How to Get a Dog to Eat When Sick

Dogs are by far the most common household companion for many American families. In fact, almost 40 percent of pet owners have a canine friend to call their very own.

However, with a pet comes the responsibility of caring for the dog when they’re not feeling their best. Here are some essential tips for how to get a dog to eat when sick, so your dog can make a full recovery.

Use Strong Smelling Food

Nothing makes a dog come running like the smell of their favorite treats. To get a sick dog to eat, try to give them food that has a strong and mouth-watering smell that will activate their hunger.

For instance, you can cook chicken and rice and add lots of chicken broth to the dish so it emits a wonderful smell. Make sure that any seasonings you use are safe for dogs to eat.

Exercise Your Dog

Even if your dog is not feeling well, take them for a light walk if they are up for it. Make sure to pay attention to see if they get tired or they do not want to walk any longer.

A brief walk can stimulate their appetite and make them hungry enough to tackle their food when you get back home.

Give Verbal Praise

Dogs rely on verbal praise from their owners for health and positivity in their lives. When feeding a sick dog, you should praise them when they try to eat or even if they only eat a little bit.

Give your dog plenty of affection and make sure they know that you love and care about them while they recover.

Syringe or Hand-Feed

Another way to entice your canine to eat is by hand-feeding. You can soften up the food pellets with warm water so that they are easier to swallow. They may be more enticed to eat if they see that you are offering the food to them.

When your dog refuses to eat, you may need to take more drastic steps and give them their food with a syringe. You will need to water down the food drastically so that it will easily go into their mouth and do not choke.

If you need to put capsules or pills into the food, it may be best to chop them up so your dog will be able to swallow them. See more if you want to learn about how to give your pet the best supplements for their well-being.