NOT EATING (ANOREXIA) IN DOGS/CATS
WHAT THIS SYMPTOM USUALLY MEANS
Poor appetite or refusal to eat is one of the most important symptoms in all of veterinary medicine. It can be caused by GI disease, dental pain, kidney disease, pancreatitis, infection, endocrine disorders, and cancer.
MOST COMMON CAUSES
MILD
• Stress
• Dietary change
MEDICAL
• Dental disease
• GI upset
• Pancreatitis
• Pain
• Viral infections in cats
• Kidney disease
EMERGENCY CAUSES (HIGH CONCERN)
• Obstruction
• Severe abdominal pain
• Toxins
• Heatstroke
• Difficulty breathing
RED FLAGS: WHEN THIS IS AN EMERGENCY
• Not eating + vomiting
• Not eating + drinking less
• Not eating + lethargy
If you’re unsure, treat it as urgent.
AT-HOME CARE YOU CAN START NOW
• Warm food slightly
• Try canned food
• Offer tuna water for cats
WHAT A VETERINARIAN WILL CHECK
• Oral exam
• Abdominal palpation
• Bloodwork
• Imaging
• Pain screening
MOST LIKELY DIAGNOSES (BASED ON 40 YEARS OF CASES)
• Dental disease
• Kidney disease
• Pancreatitis
• GI inflammation
• Cancer