My Dog Quit Eating And Drinking After Surgery. What Do I Do?

Why is my dog not eating or drinking after undergoing surgery?

This is a rather common problem in dogs after they have undergone surgery. Usually, it is nothing to worry about, though - as most dogs will experience this simply as a result of the stressful ordeal that surgery can be.

However, if your dog won't eat or drink for more than two days after the surgery, then it would be a good idea to take it to the vet.

In the meantime, there are some things you can do to encourage your dog to eat after surgery:

• Usually, dogs will not eat their regular food after surgery, so prepare a protein and carbohydrate-rich meal for them. Any cooked low-fat meat, such as chicken or turkey, would be ideal, along with potato, pasta or even rice. This change of diet usually gets your dog's appetite back to normal.
• If this doesn't work, then you can try warming your dog's standard pet food in the microwave. This will make the food more aromatic and appealing to your dog.
• If your dog is still not eating, then hand feeding would be a good idea. Place a small portion of your dog's food in its mouth, so it can get used to the flavour again.

Normally, this should be nothing to worry about, as your dog is probably still just recovering from the shock and stress of surgery.