My GSD won't eat?

Question

I have a 1 year old gsd, and right now, I can tell he's underweight. I can see his rib cage from his side, and his spines. I fill his bowl with food every day and fresh water, but he only eat a little bit at a time, and sometimes, doesn't eat at all. I don't understand how he can not be hungry for the whole day. I've walked him, and it helped a little bit (he would eat a few bites after a walk). I wish I could tell him to eat like I would with a child, but he doesn't understand. So, the question is, what should I do? I can't really buy him all the health supplements or additional food product that would help with his appetite, but if the price is reasonable, I will consider it. We're broke right now and can't afford much. Thanks in advance, and please, no nasty replies about me being the worst owner whatsoever. Don't judge what you don't know and cannot see.

Answer 1

I'm not judging you i just think you shouldnt free feed a dog because it does lead to these bad eating habits now. Usually free feeding makes them either eat too much or not enough even lose all interest.
However he might be sick lots of reasons why a dog wont eat from something as minor as a mouth sore to as serious as kidney disease or cancer. I think he should see a vet soon for them to do a full blood panal and determine if its illness why he wont eat. Then you can go from there.
When my dog had kidney disease he eventually refused all dog food and the vet said give him lean chicken breast.
Maybe you can ask a shelter if their vet will help you get a blood test for your dog, it would be cheaper, I know the shelters spay/neuter peoples pets for cheap.

Answer 2

Since he's probably medically stable at this point, the first thing I would do is try switching his food. It may just be that he does not find his current food palatable. It is true that he may have an underlying medical condition, but as a veterinary student, I like using a conservative approach. (Especially if money is a bit tight, with $20,000 a year in tuition to pay I understand!!!). Since he's been getting thin over a period of time, it's probably not a medical emergency.
As far as what to feed him, the really cheap grocery store brands aren't going to cut it. My cats get purina one, and really like it. It's not that expensive and it's a pretty good quality. Iams (and Eukanuba, though they may be discontinuing it), Hill's Science Diet, and some of the other "higher end" foods do well. I'm not as familiar with the more "natural/organic" foods since I think the entire idea is just a waste of money. I'm sure many dogs and cats have had their share of benifits from it, mine just plain don't need it.
If you try switching his food a couple times and he's still not eating, you should take him to the vet. It could be any number of things, even a high parasite load giving him an upset tummy. The vet can do a blood panel to check his organ function and a fecal to check for parasites. If they don't find anything, they may have some ideas to try before further testing. Don't be afraid to let the vet know you want conservative treatment!!! The really good veterinarians are the ones that can help you with a solution even if the problem is a bit ambiguous. Also, does he get any sort of canned food? Even a little mixed in with his food can help stimulate his appetite. Just something to try.
Good Luck, and keep us updated!

Answer 3

Check his teeth and gums.

Check his temperature (a rectal thermpmeter lubed with something like KY Jelly) - should be about 101

Check his stool (greasy looking? Looks like coffee grounds in it? Loose? Extra bad odor?

If the gums are swollen or there are broken teeth, find a way of seeing a vet

Temperature above 102, again, a vet is needed

Coffee ground look indicates a stomach ulcer
Loose bowels could mean a lot of things like mal-absorption, intestinal virus/bacteria, etc

There could be a blockage (long, stringy items often do this)

As a temporary measure, you might try canned dogfood as it is much more palitable then dry food.

You might just switch dogfoods.

Really, if it were me, I'd find some way of getting the money together for a vet visit even if it means asking frieds for a loan as it is likely that it is a medical problem and serious.

BTW, health supplements are a waste of money unless there is a specific problem as everything a dog needs is in commercial dog foods.

Answer 4

What kind of food do you feed him?

Also feeding your pet twice daily is a good idea, that way you can monitor what your dogs eats and most meds require to be with food twice a day.

I would definitely visit your vet, maybe their is a underlying health condition.

