why does my yorkie not want to eat
If you have recently bought a new Yorkie pup or had Yorkie for years, you can be depressed if they refuse to eat. There are several behind loss of appetite in Yorkies. The best way is to identify the correct reason behind why is my Yorkie not eating so that you can provide them with effective treatment.
Before knowing the causes and solutions to such problems, you should also know that there are many dogs that do not eat for a couple of days just to relax their digestive system. They survive on water for these many days without any problem. But over 5 days, you should take the situation seriously.
Common Reasons Behind why is my Yorkie not eating
Illness:
Sickness is one of the prominent reasons behind my puppy is not eating and sleeping a lot, But it is not necessary that every time your dog refuses to eat is due to some serious sickness, but it is important to know the reason. Taking your Yorkie to the vet, you can get them to examine for some serious diseases such as liver problems, cancer, kidney failure, or liver problems.
Dental Diseases:
Sometimes the dog does not eat due to pain in its mouth. Loose tooth, gingivitis, pain, oral tumor, swollen gums are some of the reasons behind this. You have to get them cured by your vet.
Recently vaccinated:
Vaccinations surely save your dog from various contagious diseases and have saved millions of lives. But some of these vaccines have some side effects for a limited period. If your dog is recently vaccinated, he may be suffering from side effects such as motion sickness and stomach disorders and hence is not able to eat. You can watch them 2 to 3 days after vaccination for any changes. In case your dog is still unwilling to eat, consult your vet.
Change of Surroundings:
If the appetite of your dog was fine before you moved to a new place or went on holiday, then probably the reason behind why is my Yorkie not eating in unfamiliar surroundings? Dogs like a fixed routine and fixed bowl in which they are comfortable to eat. Unfamiliar surroundings create anxiety and make them feel nervous.
Behavior Issues:
Some dogs are picky and refuse to eat the same food as they get bored. Dogs also refuse to eat when they feel insecure or in some noisy place full of people. In such a scenario, you should monitor the body language of your dog and then make necessary changes.
Recovering From a Surgery:
Dogs do lose their appetite after recovering from surgery. This happens because they are advised to take bed rest after the surgery, and due to this, they did not get a chance to get involved in physical exercise, and so they lose their appetite temporarily.
Aging or Near to Death:
Similar to humans, aging is also one of the reasons dogs lose their appetite. For such dogs, you can expect that they will genuinely eat less. Dogs who sense that their life is about to end also stop eating food.
Solutions to why is my Yorkie not eating
The solution to ignorance of food by your dog depends on the reason that your vet has detected. For example, if your dog is ill, he will need medications to bring back its appetite. He may also suggest some diet plans to meet its nutritional needs. Sometimes such a diet is not tasty for dogs that usually depend on treats to fill their stomach. In such cases, ask your vet for an alternative, but never starve them by sticking to the diet plan. In most severe cases, your vet may prescribe feeding tube insertion or feed through a syringe.
How to Feed a Sick Yorkie?
There are several ways by which you can encourage your sick dog to eat. These are
Wait:
Allow your dog to take 2 to 3 days and observe their eating habits. But you have to ensure that your dog drinks water regularly. Sometimes your dog does not eat simply because they are not hungry and starts eating again after a few days. But always keep the dry food out and ready for them.
Offer them Treats:
If you Yorkie is not interested in eating regular meals, then try giving them treats. You can also offer them human food such as chicken or baby food so that at least he will eat something. Later you can mix human food with their food to bring back their appetite. You can also add Broth to your dog’s food to change the taste of their food.
Hand Feed:
You can put pieces of food by your hands into the mouth of your dog. This is the best way, especially for those dogs who are sick or have some kind of separation anxiety. This process may consume some of your time but is a good way to make your dog eat the food. Some medications generate certain antibodies or ant any other reaction. So read the instructions at what time and when to provide such medication or ask your vet.
