Sammy's not eating well anymore-- any thoughts?

[sammydawg]

background info:

I've had Sammy (border collie australian shepherd X ) about 3 months. He is about a year old- totally sweet, easy guy to have, has settled in well. We got him from a resue group who got him as a stray. When he came to us he was quite underweight and had tons of dry dull coat.
I started him on Innova Evo and although he seemed to like it, he just didn't put on much weight. I switched to Wellness with a little Evo on top and he put on a decent amount of weight-- he is now shiny and healthy looking.

the problem:

In the last week Sammy has stopped eating his breakfast. He is showing no interest in food until much later in the day. Today he didn't eat until we got back from our walk in the evening (almost 10 pm).He may have had a few bites but not much at all.
He seems otherwise fine. He runs, plays and retrieves like crazy. I was hoping he'd gain a bit more weight still and I really can't figure out why he's gone from eating a full bowl of food morning and suppertime to eating nothing until 8 or 9 at night.

 

[Fran27]

Do you leave the food out for him? You can try to feed him, leave the bowl 15 minutes, then remove him. That way he will learn to eat right away and not wait.

 

[sammydawg]

He is not free fed. That's not been the issue - the problem is I used to divide what he needed into two meals and he never left any-- it was gone in 5 minutes. Now he isn't touching his morning food. I can put the food back down hours later and he still won't eat it.
I can't figure out what's changed. It's the same food, same everything. I'm at a total loss.

 

[Fran27]

How are his teeth? When my cat didn't eat, it was always because their teeth were hurting them. Did you try softer food? (canned, or just some hotdog or something?).

It might just be heat though. I think you should give it a few more days and watch him closely, and maybe take him to the vet if it doesn't get better.

 

[juliefurry]

Yeah my dog Mack hasn't been eating as well since it got hot outside. He won't eat until it is in the evening.

 

[Zoom]

I've been going through the same thing with Sawyer; I'm hoping it's the change in routine (just started a new job) and he'll settle down soon. Otherwise, I think I may have a dog that gets bored of his food and that can get expensive. I'd say it was the heat, but he ate fine earlier in the summer when it was above 90 for two weeks. *shrug*

 

[Barb04]

Is it something in the air? Kona is doing the same thing. We are putting a little chicken in her food to entice her to eat some in the morning.

 

[sparks19]

The same thing is happening with Teddy. Although he has been like that since we first got him. we also feed him twice a day once around noon and then later in the evening. For a few days he just can't seem to get enough. We put his food out and he scarfs it down like he hasn't eaten in weeks lol then a few days later he barely eats an entire meal. He is also very picky with stuff like that. he doesn't even like dog biscuits. but he is healthy and at a good weight and his teeth are in good condition. he is just finicky.

 

[bubbatd]

I know that feeding twice a day is the best, but when my pups gave up their A.M. feedings I moved them on the the 5 PM feeding with the others. I always moistened their food and couldn't save for later. I asked my vet once and he said a feeding was O.K..... told me he had a friend in vet school who only fed every few days !!! He believed that since wild animals feed this way !! He didn't approve of this, but said his friend's dog was in great shape. Now, Chip ( if he had his way) would have breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea, dinner, a bedtime snack and a midnight refrig raid !! I don't need a clock....he tells me when it's 3 minutes to 5 PM.

 

[Renee750il]

Mine don't like to eat in the early morning during the summer. They will - because they each don't want the other to get their food, but they're better in the afternoon. I wouldn't worry too much as long as he's active and acting normally otherwise.

He'll get more out of the EVO when he's not eating as much.

 

[sparks19]

Yes my vet said that a dog can go a day without food easily as long as they have water. so basically as long as they are eating something every day and aren't losing weight i would think everything is ok. When teddy got neutered he didn't eat much for a few days and went almost two days without eating anything the day before and day after the surgery but the vet said that was ok and lots of dogs are the same way