How to Encourage a Sick dog to eat

How to Encourage a Sick dog to eat. Having a sick dog can be a difficult time for any dog owner. One of the main problems with having a sick dog is dealing with its lack of appetite. Just like humans, dogs have to eat to keep up their strength so they can get over their illness. There are some ways that you can encourage a sick dog to eat its dog food.

Step 1

Check with your veterinarian to make sure that your dog doesn't have any dietary restrictions. With some conditions, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, your veterinarian may say that you have to refrain from giving the dog certain types of food, such as dairy.

Step 2

Try adding canned dog food to your dog's dry food. Sometimes, this change in texture and taste is all that is needed to encourage a sick dog to eat. This is the best option since you are still feeding the dog only dog food.

Step 3

Boil chicken for your dog. Your dog can have the chicken broth and the meat of the chicken. You must de-bone and skin the chicken before you give it to the dog. Mix these with the dog's regular food.

Step 4

Add a little garlic powder to its food. Dogs love the taste of garlic. It is very important to note that you should only use garlic powder. Eating too much salt can kill a dog so feeding it garlic salt is a bad idea.

Step 5

Put the dog food down for the dog to eat for fifteen minutes then pick it up. Do this every two hours. This will encourage a sick dog to eat when food is available.

Step 6

Understand that the dog may eat only a few bites in the beginning. Just like humans, a dog's appetite diminishes with illness. Allow the dog to slowly work its way back up to eating the amount it ate when it was healthy.

Step 7

Leave fresh water out for the dog. The only exception to this rule is if the dog is vomiting. If your dog is vomiting, limit the amount of water you offer and contact your veterinarian for further assistance.