It can be scary if one day all of a sudden your Pug won’t eat. As a pet owner, it’s hard to understand why your dog won’t eat. An issue that is a particular concern for many pet owners is how long can a Pug go without eating.
How Long Can A Pug Go Without Eating?
Believe it or not, a healthy dog can 5-7 days without eating before experiencing any serious side effects. Most dogs won’t go that long unless they are starting to show symptoms of serious illness.
There’s usually nothing to worry about if your Pug skips one or two meals. That being said, if they are refusing food and water, you should contact your vet immediately.
Related: What Do Pugs Like To Eat?
They can go without food for a few days, however, they need to drink water to survive, as they will die of dehydration before they starve. If you want to know how much to feed your Pug, read this article.
In this article, we will answer the question of how long can a dog go without eating, explaining the possible reasons your Pug isn’t eating.
If your dog is not and is experiencing diarrhea, vomiting or both, you need to get her to a veterinarian immediately to be diagnosed and treated.
7 Reasons A Pug Won’t Eat
There are several reasons that a dog won’t eat. Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to know why a dog won’t eat, especially, since they can’t tell us what’s wrong.
As a pet owner, it’s important to understand some of the reasons that can prevent a dog from eating.
Upset Tummy
Like us, dogs can get an upset tummy that takes away their hunger. If your dog is suffering from an upset digestive system, you may notice gurgling and churning sounds.
Some people even say that a dog with an upset stomach will eat grass to help make them feel better.
Fever
Like humans, dogs can get a fever and will just want to lie around because they don’t have any energy. It’s not unusual for a sick dog to lose its appetite and consequently affecting their metabolism.
The normal body temperature for humans is 98.6 while a dog’s normal body temperature is between 99 to 102 degrees.
You may also notice other signs such as; lack of appetite, coughing, vomiting, or shivering.
Gingivitis or Dental Diseases
If your Pug is dealing with tooth infections, swollen gums, or a loose tooth, it will cause your dog to have difficulty chewing and wanting to skip their next meal.
If your dog has just stopped eating, look at your dog’s mouth to see if you notice any unusual dental issues. Look for any unusual pawing at their mouth or excessive drooling.
New Environment
Did you recently move into a new home or apartment? If so, it can take some time for your dog to adjust to their new surroundings. Once your dog feels comfortable in their new environment, they should feel comfortable eating on their regular schedule.
You can help make them feel more comfortable by giving them their favorite toys and bed to help acclimate them to their new home.
Behavioral Problems
Like kids, dogs can hold their appetite if they are trying to prove a point. For instance, maybe you’ve put your Pug on some weight management dog food diet, to help them lose weight.
Yuck, they hate the taste and miss their old food, so they stop eating, hoping that you’ll put them back on their old food.
It could be as something as simple as your dog’s food bowl is dirty and just needs to be cleaned before they eat.
Other Behavior Issues
- Did you get a new dog?
- Is your pooch eating amongst aggressive dogs?
- Maybe the dog bowl is too high for them to eat comfortably?
- Is your Pug dehydrated?
Stale Food?
Many dry dog foods claim to have a shelf life of 12 months. However, if you’re not storing it in an airtight container, there’s a good chance that it’s becoming old and stale before your dog is able to eat it.
Just like you wouldn’t want to eat food that has spoiled, your dog doesn’t want to eat old stale dog food.
Stress
Dogs love routine and any unusual changes can affect your pooch to become upset and stop eating. This can include going on vacation or getting a new pet.
If you have to make any changes, try to make them gradually to help make your pet feel comfortable throughout the changes.
When adopting a Pug, make sure you feed them the same food they are used to. Once they are comfortable in their new surroundings, you can mix their old food with their new food to transition them to a new diet.
How Long Can A Sick Pug Go Without Eating?
If your dog has an upset tummy or just not feeling good, they will usually be fine up to 48-72 hours without eating. As long as they are not showing signs of serious illness, you can try feeding them some boiled rice with white rice. (that’s what we used to do with Mindy)
If your dog is suffering from health issues like pancreatitis, contact your veterinarian. Your dog’s veterinarian will be able to run some tests to diagnose what is making your pooch sick.
In addition, they will likely administer intravenous fluids to keep your dog nourished.
How Long Can Other Dogs Go Without Food?
Every mammal needs to consume food in order to build up energy. Just like humans, dogs can go a few days without eating. However, some dogs will not be able to live without food as long as healthy dogs and they are:
- Active and Energetic Pets
- Pregnant Pugs
- Diabetic Dogs
- Old Dogs
If your Pug starts losing weight all of a sudden and is showing signs of being underweight. It’s time to contact the vet.
Why Won’t My Pug Eat?
Most dogs will stop eating when they are feeling sick and it is affecting their digestive system that causes pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. Like us, they can get bored eating the same food day in day out.
Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to know why your dog won’t eat. It could be something as simple as their dog food is stale and your dog no longer finds it appetizing.
Mindy my Pug wouldn’t eat her dry dog food after it was a month old. Even though I had it stored in an airtight container.
How Can I Get My Pug To Eat?
Maybe your dog is on a “hunger strike” because they no longer find their food palatable?
Or maybe your kids have been feeding your dog table scraps and they are no longer interested in their dog food?
Either way, a healthy dog will eventually eat and will NOT starve themselves. If you are absolutely sure that your dog is just dealing with a behavioral issue and not an illness, there’s nothing wrong with letting them skip a meal or two.
You can leave their food out for them to eat when they are ready. You can even pick it up and put it back until their next meal, to see if they are hungry enough to eat at that point.
If your Pug’s eating habits continue, then you’ll want to take them to the vet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will My Dog Starve Itself To Death? Dogs will not starve themselves, but they will hold out on eating as long as possible. A healthy dog will usually be hungry enough to start eating after about two days of not eating.
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Final Take Away On Pug Not Eating
Pugs love to eat and most of them will eat pretty much anything. If your dog stops eating, try hand feeding them to see if they’ll eat.
Most dogs will start eating again, without you having to worry.
References And Further Reading
AKC – (American Kennel Club) – Teressa Traverse – Why Won’t My Dog Eat?
PetMD – Sick Dogs Need To Eat Sooner Rather Than Later