Mumsnet Talk

I have a 7 year old labrador and although he is not overweight because we have to watch him like a hawk as he is prone to begging and scoring treats when he can. Since yesterday he has stopped eating and now is turning away from food. He just wants to lie in his bed and has no interest in even coming to sit with us in the living room but seems to want 'peace' away from everyone.

I had fillet steak tonight and saved him a tiny bit - when offered it, he just turned away.

I will take him to the vet tomorrow if he isn't better, but in the meantime is there anything I can do?

I'm really worried about him

Mine did this recently, he went completely off his food which worried me stupid as he's a canine dustbin. It turned out he had an infection which was quickly resolved after a shot of antibiotics and some tablets. Hope yours is ok, worrying isn't it?

There wasn't anything we could do to get ours to eat when he was unwell, we just let him sleep and kept a close eye for further symptoms. Has he had any diarrhoea or vomiting?

My lab has also done this a few times. It is normally when she has eaten some kind of poo on a walk and has a tummy ache. Take him to the bet to set yor mind at rest. I think they say that a warning sign in a dog is if they are repeatedly sick as it might mean they have eaten a sock or stone etc which has got stuck. Hope he's ok - I'm sure he just had a taste of rotting fox or some such on a walk!

It's awful; I will sound pathetic but he really is the light of my life - I really love my dog and it's awful to see him under the weather.

My boy would beg and eat all day if allowed and he doesn't know when he is full - so this is really worrying.

I'll take him to the vet, I think.

My lab cross often has days like this. As long as he is wanting to go out for a wee, and drinks from time to time, I wouldn't worry.

Obviously if he goes longer than 2 days without eating anything, or longer than a day without a drink, I'd be phoning the vets.

Check his dehydration levels by lifting the skin at the back of his neck and making sure it pings back down, not slowly sinking back down.

He hasn't been sick and doesn't have the runs. We were in the park yesterday and he did his usual 'eat as much grass as I can' thing. I always worry in case he eats grass that has rats pee on it or something but I can't stop him doing it (except keep him on the lead which he hates)

He hasn't drank any water since yesterday - oh dear.

What does he do if you dangle his lead in front of him? Mine loves his walks and when he went off his food and his walks I knew we had a problem.

He is happy to go out for a walk, but we just went very slowly. Tail wagging etc but he has been sleeping since we came back.

if no water since yesterday, I'd probably be syringing him some tonight - just a small but but often, evey 10 mins or so until bedtime. Just to make sure he has some hydration overnight.

I'd then take him to the vet in the morning. Hope he's ok.

I don't have a syringe; what else could I use?

do you have a children's nurofen syringe? <realises you said no syringe, but clutches at straws>

straw? You could put it in a deep jug of water, put your finger over the top to hold the water in, and then shove it to the back of your dogs mouth and release - he will hate you no matter how you do it.

sqeezy water bottle? (though our dog wouldnt open mouth enough to actually take any of that water)

aww Shelium I was just about to suggest the Nurofen syringe! Plus your straw suggestion is genius. Also, icing syringe/bag and writing nozzle? Also if you have any of those kids chemistry/explosion/grunge type kits in your cupboard, many of those have a syringe. Hope your lab is feeling better, good luck at the vets tomorrow

Visit vets tomorrow. x

One of my dogs did this just before Christmas. The vet couldn't find anything but she had a very high temperature so obviously had an infection somewhere. He said with that kind of temperature no one would feel like eating. A few days of antibiotics and she was great, but it did take 3 -4 days
The night before we went to the vets I had a water bottle with a sports top and was putting water into her mouth I was so worried she would dehydrate

Took him to the vet this morning and he couldn't find anything wrong. Gave him an injection and said to bring him back on Thursday if he is no better. Said it could be a mild version of the doggie vomiting bug that is going round.

Glad to hear he is ok. Hope he Gets better very quickly. Keep up his hydration to help him through his bug. Happy new year.