A Guide to Anorexia in Dogs

Our three-year-old black Cocker Spaniel had tipped the scales at 32 pounds two weeks earlier but hadn’t touched her food in almost two days. While she needed to get down to around 25 pounds, this clearly wasn’t the way to do it. After examining her, the vet diagnosed the dog as suffering from anorexia.

What is Anorexia in Dogs?

For the last decade, the media have had a field day with stories about anorexia and bulimia in human beings. While human anorexia is usually linked to psychological issues, canine anorexia can have either a physical or a psychological cause.

According to PetPlace.com, anorexia is a condition in which a dog loses his or her appetite. The pet simply might not want to eat, but some dogs are unable to do so. Anorexia in dogs is a serious disorder warranting prompt medical attention.

Anorexic dogs can have a number of common symptoms. Our overweight Cocker had some distention in her abdomen and panted as though she was short of breath. Other typical symptoms include fever, pallor, pain, jaundice and eye changes, PetMD reports. Some dogs experience changes in organ size. Upon examination, heart and lung sounds might be only a fraction of what they normally are.

Causes

Vets attribute anorexia in dogs medical or psychological causes. When the culprit is psychological, there are seldom any physical symptoms beyond not eating. Any of a number of stressors can be a psychological cause. Common ones include moving to a new home, adding another pet to the household and even changing food.

Many medical conditions cause canine anorexia. Common ones include gastrointestinal conditions like parasites, food allergies and specific types of cancer. Diseases of the liver and pancreas might be responsible for a dog’s loss of appetite.

Anorexia is a flag to vets to look for kidney disease. Some types of urinary tract infections also cause it.

Some anorexic dogs have severe anemia linked to various causes likestomach ulcers, rat bait poisoning or leukemia. Mouth disorders cause pain when a dog chews or even opens the mouth.

Any illness that advances to a serious stage can cause a dog to stop eating. Avoiding food is the most frequent sign dogs give us that they’re under the weather.

Diagnosis

An important step in diagnosing anorexia in a dog is conducting a thorough medical history, often before a physical exam. Owners should be prepared to describe the dog’s diet and eating habits, any recent food changes and any sudden issues like chewing problems.

After a physical exam, the vet will order one or more tests. He or she will be checking for the presence of a heartworm or a retrovirus and will order a blood analysis as well as a urinalysis. X-rays of the dog’s chest and abdomen might be required. For some pets, endoscopy – considered a surgical procedure – might be necessary to collect tissue samples for analysis.

Our chubby Cocker Spaniel had a damaged tooth. With some dietary changes, she slimmed down to a healthy 24 pounds despite maintaining a hearty appetite once her dental problem was treated.

Treatment

Many anorexic dogs need supportive care. This type of treatment basically helps the animal survive while a specific treatment plan for the cause of the anorexia is being put into place. Examples of supportive care are IV therapy or medications that stimulate the appetite.

Specific treatments depend on the exact cause of the dog’s anorexia. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections. Repairing or removing a problem tooth can restore an appetite.

In the case of psychological causes of anorexia in dogs, it’s important that owners look for recent changes in the environment that might have stressed out the dog. As quickly as practicable, the dog needs to be on a predictable daily routine.

For puppies six months old or younger, even half a day without eating can be physically devastating. While healthy adult dogs sometimes decide to skip a meal or two, it’s important to contact a vet as soon as anorexia in dogs seems a possibility.

Sources:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/anorexia-in-dogs/page1.aspx

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_multi_anorexia

Personal experience