Appetite loss in Rottweilers ( in dogs in general) should never be ignored although it doesn’t have to be a sign of severe illness. If your Rottweiler has stopped eating or eats significantly less than usual, you should do something about it.
If you notice that your Rottweiler eats less or won’t eat at all, check his nose ( needs to be clean as the smell of food stimulates appetite). If Rottweiler refuses to eat dry food but accepts wet, soft food, he might have a dental problem. Try to stimulate Rottweiler’s appetite by warming up the food, offering strong-smelling food, trying hand feeding. If your Rotweiller won’t eat after 2 days you put in all the effort then the vet’s attention is necessary because lack of appetite can also indicate severe illnesses like cancer, liver, or kidney failure.
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How Long Can a Rottweiler Go Without Eating?
Rottweiler can go without eating for 3-5 days, on some rare occasions even a week. But this doesn’t mean that you should leave your dog without food for a couple of days.
Maximum two days without food is generally safe for your Rottweiler. That’s why you should keep a record, on regular basis, of your dog’s meals and how much he eats so you can act on time.
When Should I Worry About My Rottweiler Not Eating?
It depends- has your Rottweiler stopped eating completely or he eats something like wet food. Does he drink water? Is he losing weight? Has his behavior changed at all?
If your Rottweiler is not eating plus he has some other symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, it’s pretty obvious that the situation is urgent and you need to go to the vet immediately.
If your Rottweiler is acting normally, plays, as usual, sleeps well, then you should defiitely try to stimulate his appetite before rushing to the vet.
The bottom line is that lack of appetite in Rottweilers should never be ignored, as it can be an indicator of some underlying issue that should be medically treated. You should worry and act fast in case your dog that’s not etaing also starts vomiting, coughing, wheezing, having diareha or becoming lethargic
How Can I Stimulate My Rottweiler’s Appetite?
If there is no obvious medical reason ( dog doesn’t show any sign of illness) for your Rottweiler not to eat, you should try to stimulate his appetite.
Here are methods you can apply :
- Don’t panic instantly, your dog will eat better one day but he might skip a meal the other day
- Warm your dog’s food up. Warm food releases stroneger smells that can stimulate your Rott’s appetite
- Sometimes dogs refuse to eat thier food but are willing to try another one, change a food brand
- If your Rott’s main food is dry like kibblas, try to offer him a wet food. Different structure and stronger smells may restore dog’s appetite
- Instead of classical wet food, you can soak your Rott’s kibbles in unsalted chicken broth or add some tasty topping
- Add some delicious oils like coconut or fish oil to your dog’s regular food to increase his appetite
- Try hand feeding, It might help in case your dog becomes picky eater or he has been sick
- Try with baby food ( meat based but without onion and garlic )
- If you vet considers as necessary, use some of dog’s appetite stimulants
- If the reason for your Rott’s appetite loss – upset stomach then unsalted chicken or bone broth can be a good option. Shredded chicken meat is also something that dogs find very tasty and attractive ( boiled, unsalted and shredded chicken meat, good source of nutrients but easy meal for upset stomach)
What Causes Appetite Loss in Rottweilers?
There is a great number of reasons why Rott has started to eat less or lost his appetite completely. Some of them are more serious than others but all of them require your reaction.
Sedentary lifestyle
If your Rott doesn’t have enough physical activity and spends most of the day on the couch then he might start eating far less than usual. In this case, food intake is not a big issue, the bigger problem is lack of physical activity. Do something about it.
Stressed Dog
Rott that is stressed or anxious will eat less. Stress might be caused by recent changes in his life ( moving to another home, change of owners, the arrival of a new family member, the arrival of a new pet, change of routine, separation anxiety, death of a family member … )
Your Rott Doesn’t Like His Food
People usually think that dogs can eat anything. This is not necessarily true. Dogs have a very sharp sense of smell and can be fussy eaters so, if your Rott won’t eat his food, try with another one, or add some toppings or other things that can stimulate his appetite
Your Rott Is Overfed
Maybe you have a misconception about the amount of food your Rott should eat. The main culprit can be a feeding guideline on the dog’s food pack. Or your dog is eating a lot of treats during the day so not able to finish his regular meal.
Your Rott is In Heat
If you have a female, unspayed Rott then you are going through the heat cycle together with your dog once or twice per year. During that period, you may notice that your Rott has significantly decreased appetite. This is pretty normal, you don’t have to worry about it since the situation will get back to normal as soon as your dog’s heat cycle ends.
Your Rott is A Senior
If you have an older Rottweiler, decreased appetite is a normal thing. It’s not uncommon for dogs to experience appetite loss as they are ageing. The main cause is dental problem ( tooth decay, discomfort while chewing ) so it’s recommend to switch hard food for wet one, or to soak kibblas in warm broth.
Your Rott is Sick
Of course the most serious reason for appetite loss in dogs is a disease. If you look closer you will notice that appetite loss is a very common symptom for many illnesses, bacterial /viral infections, dental problems, but also very serious ones like cancer or kidney /liver failure. If appetite loss in your Rott is accompanied by other symptoms like vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea,bloody stools, exessive thirst, that you should contact the vet immediately.
