So you pet doesn't want to eat. Should you be concerned? I think it depends.
If your pet is a picky eater and frequently turns his nose up at what you offer, it's probably not a concern. (And do you want to know why he is picky? It's because you've fed him people food or gourmet pet food and now you want him to eat kibble. Don't look at me like that. You know who you are.)
If your pet is a voracious eater and scarfs down whatever you put in front of him, it may be a concern if he doesn't want to eat, but even then, only if it's for a day. After that, it's time to check him out.
Start by looking in his mouth. Does he have a bad tooth? Are his gums swollen? Time to call the vet. Don't wait for it to "get better" or "go away."
If his mouth is OK, give him a massage all over. Does he wince or yelp when you rub a certain spot? It could be he's in pain and doesn't feel like eating. Again, time to call the vet.
In the meantime, what do you do?
A neighbor called me this morning and said their dog wasn't eating and they had discovered an abscess on one of her canine teeth. (I know ... the indignity, right?) She wanted to know if Hookah could have an aspirin.
I passed along the advice I got from my vet and said she could have one buffered aspirin twice a day. Hookah's about 50 pounds, same as my late, great hound, Jethro, who took aspirin for his arthritis. But NO ACETAMINOPHEN. Do not ever give a pet Tylenol or any other medication for that matter without checking with your vet. Aspirin is usually safe and if it were a small dog, I would give half a tablet to start with.
My neighbors are good pet parents, and already plan to take Hooka to the vet in the morning. And that's the bottom line:
When in doubt, call the vet.
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