Dogs Eat Less Food in Hot Weather

When the really hot temperatures roll around, your dog is affected just as much as you are. It’s important to keep your dog cool and limit his/her exercise until the cooler temperatures of early morning or evening. Young puppies and older dogs are more affected by the heat, so be extra careful with them.

One side effect of the hot temperatures is that many dogs will eat less food. It can be worrisome for dog owners.

Belle has gone through bouts of this where she will not eat one night, but be fine the next night. However, she has a history of being picky and not eating, especially when it is hot outside. If she is still active and drinking plenty of water, I know it is from the weather (especially if she will still take a treat).

Eating less food is a normal response for many dogs in the hot summer months. As a dog is less active, they require less food, so their appetite is decreased.

Check with your vet for some feeding tips during the hot summer weather. Mine recommended boiling some chicken, cutting it up into small pieces and sprinkling it in with Belle’s normal food. I don’t like her to go for more than a day without eating something.

Letting your dog cool down before offering food may also help. I notice that if I offer Belle food as soon as she comes inside the house, she will ignore it entirely. But if I wait about an hour or two, she shows more interest in her food.

Other Causes of Loss of Appetite

There are many things that may cause a dog to eat less or stop eating, but run through these questions to see what might be a possible reason.

• Did you change your dog’s food?
• Has something made your dog anxious or increased your dog’s stress?
• Is it possible your dog is getting food somewhere else?

Warning Signs

When a dog refuses to eat, there may be underlying health problems such as dental problems, disease, injury, or pain. Sometimes medications can also cause a dog to stop eating.

It is important for you to know your dog’s habits and check for signs for problems. Animals tend to hide signs of illness or injury, so you need to pay attention. Some of the warning signs include:

• Lack of energy
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Not drinking
• Aggressive behavior
• Weight loss

Other dogs may show other warning signs of disease or injury. You are the best judge as to whether your dog is acting strangely or not. If you are concerned, then contact your veterinarian.

Here is a good detailed article about one pet owner’s experience with her older dog’s loss of appetite: http://dogaware.com/articles/wdjinappetence.html