Not Eating

Not eating or eating less than normal can be very serious especially in young and senior pets. Cats have a life-threatening condition called “Fatty Liver Syndrome” which is caused by not eating or eating less for as few as 2-3 days.

Please bring your pet in immediately, if he/she is not eating or eating less. Some conditions are more serious than others. Our vet will perform an exam and may recommend diagnostics to help determine the cause.

Common Causes:

-Gastrointestinal Issue/Nausea

-Dental Disease

-Pain

-Organ Disease or Failure

-Parasites

-Dietary issue

-Stress

-Infection

Over Eating

Some pets love food as much as we do. A sudden change in eating more or a ravenous appetite especially with a weight change can indicate a health issue.

Our veterinarian will discuss your pet’s eating changes, assess the body condition, and recommend any testing needed to help determine the cause.

Common Causes:

-Parasites

-Hormonal Changes

-Boredom

-Hyperthyroidism in Cats

-Hypothyroidism in Dogs

-Cushing’s Disease

Dietary Indiscretion

Dietary indiscretion refers to eating something your pet is not supposed to or is uncommon for your pet. This includes garbage, plants, toys, medications, furniture, human food or clothes. If you know your pet ingested something he/she was not supposed to, please let our team know immediately.

When pets start eating abnormal items it can be behavioral or medical. Boredom, lack of training, breed characteristics, and environmental history play a role in behavioral conditions. Medical causes can be related to liver disease, metabolic disease, and mental health.

Serious complications can occur when your pet eats foods or items other than their normal diet.

Complications:

-Intestinal Blockage

-Vomiting or Diarrhea

-Pancreatitis

-Broken Teeth

-Toxicity

-Parasites