baby boy’s refusal to eat was due to failing health or food snob syndrome, I determined he had become a Food Snob of my own making.
While my baby boy was ok and resumed his regular eating habits the next day, dogs eating people food is plagued with challenges. Chocolate and salty snacks are two of the more well known items to ensure are not offered to your pet. Here is a more comprehensive list of foods to avoid feeding your precious pets according to Animal Poison Control presented by ASPCA.
Pet Parenting Tip, the lesson learned is to spoil in moderation and find healthy Dog-Treat alternatives.
Visit ‘Sisterhood Share Short’s Video Series | Pet Parenting Tips playlist for more of the same.
Support our movement to empower and inspire women. Share this 'Life Lesson Learned'.
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.