My Pet World: Dog owners should strive to be considerate of their non-pet-owning neighbors

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Apr 19, 2023

Hopefully, these few suggestions will remind people of what it takes to be a good “dog” neighbor.

Dear Cathy,

Our little dog "Sadie," a Yorky Poo, is now two years old now. Our concern is that she refuses to eat any healthy foods, no table foods, and no nutritional dog foods. She relies only on treats. We have tried every available dog food we can find. If she eats scrambled eggs once, she never wants them again. If she eats any table foods, it's the same results: once and never again. That said, she is a lovable and vibrant dog. She takes long walks with me daily and loves visiting our local dog park. My wife and I are at our wits' end. Can you help?

— Ron & Ann, Gurnee, Illinois

Dear Ron and Ann,

When dogs refuse food, it's often related to an underlying illness or oral issues with their teeth and gums. It's a survival mechanism that ensures they won't ever eat “the thing” that will make them sick ever again.

While I assume you have ruled out health issues, going back to the vet is highly recommended if Sadie’s food refusal continues. It's essential to treat any underlying conditions before reintroducing dog food again.

Sometimes, it's just nausea that's causing the problem. If that's the case, your vet can prescribe anti-nausea medication and/or an appetite stimulant to get your dog back to the food bowl. There are over-the-counter appetite stimulants you can try, but they won't help if the problem is nausea-related.

Since you have tried many types of dog foods, I assume you have fed her both wet and dry food, but that her treats may be soft chews. There are tubes of dog food, often in the freezer section of the grocery store pet aisle or pet store, that fall between dry and wet food. Try this food with her, but only after she has seen the doctor and is possibly on medication, so she doesn’t eventually refuse it too. Sprinkle a few treats in with the dog food to further entice her, since we know she loves them.

Let me know if this helps.

========

(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)