I know in the PA area Lyme Disease is very bad and some of the first symptoms are anorexia or off the food for a few days every now and again.
(That is just an example)

Answer 5

At this point I think you need to consult a vet. No healthy dog will starve itself. The key word here is healthy. Obviously your dog is not healthy if he is so thin that you can visualize his ribs and spine. Your vet needs to run tests to determine what is wrong.

One possibility that comes to mind that would cause a young dog to be severely underweight is a condition called pancreatic insufficiency. In this condition the pancreas does not secrete enough of an enzyme that is used for digestion. Dogs with this condition could eat all day long and still loose weight. Vomiting and diarrhea are also common symptoms.

Another possibility, although unlikely for such a young dog, is cancer.

Answer 6

No judging here. I totally understand what it's like not to have money for necessities BUT you are responsible for the life of your pet and HAVE TO find a way to help him. If you do not have the means to avail your dog to a vet, it might be time to find him a new owner who has the ability to address your dogs possible present health issues. Some vets raise money for clients who can't afford their services. You might want to look into that as well.. No one on this site has the right to tell you what could be wrong with your dog because they (as well as myself) are not vets and haven't done any tests to know the answer to that question. You might have a situation that is simple to remedy but the longer you wait the worse your dog could get. Your dog is a child to some degree who can't tell you what's wrong. Please do the right thing and go to the vet with him. I wish you the best with your dog and everything else.

Answer 7

What brand are you currently feeding him? Make sure it's a good quality dog food. I recommend Canidae- All Life Stages (they sell it at some pet stores like Pet Supplies Plus). The company uses meat that is graded for human consumption and has no by products or fillers. It isn't very expensive considering the quality of it. Wellness and Innova are also good quality dog foods. Also, if you are worried he might be sick and that is why he is not gaining weight- contact a vet and have him checked out.

Also, you said you tried walking him- it's best to walk your dog one mile a day so he gets enough exercise- this will also most likely help his appetite.

If he still refuses to eat- feed him boiled skinless chicken in the meantime.

Answer 8

How old is he ? a big dog has growth spurts and will use up all fat for that spurt . a good dog food will help and just make sure that the first ingredient is not a grain meat first I have a GSD also he went through the same thing my vet told me he will fill out after he is done growing and that means build mussels so if he is not acting sick just make sure he has a good food to eat and that he is eating if he stops go to the VET Good luck

Answer 9

I have a GSD, he is my best buddy, I too am sort of low on cash, but I have found that mixing Pedigree canned with the dry food tastes better and he eats it up. My GSD's name is Panzer and he love " Pedigree beef" canned with Pedigree dry for large dogs. I know you love your Shepherd or you wouldn't be concerned about him eating properly. If you still have no positive reaction, give your neighborhood Animal Shelter a call and they will help you with suggestions. Don't wait too long if case he has a medical condition like a blockage ,hopefully he is defecating properly and such...Dog backward is God, and remember that dogs truly are a gift from God!!!

Answer 10

I wean my four week historic dogs on uncooked turkeyburger. The puppy in my avatar is consuming pig brains and bird hearts in that snapshot and he is been uncooked fed on the grounds that the day I introduced him residence (eight weeks). Start with uncooked bird necks. They're smooth adequate to be eaten thoroughly even by way of his susceptible dog jaws, include plenty of smooth, suitable for eating bone (well for his development), and bird is of the same opinion with such a lot puppies digestive strategies. Feed him not anything however uncooked bird and turkey meat for every week and at the same time doing that begin getting to know a uncooked prey mannequin nutrition. As anyone else stated eighty% meat, 10% bone (which you'll be able to feed on coincidence through feeding boney meats like red meat neck and toes and bird necks and backs), and 10% organ, kidney, tripe, liver, intestines. All industrial meats are exceptional, lamb, goat, red meat, bird, turkey, red meat, canned salmon and mackerel, sardines, uncooked complete eggs, shell and all (three or four every week). Veggies and carbs don't seem to be fundamental and I do not feed them however the meals I recounted? I feed day-to-day. :)