Let your Yorkie eat Grass:
If your dog does not eat food but eats grass let them eat. By eating grass they have the probability of vomiting, which is good as it will eliminate the toxins from their stomach. Many dogs purposely eat grass when they feel problems in their stomach. But if your dog does it regularly with multiple vomits, take him to your vet.
If you feel that your Yorkie does not eat due to pickiness problem, then you can encourage them to eat through-
- Decreasing treats
- Feeding only 2 times regularly.
- Make mealtime fun by providing them with a toy or simply patting them.
- Changing scenarios of their eating place. For example, if your dog eats in front of family members or other pets, let them eat alone. You can also change the food bowl or try to put pieces of dry foods on the floor rather than on the dish.
- Try other brands of food.
- Serve warm food, as it generates an aroma that can encourage your dog to eat.
Importance of Water:
As mentioned above, if your dog does not eat food but intakes water regularly, it is a good symptom. Dogs can survive without food for longer periods. It is in their genes. But they cannot survive much if they do not drink water. Here are some of the ways by which you can encourage your dog to drink water.
- Provide your dog with an ice cube so that he can lick it.
- Offer water with the help of your palm or fingers.
- If your vet permits, you can offer Pedialite.
- Add ice into the water bowl of your dog.
Signs of dehydration in dogs include loss in appetite, lethargy, panting, sticky and dry gums, loss in elasticity of the skin, poor fur quality, dry nose and eyes, lack of saliva in their mouth. If your dog is sick or not eating his meals, do not provide them with excessive rich food. Sometimes over-eating of rich foods creates a problem of indigestion, especially when they do not play or exercise regularly. You should provide them with human food or occasionally treats so that they can manage their digestive system.
Precautions:
Here are some of the foods that you should not provide your dog as they may decrease appetite in dogs in the future.
- Consuming Xylitol can cause liver failure and a drop in blood sugar for your Yorkie.
- Seeds of Avacado can cause obstruction in their digestive tract, and avocado can cause illness.
- Raisins and Grapes can cause the failure of Kidneys.
- Caffeine can be dangerous and can show multiple reactions to the health of your dog.
- Garlic and Onions can cause poisoning and anemia.
- Alcohol can cause breathing problems, vomiting, and even death of your Yorkie.
- Milk, chocolates, and Dairy products can cause problems in the digestive system and diarrhea
- Sugar, Raw eggs, raw fish/meat, fruit seeds can cause several problems in dogs
- The splinters of bones may stick to the digestive system of your dog and can cut it.
Common FAQs:
QUE: why is my Yorkie not eating and throwing up bile?
ANS: Problems in the stomach and digestive system make your Yorkie throw up bile and ignorance towards eating. In such conditions, you should take your dog to the vet.
QUE: How long can a Yorkie puppy go without eating?
ANS: Usually, healthy dogs can go 5 to 7 days without eating but drinks plenty of water. But you should not take such risks and take them to the vet after 2 to 3 days of ignorance of their meals.
QUE: What do I do if my puppy won’t eat?
ANS: You can wait for 1 or 2 days if your Yorkie refuses to eat. After that, you can try changing their food brand, letting them eat grass, or providing them with their favorite treats.
QUE: Should I worry if my puppy is not eating?
ANS: It is normal for dogs to skip meals for 1 or 2 days as there may e problems with their digestive system. But if your Yorkie does not eat for more than 5 days, then it’s a serious problem.
QUE: How can I increase my Yorkies appetite?
ANS: Through regular feeding and increasing the healthy foods in their diet along with plenty of exercises, you can increase the diet of your Yorkie.
QUE: How often should a Yorkie be fed?
ANS: Mostly, you can feed your dog 2 times in a day. Sometimes you can also offer them treats between their meals.
what age do yorkie stop growing
Ans: usually need 9 to 10 months completely stop growing after 12 months old
I hope that now you have got all answers to why is my Yorkie not eating. The best precaution in such cases is to provide your dog with a regular and healthy diet and provide them with plenty of exercise. Through this, you will never face such kinds of problems. If you feel that the condition of your Yorkie is getting worse, take them to your vet.