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Animal Health – General (Expert Forum)
2 year old lab is not eating his food
Answered by
Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A - Small Animals, dogs, cats, C.V.A, Western Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Herbalist, Acupuncture
American Animal Hospital
Randolph - NJ
This forum is for general pet health questions, such as questions about medications, parasites, vaccines, infectious diseases, breed specific and genetic problems.
2 year old lab is not eating his food
by keasmommy, May 24, 2007 12:00AM
Last Saturday my finace moved from his parents home to our new home with our dog. At his parents there were two other dogs. One of the dogs got sick with kennel cough and we had ours checked out and vaccinated on Saturday. Later on Sunday our dog was couging a little. He has not coughed much any more but he will not eat. We do not know if he is sick with the kennel cough or home sick for his friends. What can we do?
Doctor's Answer
by Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A, May 24, 2007 12:00AM
, May 24, 2007 12:00AM
It is possible that your dog is suffering from both homesickness and missing his friends, and kennel cough.
Kennel cough is an infection that can cause cough, temperature, sore throat, and decreased interest in food. Vaccination’s can be immunosuppressive. If your dog was already exposed to kennel cough than vaccinating for it won't help.
Your dog may also be experiencing stress, or distress, due to homesickness, and loneliness, from separation from his buddies. Stress is enough to decrease his immune system, and may be enough to make him susceptible to disease. I think as he adjusts to his new environment he may get over this problem. Frequent visits to see his old buddies may help him to adjust faster. If you can choose a couple of days per week when you can have him see is buddies and he will realize that the separation is not forever he will be happier. This may sound like I am humanizing your dog too much, but I believe that dogs (and all other animals) do have feelings. They also have an innate sense of time. The dog that meets the school bus each day when his 'humans' get home from school is a common example of a dog's innate time sense.
A little extra TLC during this adjustment time may help. Spoil him a little bit with extra special food and attention.
If he does not start eating normally in 2 or 3 days than I would visit your veterinarian again however.
Thanks, Dr. Cheng
.
Kennel cough is an infection that can cause cough, temperature, sore throat, and decreased interest in food. Vaccination’s can be immunosuppressive. If your dog was already exposed to kennel cough than vaccinating for it won't help.
Your dog may also be experiencing stress, or distress, due to homesickness, and loneliness, from separation from his buddies. Stress is enough to decrease his immune system, and may be enough to make him susceptible to disease. I think as he adjusts to his new environment he may get over this problem. Frequent visits to see his old buddies may help him to adjust faster. If you can choose a couple of days per week when you can have him see is buddies and he will realize that the separation is not forever he will be happier. This may sound like I am humanizing your dog too much, but I believe that dogs (and all other animals) do have feelings. They also have an innate sense of time. The dog that meets the school bus each day when his 'humans' get home from school is a common example of a dog's innate time sense.
A little extra TLC during this adjustment time may help. Spoil him a little bit with extra special food and attention.
If he does not start eating normally in 2 or 3 days than I would visit your veterinarian again however.
Thanks, Dr. Cheng
.
