The Best Hacks for Getting a Sick Dog to Eat

(photo credit: Javier Brosch / shutterstock.com)

Just like humans, our pets can be off their food and inclined to not eat or drink when they’re feeling sick. But while we know the importance of “plenty of fluids” when ailments linger, our furry sidekicks don’t. And that’s when we need to start monitoring the situation and be prepared to step in to kick-start the eating process if it doesn’t resolve itself.

Now, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC), a dog can go without eating for 48 to 72 hours and a similar timeline when it comes to drinking. This latter depends entirely on circumstances – hot weather, size and age of the dog, etc. but when a lack of water results in dehydration, your pet will hit a point where it’s difficult to correct the situation. Where even drinking will not be enough to make up for the water loss he’s already experienced and oxygen delivery to vital organs can be affected.

So never assume that your pet will eat or drink when they’re ready and that you can wait it out. Once you’ve had the all-clear from your vet and know that your pet is not dealing with an issue requiring urgent medical intervention, there are some simple steps you can take to help build back his appetite and get him drinking again.

One of the best ways is to entice him with something bland yet tasty and therefore appealing. Plain, shredded chicken, boiled sweet potatoes or squash are all great foods to start with. And if he’s suffering from diarrhea, plain boiled rice is a pantry staple for most pet owners that should help bind him up and prevent dehydration.

A quick, palatable food option that’s easy to store, dispense, and reseal (important for older or chronically ailing pets) is actually a top-quality Stage 2 meat-based baby food like this organic chicken and squash pick from Earth’s Best. Stage 2 baby foods are thicker, with mashed purees of two or more types of food and in this instance, the squash makes it yummy while the chicken makes it a protein-rich option. Processed baby foods are easy to swallow and digest, making it simple for dogs to eat or for pet parents to add into a feeding syringe when a little added encouragement is needed.

Now, if you’ve never used a pet feeding syringe before, don’t be put off by the name. It doesn’t involve needles and you’re not going to need to inject your pet with anything. It’s just a matter of drawing up water or wet food from a bowl and then depressing it into your pet’s mouth. For anyone whose pet has refused food or water, they’re indispensable in helping ensure your furry patient remains hydrated. This four-pack from Frienda holds up to 20 ml (or 1.5 tablespoons) of wet food or water which is an ideal amount to slowly introduce fluids to your pet. Side measurements let you track consumption levels and progress.

Whether your pet is able to keep down food or is still on liquids, introducing a tasty protein to his diet can help him feel stronger and recover faster. A quality bone broth is one of the easiest ways to do this. With The Honest Kitchen’s turkey bone and turmeric option you simply add warm water to the powder to turn it into a delicious broth that’s free from preservatives, by-products, fillers, and corn, wheat or soy. So, it’s perfect for dogs with sensitivities. Then pour it over his dry food to add moisture. Highly flavourful and made from 100% human-grade ingredients, bone broth is a great way to flavor-up his liquids and entice drinking.

As with humans, taste, texture, and temperature can go a long way in adding appeal to our meals and sometimes simply warming your pet’s food slightly can be enough to pique his interest. By simply swapping out your pet’s plastic bowl for something like this microwaveable ceramic dog bowl it’s easy to care for a sick pooch who may be off his food. Why ceramic? Because it’s not only microwave-safe but dishwasher-safe, meaning it can be sanitized to the highest degree to prevent his bug from being passed to other pets who may zero in on any unfinished food. And at a two-cup capacity, it's small enough to tuck into his pet bed or blanket when he doesn’t feel like venturing out to the kitchen.

If your dog isn’t exhibiting signs of a serious ailment – vomiting or diarrhea – but just seems “off”, upping the flavor game might be enough of an incentive to stimulate his appetite. And that’s when introducing a healthy, easy-to-digest form of food topper might just do the trick. Options like this immune-boosting meal topper from Wellness are not only easy to digest but plant-based and packed with super-foods like papaya, cranberry, carrots, sweet potato and kelp. Free from allergy triggers such as corn, wheat, and soy, it offers guaranteed levels of zinc and Vitamin E that help promote a healthy immune system.

Lastly, something that has worked surprisingly well when my dogs are sick is hand-feeding. Whether it’s the one-on-one contact or the action of bringing the food to the dog versus the dog having to get up and go to the food, I’ve been able to get my pets to begin the eating process using this method. Now, I learned early on that wet dog foods of the stew variety are icky to handle and messy for the dog to eat. So, I use a simple, wet dog food paté that I know is super-charged with flavor. It’s easy to roll into a small ball, my dog doesn’t have to chew it, and the flavor boost can get the taste buds going. This multi-pack from Cesars is free of fillers and artificial flavors and I love that it comes in small, 3.5-ounce cups – so single portions versus the large cans that can go stale when not used all at once.

These tips to help boost your pet’s appetite do not replace good veterinarian advice. If your dog or cat refuses food and water and cannot be enticed, it’s time to get them into the vet for a check-up.