Inappetence, or the unwillingness to eat, is a common symptom in dogs with cancer. It is also called cancer cachexia. Causes can range from nausea as a side effect of radiation or chemotherapy drugs to metabolic changes that cause muscle wasting and lack of appetite. The first course of action is to work with your vet to determine the cause. Then try any of the following tips to get your dog with cancer to eat.
Things You'll Need
- Highly palatable, nutritious foods
Instructions
Work closely with your veterinarian or an oncologist to determine the root cause of your dog's inappetence to choose the best diet. In case of nausea caused by chemotherapy, there are several anti-nausea medications available. While the exact nutritional requirements of cancer-stricken dogs are not fully understood, most experts agree that it's extremely important that a dog with cancer receive adequate nutrition. Check Resources for more information.
Use canned, cooked or semi-liquid food if the cancer is causing restriction of the mouth, throat or digestive tract. Hard or kibbled foods may be uncomfortable for the dog to chew, swallow or digest.
Change the location of the dog's feeding area. Some dogs will refuse to eat when stressed, so provide a quiet, distraction-free environment. If the dog loves car rides, try feeding him in the car.
Experiment with different feeding strategies. The dog may be willing to eat if hand-fed, or if given food on "people" plates after the family has eaten. This is not the time to discourage begging - if begging at the dinner table is the only way the dog will eat, take advantage of that.
Offer the dog novel foods, particularly if they are fairly strong-smelling. Cooked meat, canned mackerel and salmon, canned green tripe, cat food or low-sodium meat and vegetable soup may spark his appetite. These can also be mixed with dog food.
Offer the foods at different temperatures. Usually dogs are more willing to eat food that is room temperature or warmer because it smells stronger. If this doesn't do the trick, try offering food chilled straight from the refrigerator.
Ask your vet about appetite stimulants. These can also be purchased from most pet stores. Usually a highly palatable, protein-rich paste, appetite stimulants can be mixed into water or with other food, or smeared on the dog's forelegs where the dog can lick it off.
Avoid force-feeding the dog. This will not increase his willingness to eat, and he may quickly associate being force-fed with all food. In some circumstances, dogs with cancer may be tube-fed, but this should be done only under veterinary supervision.