What To Do If My Golden Retriever Isn’t Eating But Acts Normal? (Vet weighs in)
Many times it is very obvious that your Golden Retriever needs to see a vet, but there are sometimes it can be difficult. If your Goldendoodle is acting normal but just is not eating, this could be just them being picky, but there are some health issues that they may have.
What to do if My Golden Retriever is not eating but acting normal?
There are many things that you can try to entice your Golden Retriever to eat. These are:
- Offer them human food
- Give them can dog food
- Try warming their food
- See your vet
Many times your dog will eat with a little enticement unless they are really sick. If your dog is acting normally otherwise just not eating, you can try some of the helpful tips and tricks.
If your Golden Retriever is not eating and not acting normal, there may be something wrong, and you need to see your vet.
What Should I do If My Golden Retriever is not eating?
Most Golden Retrievers love to eat and will eat almost anything in sight. If your Golden Retriever is not eating, try these few tips.
Offer them human food
While human food is not the best thing for your Golden Retriever to eat, you can offer a small amount of bland food to see if you can entice them to eat.
Good things to try are scrambled eggs or boiled chicken. Make sure when cooking these things that you do not add any butter, spices, or oils. These can cause your Golden Retriever to have an upset stomach.
Other things that you can also try are a small piece of bread or a plain chip. While this should not be their everyday diet, and they should not eat more than just one bite, you can use these foods to entice them to start eating again.
Give them Canned food
Some dogs will readily eat if you offer them canned food. As your dog gets older, they may start to get picky or not like a new diet that they have to eat. Adding canned food to their diet will help entice them to want to eat more.
Try Warming their food
Some dogs do not like their food cold. If you are feeding your dog canned food and put the leftovers in the fridge, they may not like the food directly out of the fridge.
You can try warming their food up just a little to help entice them to eat. Even if your dog is picky, adding a little warm water to their food or microwaving their dry kibble for just a few seconds will help them want to eat more.
See your vet
Even though your dog is acting normal, if they do not eat for more than 24 hours, they need to see your vet. There may be something more serious going on causing them to not want to eat that you just have not found yet.
Your vet can examine your Golden Retriever, run bloodwork and other tests to make sure that there is not anything medically wrong with your dog.
Why is my dog not eating but acting normal?
There are many reasons that a dog will be acting normal but not eating. These are a few of the main reasons.
Your dog is a picky eater
Some dogs are very picky eaters. If you have just changed your dog’s food to a different brand or even a different kind in the same brand can cause your dog not to want to eat their food.
Their food is spoiled.
If your dog’s food has gotten wet, it can quickly go bad. Your dog would know if something was wrong with their food and may not want to eat that food.
Someone else already fed them
If you live with someone else, they may have fed your dog. Your dog would then be full and not want to eat. Before worrying that there may be something wrong with your dog, ask your family if anyone else has been feeding your dog.
They are full from eating treats
If you are working on training your dog, you most likely are using treats. Some dogs will quickly fill up on treats and not want to eat their normal dog food.
Some dogs will even learn that if they do not eat their regular diet that they will get treats, wet food, or even human food to eat.
Your dog is sick
Many times the first signs that you may notice that something is wrong with your dog are that they are not eating. You should then start to look for other signs that would indicate that they are sick.
When Do I need to see my vet?
Many dogs will not eat one day, and the next to be totally fine. You do not have to rush right to your vet every time that your dog skips a meal. There are a few reasons that you should take your Golden Retriever to the vet.
They are vomiting
If your Golden Retriever is not eating and also is vomiting, it would be best for them to see your vet, even if they are acting normal.
Young Golden Retrievers are known for eating things that they should not eat, such as socks, underwear, and toys.
These things can easily get stuck when they are moving along their intestines, causing a lot of issues. Your vet would be able to examine your Golden Retriever and take x rays to make sure that there is not anything stuck.
They have diarrhea
If your dog is not eating and having diarrhea, they should see your vet. Things like pancreatitis and gastroenteritis can cause your Golden Retriever to have an upset stomach.
Your vet would be able to examine your dog and start them on medication to help calm their tummy.
They are lethargic
Lethargy is not a good sign in dogs. If your dog is not eating and is not acting normal, it would be best for your vet to see them.
Cancer is a common disease that is seen in Golden Retrievers, and some of the first signs are not eating and not acting normal.
Your vet will be able to examine your dog and take x rays or ultrasounds to see if your dog has a cancerous mass. Depending on the location and the type of cancer, your vet can discuss any possible treatment for your dog.
If there is ever anything abnormal with your Golden Retriever and they are not eating, it is best for them to see your vet as soon as possible.
Final Thoughts
If your Golden Retriever is not eating but acting normal many times, they are just being picky.
There are some medical reasons that would cause your dog to not want to eat, but you will also notice other issues with your Golden Retriever, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy.
If there is anything off with your Golden Retriever, it would be best for them to see your vet right away. The earlier that you start treating these issues, the quicker they will recover.
You can try a few of these tips and tricks to help entice your Golden Retriever to eat.
