It happens that a dog is suddenly not eating. And, sometimes even not drinking. And, this can let us as dog owners worry. We don’t know how long they can survive without food or water and are always expecting the worse.
This is why it is important to know how long a dog can go without food so that we know when to start worrying. But, before you decide not to get worried about your dog not eating, you need to consider a couple of things first. To make sure that you are ruling out some serious reasons why the dog isn’t eating.
Why Do Dogs Stop Eating in the First Place?
There are many reasons why dogs stop eating in the first place. And, you need to make sure that you know why your dog isn’t eating. In some cases, it is more serious if a dog isn’t eating or drinking water, than in other cases. This is why it is important to know why dogs stop eating in the first place.
These are some reasons why dogs stop eating in the first place.
- Health problems. This is the most common reason why dogs stop eating. They might be sick or struggling with a health problem that you don’t know about.
- You purchased a new food brand, and they don’t like it. There are some picky eaters out there that don’t like eating a new type of food.
- Something stressful has happened to the dog. This is another common reason why a dog can stop eating. For example, the owner is going away on holiday, and the dogs are left by a dog sitter. There is always that one dog that won’t eat until the dog owner is coming back.
There Isn’t Really a Right or Wrong Answer About the Time Period
About the question of how long can a dog go without eating. There isn’t really a right or wrong answer. This is because it depends on a couple of things. A sick dog has a much higher chance of dying when they don’t eat or drink, than a healthy dog.
A dog that feels lonely will also not survived as long without food as a healthy dog. Professionals are saying that a healthy dog can go anywhere from 5 days to three weeks without food. But, only a couple of days without any water.
Different Scenarios for the Time That Dogs Will Survive Without Food
If you know why your dog isn’t eating, but you still worry about how long he will survive without food, then these different scenarios will assist you in finding the right situation for your dog. And, then you can find out how long your dog will survive without food, and if your dog is in any danger.
- When your dog is sick. When your dog is sick and isn’t eating, it has a higher risk of dying. Especially, if you aren’t giving some added nutrients with his medication. A sick dog is an already weaken dog. Without food, he will weaken faster and will die. If he doesn’t eat, he probably won’t drink water as well. He will dihydrate and will die.
- Feeling alone. When your dog is feeling alone and missing someone, and not eating, then this isn’t really a huge emergency. As long as the dog is drinking water, and he is still active, everything is fine. By giving him his favourite treats, you can feed him some food.
How Long Can a Dog Go Without Water?
This is the one thing that you need to be worried about. A healthy dog might be able to go five days without food, but it won’t last five days without any water. Any dehydrated dog is something serious. And, even the healthiest dog can die, within a couple of days without any water.
It is much more serious if a dog isn’t drinking water than not eating. If a dog isn’t eating, but still drinking water, you can know that he will be fine. But, as soon as he isn’t drinking any water as well, then you need to know that there is something seriously wrong. The good news is that it is easier to force water into a dog than to force food into your sick dog.
A dog that isn’t eating for a couple of days, can be something to worry about if you are a pet owner. But, when do you really need to worry and when are your dog still save? And, what should you do when you find that your dog isn’t eating for days?
The moment that you are worried about your dog not eating, or drinking, you need to take him to a vet immediately. This is the only way that you can make sure that your dog is staying fit and healthy.