Animals that may suffer anorexia
Anorexia is a term used to describe the situation in which a pet loses appetite and does not want to eat or cannot eat. The appetite is psychological, it depends on memory and association, compared to hunger, which is physiologically awakened by the need for body food.
Anorexia is a medical term that means "without appetite". Partial anorexia means ‘a decrease in appetite’. Anorexia is one of the most common reasons why pets reach us to receive medical care. Some pet owners are too busy to realize at the beginning that their pet has anorexia or partial anorexia. If your pet has anorexia for a period of time long enough, you will lose weight, so we carefully verify the weight of your pet on each visit and compare it with the previous weights to seek a change.
Frequent causes
- A foreign body, an infected language, enlarged tonsils and dental diseases are some of the problems in oral cavity that can cause anorexia. His pet can give him a clue about a problem of the oral cavity when touching his mouth, drilling, dropping the food after trying to chew it, or reluctant to caress his face.
- During a physical examination of routine in a pet with anorexia, we carefully examine the oral cavity and palpate the throat and esophagus to ensure that there are no problems there.
- Infections that lead to fever can cause anorexia. Pets with upper respiratory roads infections, especially cats, cannot smell food and can have oral ulcers in addition to fever, which aggravates the problem.
- Arthritic pets, postoperative pets or those suffering from traumas such as a broken bone may experience significant pain. This pain will cause anorexia.
- The disease of any of the internal organs can cause anorexia. Cats experience a unique syndrome called liver lipidosis. Initially, these cats are overweight and, when they experience a stressful factor that makes them stop eating, the liver goes out. The problem can be corrected if it is detected early enough.
- Any stomach disease and intestines can cause anorexia. Cancer, inflammatory ulcers, internal parasites and foreign bodies are the most common. Sometimes, anorexia comes from the disease itself and all its effects;Other times, the anorexia of the gastrointestinal tract is caused by pain.
- Territorial animals such as cats may not eat when they feel intimidated by another pet at home.
- Stress of excess sounds such as fireworks can cause anorexia.
What will do your veterinarian
Depending on the symptoms, this is what you can expect from your veterinarian if your pet shows signs of lack of appetite or anorexia:
- Take a story. Most veterinarians will begin by asking some basic questions to help them understand the history of the problem: when did you notice the decrease in appetite or anorexia for the first time? What is the normal appetite of your pet? How have the symptoms progressed, if they have done so? How has you been acting in general?
- Do a physical evaluation. Examining the whole body is a crucial part of the process.
- Laboratory. Blood, feces and urine tests can be useful if their veterinarian suspects certain underlying causes. In addition to a basic urine analysis and a CBC panel (complete hemogram) and chemistry, its veterinarian can choose to order other tests to help identify gastrointestinal, infectious or parasitic or parasitic diseases, among others, among others.
- Order radiographs and image studies. Radiographs can be useful in these cases, especially when orthopedic pain, cancer or gastrointestinal disorders are suspected. Some pets may require more sophisticated images, such as ultrasound, to identify possible tumors and visualize the form and architecture of the organs.
Anorexia in dogs
A temporary loss of appetite in your dog is not something that you should immediately worry. Like us, dogs sometimes are not hungry or, otherwise, some stress in their day has made them lose interest in food. However, a louder loss of appetite in your dog is a serious sign that something is wrong. It is unusual for a dog to reject more than one or two meals and this can indicate anything, from depression to disease. Sometimes, a stressful situation or stomach discomfort can be guilty, but these things are often resolved in one day. If they spend more than 48 hours with your dog even refusing to eat, take it to the veterinarian immediately.
The most important thing should take note of changes in your dog’s eating habits. It may be that your dog is not eating the recommended amount of food, but this is not a sign of loss of appetite if your dog is usually light or small for your age or race. The main concern is when a dog that is often excited about his food loses interest in it. This sudden loss of appetite is an indicator that something is wrong. It can be something as simple as your dog has just received their vaccines and feels a little bad or it can be a sign that your dog is sick and needs medical attention.
Anorexia in cats
Cats enjoy living a routine life, and any change in that routine can result in loss of appetite. Traveling to an unknown place, moving to a new home or even welcoming a baby or a new pet to the family can cause stress, and your cat can deal with that stress by refusing to eat. Some cats also experience dizziness when they travel by car or plane, and those nausea can affect the desire to eat their cat.
Cats are chilling dining rooms, and often take a long time to adapt to a new food. It is also known that cats get bored with the food they have been eating. If your cat has recently changed food, or if you have never changed it, this may be the reason your cat refuses to eat.
If your cat is not eating, it can be the result of a disease. Infections, pancreatitis, renal failure, cancer and intestinal problems can make a cat stop. The less serious medical problems, such as toothache, can also be guilty. If you notice that your cat suddenly refuses to eat, you must visit your veterinarian to rule out any medical condition.
Anorexia in snakes
With the exception of some female snakes just before egg setting and snakes under planned hibernations, it is not normal for captive snakes to refuse to eat for more than one or two months. Many snakes of temperate climates tend to reduce their food rate in autumn as the light cycle decreases. If your snake is healthy, you may only want to reduce feeding during the coldest months, but you must be attentive to make sure that as the light cycle extends the appetite of your snake returns. Many owners whose snakes significantly decrease the speed during the winter season they choose to hibernate them. When snakes are prepared correctly for hibernation, it may be preferable to keep them active during winter.
Snakes often abandon food temporarily before moving. When their skin is gray, they can’t see very well and often seem irritable. Once the shed is complete, the appetite must return to normal.
Snakes captured in nature that are not accustomed to living in captivity or eating domestic prey often suffer from anorexia. The newly acquired snakes and the shy species that are removed, such as ball pythons, often reject food until they get used to their new cages and owners.
However, if anorexia is allowed to continue for more than a few weeks, it can predispose the animal to infection. Severe liver and renal damage can occur, possibly not reversible, if anorexia continues until the animal has lost a significant amount of weight. Anorexia is a sign that a snake does not feel safe enough in your cage to eat. This is a strong indication to improve breeding and reduce stress.
Anorexia in rabbits
Pet rabbits often seem to chew anything in which they can have teeth. That is why a rabbit who suddenly stops eating is a great concern. It may not seem like a big problem if your dog, cat or other pet skip a meal, but if a rabbit does, it can be an indication of an emergency situation. While this definitely guarantees a trip to the veterinarian, there are some things that you can do in the meantime to possibly help your bunny to feel better.
The most common reason for loss of appetite in rabbits is a gastrointestinal problem called ileus. Ileus occurs when normal peristalsism (contractions in intestines that push food through the gastrointestinal tract) decreases or stops. Ileus is extremely dangerous in rabbits and can cause death if it is not.
A rabbit should always be eating and defining, but when they stop doing one or both, bacteria inside their intestines begin to produce excessive gases. This gas is painful and prevents your rabbit from eating more. Since rabbits cannot vomit, their owners should help them eliminate food and gas from their body using medications and stimulation.
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