Changes in your pet’s eating or drinking habits can indicate a serious health issue. Our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team encourages you to monitor your pet’s eating and drinking patterns, and learn what these changes can mean about your pet’s health.

Why is my pet not eating?

If your pet does not like their food, they may refuse to eat. Ensure their food is fresh, and offer them a more palatable option to determine whether this will tempt their appetite. However, a pet who suddenly loses their appetite is more commonly experiencing a medical condition such as:

  • Dental disease — Most pets have some degree of dental disease by 3 years of age, and the condition causes issues, such as swollen, painful gums, loose or missing teeth, and tooth root infections, resulting in oral pain.
  • Dietary indiscretion — If your pet is prone to dumpster diving, they may experience gastrointestinal (GI) upset, causing them to lose their appetite.
  • Infection — Bacterial, viral, and tick-borne infections can cause your pet to lose their appetite.
  • Cancer — Pets affected by cancer may not be interested in eating, especially as their condition progresses.
  • Liver disease — Lethargy, decreased appetite, and weight loss are common early liver disease signs.
  • Kidney disease — The kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins from your pet’s body, and when these organs are not functioning properly, toxins accumulate, causing your pet to feel nauseous and lose their appetite.
  • Congestive heart failure (CHF) — Pets affected by CHF often lose their appetite or become picky eaters.
  • Cognitive dysfunction — Senior pets may lose interest in food as their cognitive function declines.
  • Foreign body ingestion — If your pet ingests a foreign body, such as a small toy, sock, or string, the object may cause a GI obstruction, resulting in appetite loss. 
  • Toxin exposure — If your pet ingests a toxic substance, they may lose their appetite. 
  • Stress — Conditions, such as noise phobias and separation anxiety, can cause your pet to lose their appetite.
  • Medications — Decreased appetite is a common side effect of certain medications.

Why is my pet not drinking?

Any illness or painful condition can cause your pet to reduce their water intake. Your pet may not be drinking enough water for the following reasons:

  • Dirty water bowl — Pathogens can accumulate in your pet’s water bowl if you don’t clean it frequently. Clean and refresh your pet’s water bowl daily.
  • Water source — Pets are sensitive to taste, and changing their water source may cause them to stop drinking.
  • Wet food — Pets who eat wet food get a large amount of water from their diet, and they may not drink as much as pets who eat only kibble.
  • Nausea — Any condition that causes your pet to feel nauseous will cause them to stop drinking. 
  • Low thirst drive — Cats tend to have a low thirst drive, and providing a water fountain can help increase their interest in drinking.

Why is my pet constantly hungry?

Many pets are food driven, but an excessive appetite may indicate an issue. If your pet is eating you out of house and home, they may have one of the following conditions:

  • Cushing’s disease — Cushing’s disease (i.e., hyperadrenocorticism) occurs when the adrenal gland produces too much cortisol. Excessive cortisol levels stimulate the appetite.
  • Diabetes — Diabetes prevents the body from using glucose for energy, and this causes the muscles and other tissues to send a hunger message, attempting to get more energy.
  • Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) — EPI prevents digestive hormone production, interfering with nutrient absorption. The food your pet eats passes through their body without being properly digested, leading to increased hunger.
  • Parasites — Intestinal parasites can leach your pet’s nutrients, causing your furry pal’s ravenous appetite.
  • Medications — Certain medications can stimulate your pet’s appetite.

Why is my pet constantly thirsty?

If your pet’s water intake has increased, you will be refilling their water bowl more often than usual. Excessive thirst can be caused by conditions such as:

  • Electrolyte imbalances — Imbalances involving sodium and potassium can lead to increased thirst and urination.
  • Kidney failure — When your pet’s kidneys are not functioning properly, these organs lose the ability to concentrate urine, causing your pet to urinate more, which in turn leads to increased thirst.
  • Diabetes — Diabetes causes elevated blood sugar levels, which the body tries to eliminate by increasing urine production, leading to increased thirst.
  • Cushing’s disease — Increased cortisol levels stimulate thirst.
  • Pyometra — Pyometra is a uterine infection. Affected female pets have bacterial toxins in their bloodstream that inhibit the kidney’s ability to retain urine, leading to increased urination and thirst.
  • Dehydration — If your pet is dehydrated, they will drink more water to replace the fluid deficit.
  • Hyperthermia — Elevated body temperature often leads to dehydration, causing your pet to need more water.
  • Diarrhea — Diarrhea can lead to excessive fluid loss, resulting in dehydration and increased thirst. 
  • Leptospirosis — Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that damages your pet’s kidneys, leading to increased urination and thirst.

Monitoring your pet’s eating and drinking patterns is important so you can seek veterinary care for your furry pal if changes occur. If your pet’s appetite or thirst has recently increased or decreased, contact our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team, so we can determine the underlying cause and devise an appropriate treatment strategy.