My Pet Doesn’t Want to Eat (Anorexia – Inappetence, Reduced Appetite, Loss of Appetite)
Not every loss of appetite (anorexia, inappetence) means that your pet is sick. Perhaps there were too many treats or your pet would prefer something else. Cats, in particular, can be very picky.
If your pet doesn’t want to eat at all, it is called anorexia – a partial or total loss of appetite. This symptom can have harmless causes, but it also occurs with many diseases, especially with gastrointestinal diseases and infectious diseases. Then a visit to a veterinary practice is unavoidable.
Possible causes for loss of appetite (anorexia)
- Change of food
- Stress
- High outside temperatures
- Pain and difficult to reach (joint diseases)
- Impairment by other, dominant animals
- Medications
- Diseases
If your pet always eats very willingly, a suddenly occurring reduced appetite is probably a serious sign of illness.
It is also important to distinguish whether your pet cannot eat or does not want to eat. Careful observation of your pet is often enough to distinguish this, and you can sometimes remedy the situation yourself.
Possible causes for not being able to eat (pseudo-anorexia)
- Pain in the mouth area (Inflammatory conditions of the oral mucosa, in the throat, foreign bodies, Tumors in the oral cavity)
- Pain when chewing (dental diseases, jaw fractures, Inflammatory conditions of the masticatory muscles)
- Tumors in the eye socket
- Pain in the face area
- Diseases of the esophagus
- Nerve disorders (nerve inflammations)
Diagnostics Pseudoanorexia
If clarification is not possible, the veterinarian can recognize the causes of pseudo-anorexia based on the preliminary report, the physical examination and possibly some laboratory diagnostic data or neurological examinations. For a truly thorough examination, general anesthesia and computed tomography examinations are sometimes necessary.
Diagnostics Anorexia
Many infectious diseases (e.g. feline cold) and organ diseases (kidney and liver dysfunction or diseases of the pancreas) as well as metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus with ketoacidosis) are associated with loss of appetite.
These diseases can usually be diagnosed well with the help of a general examination, laboratory diagnostic tests and imaging procedures (e.g. ultrasound).
Therapy
The therapy depends on the cause of the loss of appetite.
Assisted feeding becomes necessary if food intake is below the resting energy requirement for 3–5 days. Nutrition via the gastrointestinal tract by feeding or by means of tubes is always preferable, provided that the gastrointestinal function is not significantly impaired and there is no Vomiting.
In the case of a severe dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract and/or uncontrollable Vomiting, artificial (parenteral) nutrition via infusions into the blood vessel system is necessary. As soon as possible, additional feeding should be provided via the gastrointestinal tract in order to maintain the environment of the intestine and its function as much as possible. Medications that reduce the tendency to Vomiting are helpful in this regard. Experience has shown that survival of seriously ill animals is promoted simply by starting nutritional support early via the gastrointestinal tract.
A drug-based stimulation of the appetite is largely unsuccessful. Measures to increase the palatability of the food, such as warming the food, an increased fat and protein content of the food, provided that the underlying disease does not speak against it, as well as creating a relaxed atmosphere, are more successful in the case of loss of appetite. Some dogs also like sweetened food.
If animals cannot smell (anosmia), this can also contribute to anorexia. Care measures therefore serve not only hygiene, but also to ensure that the animals can smell the food. This applies in particular to the care of the nose in cats with feline cold.
Loss of appetite in animals can be very stressful for the owner, but is not a reason to have the animal euthanized.
Therapy
The most important aspect of treatment is to identify and address the underlying cause of the inappetence.
Assisted feeding is recommended if food intake is below the resting energy requirement for 3-5 days. Food intake in the natural way, i.e. via the gastrointestinal tract by feeding or by means of tubes, is always preferable, but presupposes that the gastrointestinal function is not significantly impaired and that the food supplied is not vomited.
Artificial (parenteral) nutrition via infusions into the blood vessel system is necessary in patients with severe dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract and/or unmanageable Vomiting. Sometimes a combination of both forms of nutrition is useful, i.e. artificial nutrition by means of infusions is supplemented by food intake. In addition to cost savings for the owner, the advantage is that the intestinal environment and intestinal function are largely maintained. Early enteral nutrition (via the gastrointestinal tract) in critically ill animals has been shown to improve survival.
Ensuring nutrition is a top priority in critically ill patients. Protein and calorie deficiencies lead to a weakening of the immune system and delay healing, e.g. after surgery.
Cats have a higher protein requirement than dogs. Overweight cats can quickly develop pathological fatty liver (lipidosis) in the event of anorexia, which in turn leads to further problems.
In addition to treating the underlying disease, special treatment includes maintaining water and electrolyte balance, treating Pain if necessary, and using medications to combat Vomiting.
Drug-based stimulation of appetite is not recommended and is usually not successful.
Supportive measures for loss of appetite can include offering particularly palatable food, warming the food, and creating a relaxed environment. An increased fat and protein content contributes to the palatability of the food, provided that the underlying disease allows this. A sweet taste is also sometimes helpful, especially in dogs.
If animals cannot smell (anosmia), this can also contribute to anorexia. In diseased animals, e.g. in cats with feline cold, care of the nose is therefore particularly important.
Loss of appetite in animals is usually very stressful for the pet owner, but should not be a reason to have the animal euthanized prematurely.
Therapy
The most important aspect of treatment is to identify and address the underlying cause of the inappetence.
Assisted feeding is recommended if food intake is below the resting energy requirement for 3-5 days. Food intake in the natural way, i.e. via the gastrointestinal tract by feeding or by means of tubes, is always preferable, but presupposes that the gastrointestinal function is not significantly impaired and that the food supplied is not vomited.
Artificial (parenteral) nutrition via infusions into the blood vessel system is necessary in patients with severe dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract and/or unmanageable Vomiting. Sometimes a combination of both forms of nutrition is useful, i.e. artificial nutrition by means of infusions is supplemented by food intake. In addition to cost savings for the owner, the advantage is that the intestinal environment and intestinal function are largely maintained. Early enteral nutrition (via the gastrointestinal tract) in critically ill animals has been shown to improve survival.
Ensuring nutrition is a top priority in critically ill patients. Protein and calorie deficiencies lead to a weakening of the immune system and delay healing, e.g. after surgery.
Cats have a higher protein requirement than dogs. Overweight cats can quickly develop pathological fatty liver (lipidosis) in the event of anorexia, which in turn leads to further problems.
In addition to treating the underlying disease, special treatment includes maintaining water and electrolyte balance, treating Pain if necessary, and using medications to combat Vomiting.
Drug-based stimulation of appetite is not recommended and is usually not successful.
Supportive measures for loss of appetite can include offering particularly palatable food, warming the food, and creating a relaxed environment. An increased fat and protein content contributes to the palatability of the food, provided that the underlying disease allows this. A sweet taste is also sometimes helpful, especially in dogs.
If animals cannot smell (anosmia), this can also contribute to anorexia. In diseased animals, e.g. in cats with feline cold, care of the nose is therefore particularly important.
Loss of appetite in animals is usually very stressful for the pet owner, but should not be a reason to have the animal euthanized prematurely.