5month old lab wont eat.

Question
QUESTION: good day,

this is my first dog.. a lab (spice) she's 5 months old... she usually eat a lot... i have mixed puppy food and a bit of rice which she loves....but the past 2 weeeks she barely eats.

last 2 week... she started to stop eating.. even if i give her pure puppy food.. I tried to add milk and she liked it... but she doesn't seem to be satisfied with again after a week ... i dont know what to mix and match... should i give her vitamins or is there anything i can do? shes not eating as much as expected. need help.

thanks a bunch.

ANSWER: You need to know your dog. If a dog that normally has a good appetite suddenly quits eating, it needs to see a vet. Something is wrong, and the vet can tell what it is and prescribe an effective remedy. Even an older dog may have something that will respond to treatment. At 12 years old, when my Lab, Aster, failed to eat one morning, I took her to the vet. It was pneumonia, which quickly yielded to antibiotics and she was soon her old self.

If the dog never did eat very well, and has seen the vet since the problem existed, you may be over feeding it. A vet check still won't hurt. Many dogs will snarf down more than is good for them and look for more. Others refuse to eat more than than they need. Evaluate the dog as illustrated in this link, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx You may want the vet to confirm your judgment. Adjust the dogs food and exercise as needed to reach its ideal body condition. Some German Shepherds and other breeds may refuse to eat enough to completely hid their ribs. As long as you are feeding a concentrated, meat based chow, the best thing is to accept it.

The worst thing you can do is to bribe a dog with rich foods into eating more than it needs. Instead, Put down the dish with what the dog should eat, and give it 15 minutes to eat. Then take it up. Do not give it anything to eat until its next scheduled meal. In a few days, it should be eating what it needs. Continue to check its ribs and adjust the food as needed. This is not easy. I had a Shepherd go 3 days on a few nibbles. I was a wreck, but she was fine. It is almost unknown for a healthy dog not to eat what it needs. Unfortunately, in too many cases, it is less than the package says, and less than the owner thinks the dog should have. Many dogs are quite good at holding out for tastier chow. Like kids, sometimes it calls for tough love.

Don't give it vitamins or any other supplements.  Puppy chow already has more than a puppy needs to build sturdy joints.  You would be better off switching to an adult chow now to build a stronger fram.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks a lot....

im just worried that he might get to thin... the ribs are ok... and dont show as described too thin... i dont know if i dont excercise him that much... coz most of the time she's just on leash.

thanks for your advise... i hope you could help me more.  

Answer
You need to keep comparing her to the pictures on the web page.  As I mentioned, when you are in, ask what the vet thinks.  I too have had my judgment sharpened by more experienced people.  She may look too thin to you because you are comparing her to over weight, over fed dogs.  Over feeding is quite common, and unfortunately such dogs are beingkilled with kindness.  

There was an extensive discussion of weight in a recent newsletter from a service dog school.

''Obesity is the number one nutritional disease affecting dogs. It's estimated that 25-45% of dogs in the US are obese. Studies have shown that joint and locomotive problems increase by 57%, circulatory problems by 74%, respiratory problems by 52%, skin problems by 40% and cancer by 50% in animals that are overweight.

Large breed dogs that are overweight also are more prone to developing hip dysplasia. Obesity is especially dangerous for young puppies, as their underdeveloped frame cannot support the extra poundage that it must carry.''

So please, before tempting your non eater with rich food, see the vet and evaluate it as in the link above.