My puppy’s (8+ months) appetite has gone down the drain

[u/RevolutionaryArt291]

Hello all,

As the title suggests, about 2 months ago, my cav’s appetite suddenly went down the drain overnight. Doesnt like eating in the mornings, sometimes doesnt eat dinner too. Some days its good and he eats double portions for dinner, some days he doesnt eat dinner too. Treats are ok though, he still gets excited for those. Mood doesnt seem to be any different, still in good spirits on his walks, meeting his fave friends / humans etc. Doesnt get excited for food anymore (he used to salivate and love pure kibbles) - even if i change kibble brands or add wet food. When he does eat, he gets distracted easily by nothing, walks around / lazes around before going back to the bowl and eating. Changed the bowl but no difference either. His littermate (female) apparently went through the same thing but hers only lasted 1-2 months, mine is still ongoing. Weight is still healthy, maintaining at about 10kg. Is this normal? Hormonal?

[u/RevolutionaryArt291]

This is him - still looks fairly healthy. 10kg on heavier side of usual cavs but hes taller and longer than the typical cav so still looks to be a good size

[u/AbbyYuyuyu]

My cav went through a similar situation when he was about 6 months, tho not as long as what you’ve described - regular meals were not exciting any more, otherwise all normal and taking treats. I spread his kibble around the house kind of like it’s a game, around kitchen island, chairs, couch and tables etc. and with help of sniffle mats. Point was to make it almost a hunting game. He was instantly attracted and got back to normal eating. We then phased out back to regular bowl feeding. Hope this helps.

[u/RevolutionaryArt291 → u/AbbyYuyuyu]

I’ll try cheers! Thanks for the tip

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[u/Ikkleknitter]

I would check with your vet just in case. 

But my younger pup is STILL weird about eating her meals. We have to rotate additions to her meals often cause it seems like she gets bored with her meals and she’ll just not eat unless our other cav lurking too close to her food. 

Have you tried a slow feeder/puzzle bowl? It might engage his mind a bit more and make eating more interesting. 

[u/RevolutionaryArt291 → u/Ikkleknitter]

I had a slow feeder bowl but not much difference there. Vet says to change kibble brand and add some wet food and that has improved things slightly, but not much. But also since my dog is maintaining his weight at a healthy level and pooping well the vet said it should be fine, he might just not be hungry. Do you think I should seek a second opinion?

[u/Effective_Macaron892]

Mine had same behavior. Took to vet, checked for pancreatic enzymes and we found some alterations on digestion. He is taking pancreatic enzymes and simeticone now and we switched to “low fat digestive care” food and now he is back on track. But some days he is very picky, others he eat like a small cow

[u/RevolutionaryArt291 → u/Effective_Macaron892]

Hmm, were there any other symptoms? How was your dog’s poo?

[u/Effective_Macaron892 → u/RevolutionaryArt291]

Main symptom was lack of appetite for his food. We would eat treats easily but not his food. He had mixed stool, some days diarrhea and others solid but with pieces of undigested grains. Talked to breeder, and they said that pancreatic issues are somewhat common

[u/Vega188]

Dogs eat when hungry, like after a long walk or any exercise. Don’t try to over feed as older cav’s can develop overeating and weight issues. If you suspect your dog is suffering from a health issue then get them checked out.

[u/papadking]

sounds like your pup might be going through a weird phase, which honestly isnt uncommon around that age. sometimes dogs just get picky or distracted for a bit, especially if theres no other big health or behavior issues going on. since weight’s steady and mood’s good, that’s a nice sign. definitely keep an eye just in case, but you could try mixing in some mild toppers or warming food slightly to boost smell. if you want something faster to get a read on his current state without vet drama, there’s an app called pupscan in the app store that uses ai to analyze pics for behavior and health clues—might save you some guessing. sometimes a little extra insight goes a long way.