Slower eater

[RareBreed]

Can the heat effect how a dog eats? Normally, my dog eats her food as soon as I put it down. Lately, she will just looks at it and walks away. Eventually, she will go back and eat. She is an inside dog but is let out for about 30 minutes throughout the day to use the bathroom/get exercise. Until this horrible heat, she'd been eating fine. Just curious.

 

[cattitude]

Could be the heat or sometimes, like us, she may just feel a bit off. Have you checked her teeth and gums for any sores, broken teeth, etc.?

 

[RareBreed]

Could be the heat or sometimes, like us, she may just feel a bit off. Have you checked her teeth and gums for any sores, broken teeth, etc.?

No, haven't checked but I will once I get home. She doesn't act like she's in any pain when she does eat. She just isn't as interested as she normally is. Not having any irregular bowel movements either. Drinking normally too.

 

[ICit]

Absolutely! Just keep an eye on her. Is she drinking water?
Catt also brings up a great point..... just your fur-kid a once over to make sure everything looks ok.

 

[RareBreed]

Does it make a difference that she is currently blowing her coat? Never had a double coated dog so don't know if maybe eating patterns change during this time.

 

[cattitude]

Does it make a difference that she is currently blowing her coat? Never had a double coated dog so don't know if maybe eating patterns change during this time.

It shouldn't. Are you brushing her out really good? Does she seem "itchy" at all? Sometimes they will get a bit distressed if the hair is clumpy, etc. and will scratch a spot until it's raw.

Our Abbey is funny...she's fallen into a pattern where she eats her breakfast as if she isn't interested but gobbles her dinner.

 

[RareBreed]

It shouldn't. Are you brushing her out really good? Does she seem "itchy" at all? Sometimes they will get a bit distressed if the hair is clumpy, etc. and will scratch a spot until it's raw.

Our Abbey is funny...she's fallen into a pattern where she eats her breakfast as if she isn't interested but gobbles her dinner.

I've been brushing her regularly for almost two weeks. Her fur has really thinned out from the brushing. She is not itchy. She's acting normal except for the disinterest in eating right away. Not that big a deal at dinner time as we have more time to let her "decide" when she want to eat. She did not eat her breakfast before she needed to go back in her crate so hopefully when she is let out around lunchtime, she'll eat it then. I think they said the heat will ease mid-week so I'll have to see if she goes back to being more interested in eating right away then.

 

[RareBreed]

Problem solved

Was the change in food that was making her not want to eat. She got switched from Puppy Chow to Dog Chow and apparently thought it was bland. I bought a different type of Purina food that is multi-flavored and she's back to eating normal.