Another thing that causes a disturbance of the dog’s natural
eating behavior is mechanical interruption. Broken jaws, a fish
hook in the tongue or a rubber ball stuck in the throat are
typical examples of mechanical anorexia. A lot of dog owners
think that it is normal for all dogs to miss a meal and that a
missed meal is not something to be concerned about. However, a
healthy dog is always hungry at meal time, just as a healthy
person is. Any time a dog refuses to eathisn dog food, it is a
signal to you that something is not right. If the dog refuses
two meals in a row, you can be certain that there is something
wrong, either with your dog or with his dog food.

Obviously with the lack of dog nutrition, a dog gradually
losses weight once he stops eating. A 20 lb Beagle will lose
0.4 pound (six and one-half ounces) each day he refuses to eat.
This weight loss occurs because the dog is breaking down and
using up his own body. Since there is no dog nutrition coming
in, a dog with anorexia must literally burn itself up in order
to obtain the energy and nutrients needed for his essential
life functions. When extra demands from disease are piled on
those suffering from anorexia, the burn-up is even faster. That
Beagle cannot afford to lose =BD lb of his body weight every day
for very long!

Included within the weight lost will be fats, carbohydrates and
protein. The most important loss to a dog is protein. By the end
of only two days of anorexia, that 20 lb Beagle will already
have lost about 3% of his total body protein. This becomes
increasingly important if one considers that protein is
essential not only for normal metabolism but for wound healing,
tissue repair and combating infections. Actions to replace the
intake of anorectic dogs should be implemented immediately.
Unwillingness or failure to overcome the deficiencies of
calories and nutrients created by anorexia can mean the
difference between recovery and death during an illness.

The same dog food the dog was eating before anorexia is
suitable, as long as the cause of the anorexia does not make it
unsuitable. Because dogs become inactive with anorexia, their
calorie need is somewhat less than for most dogs. If they have
a fever, however, this rapidly increases their caloric
requirements.

Dogs with anorexia must be force-fed either by spoon feeding or
by intragastric intubation. This type of dog food diet should be
fed only long enough to get a dog back to eating satisfactorily
on his own and should never become a substitute for actually
determining the cause of the anorexia or for overcoming that
cause.

About The Author: John Mailer has written many articles about
dogs and puppies and how to train them.His main business is as
an internet marketer.
http://www.basicsdogtraining.com/dognutritionfood.html
http://www.howtostartonlinehomebusiness.com

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