How long can dogs go without eating?

When welcoming a new pet into the home, one of the biggest challenges can be establishing a feeding schedule. Many dogs are picky eaters and would rather go hungry than eat what their owners put in front of them. There are ways to help a dog that won’t eat, but it’s important that owners know how long to allow the problem to continue before they really need to worry.

The length of time a dog can live without eating depends on its physical condition prior to the time it stopped eating. If the dog had previous health problems, he may not be able to survive more than a few days without adequate food. A healthy dog ​​can actually live up to four weeks without food, but at that time he will be in very poor health.

A much more serious condition for a dog is not getting enough water. The survival of a dog without water depends, to a large extent, on the weather that he does when he is not drinking. Under some conditions, a dog may get by for a week without water, but, in hot climates, he may not even be able to go a day.

Dog owners should be aware that there is a big difference between a dog that is deprived of food and a dog that chooses not to eat. A dog that rejects the food in front of it may have a serious health problem. Loss of appetite is a symptom of many serious diseases that dogs are susceptible to. If a dog is offered food and refuses to eat it for long periods of time, it should be taken to a vet as soon as possible.

It is also possible that a dog that refuses to eat is simply picky. In this case, it is best to leave the dog’s food for fifteen minutes and then remove it until the next meal. The dog will quickly get used to the idea that if he doesn’t want to go hungry, he will have to eat the food in front of him the moment it becomes available.

A dog that doesn’t eat can potentially live up to four weeks, but that doesn’t mean it should go that long without food. It is important for a healthy dog ​​to get the right amount of food and water each day to stay in good shape. If a dog is offered food and refuses to eat it, he may have a serious health problem and should be taken to a vet immediately.