Food is essential to survive. It gives nutrients that provide energy for growth, movement, and all crucial bodily functions such as digesting food, breathing, and keeping the body warm. Food provides a lot of health benefits for everyone, and that includes your pet dog.
Giving the right food for your dog is crucial for their health and satisfying their appetite. And although most dogs are eager when their dinner time comes around, it can be frustrating if these enthusiastic canines suddenly lose their appetite. It can be an indication that they do not like the food given to them or a sign of a possible health concern for your pet.
Knowing what causes this change in appetite and what to do to help is a priority as a dog parent. That is why there are numerous ways for you to aid your dog naturally and healthily—one of them is by using a natural remedy that is popular in the market, CBD oil.
Benefits of a Healthy Dog Diet
It might be normal to think that just putting dog food on your pet's food bowl is enough for their appetite and health. But like us humans, knowing what food and how much to give to your dog is crucial to get the proper nourishment that they need without being overfed or underfed.
A balanced diet with the proper nutrients is essential for your dog. Like humans, dogs need an adequate amount of carbohydrates, protein, minerals, vitamins, and water every day to function normally.
What are the benefits of having a balanced nutritional diet for your dog?
#1 Healthy Skin and Hair Coating
A dog with a shiny, rich fur coat is a sign of good health in dogs. What causes this is a proper amount of omega- 3 and omega-6 fatty acid, which helps make the skin healthy.
#2 Proper Digestion
Your dog needs to have a healthy digestive tract to absorb the nutrients from their food and to be able to get rid of wastes from the body quickly. Food rich in carbohydrates can help with elimination and digestion.
#3 Prevents Most Diseases
Having meals for your dogs that contain vitamins and minerals can help maintain your pet's immune system to function normally. The purpose of vitamins in your dog is that it decreases the risk of damages to the cells, while minerals help in the body's function.
A Dog's Appetite
A natural likeness in eating food is something most dogs can relate to, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they need a lot of it to satisfy their hunger. But it can be a concern as dog parents suddenly lose their eagerness to eat. Please take note that not all dogs can finish a whole bowl of food given to them. Most healthy dogs can only consume 60% to 70% of the serving given.
But if they only sniff their food and walk away or barely touch the food given to them, there may be several reasons why there is a sudden change in their appetite.
What are the reasons why your dog isn't eating?
#1 Behavior Issues
Some dogs may be very picky about what they want to eat; it can also be that your pet does not feel relaxed in the environment where your dog is fed. Situations such as having an aggressive dog around the house or the food bowl itself are at an uncomfortable height to eat, could be some factors in their loss of appetite. This may be the case, but never assume that your dog is a picky eater without checking other possibilities first.
#2 Illness
A lack of appetite in dogs may be a sign of an illness, especially if they show other symptoms at the same time. It may not always indicate a severe disease in your dogs. Still, it is crucial to give your pet medical attention to identify what possible sickness your dog may be experiencing.
#3 New or Unfamiliar Places
A loss in appetite can be caused by travelling. If your pet's appetite was fine before you travelled and changed when you moved to a new place or travelled to an unfamiliar location, this might be the cause of it. Some animals can even get motion sickness or can be uncomfortable and nervous in unknown places.
#4 Dental Problems
Another possible cause for your dog not eating is because something in their mouth might be causing pain. Have your pet checked for a loose or broken tooth or other possible dental problems.
How to Improve your Dog's Appetite
What you can do to aid your pup to increase their appetite depends on what you and your veterinarian would find as the cause of their appetite loss.
If your dog's appetite problem is caused by behaviour, whether it be from their pickiness or discomfort during mealtime, there are some things you can do to encourage your pet dog to eat.
Here are things you can do for your dog's appetite provided by WebMD:
- Have a regular schedule on when you'll feed your pet. This is generally at least twice a day.
- Take your dog out on a walk before mealtime.
- Cut back on treats.
- Change the situation when you feed the dog. If your pet usually eats with other animals, you can try feeding them alone.
- Use different plates or bowls at different heights to see which of these your dog prefers eating in.
- Try a different type of food. If you usually feed your dog dry food, try feeding them with canned food and vice versa.
If the cause of their appetite is due to an illness, your dog's vet may suggest a prescription diet for your dog's needs while the disease is being treated. Often the prescription diets are not tasty, mainly if your dog is used to eating people's food or treats. An issue with a not-so-tasty meal is that your dog might not even have the energy to eat.
If this is your pup's situation, making them increase their appetite is a must. But to have an effective yet safe effect, pet owners lean on natural remedies to help their dog eat properly without adverse side effects.
With its growing popularity, CBD Oil is one of the potential candidates for your dog that helps stimulate your pet's appetite.
How Can CBD Oil Increase Your Dog's Appetite?
In the body's feeding behaviour, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a role in it. When your dog's appetite is decreased because of sickness, stress, or other reasons, CBD oil can be used to boost the ECS and stimulate your pet's appetite.
A common reason your dog may have a poor appetite is due to possible discomforts in their health, such as inflammation, nausea, or something that upsets their stomachs. CBD oil for dogs can stimulate your puppy's appetite by alleviating these discomforts, relaxing their mind and body. This results in your dog's bodily systems working correctly.
A 2012 study discovered how CBD oil focuses on specific receptors in the body to activate a response that settles your dog's stomach. Once this happens, your pet may be able to eat more and take the nutrients they need from their food to stay healthy.
CBD oil is known to reduce the vomiting and nausea that your dog may feel. This, in return, increases their appetite and allows nutrients they get from the food to be delivered to their body.
The effects are similar in situations where inflammation and pain are the leading causes of their lack of appetite. CBD oil helps relieve pain and inflammation, lessening the impact of a possible sickness that they have.
When seeking the right CBD oil for your dog, you should also consider things you should consider when buying it. It includes the following:
- Third-party tested
- No additives or preservatives
- Specifically made for animal use
How to Give CBD Oil to Your Dog?
There is an easy process as to how you can administer CBD oil to your dog. You can do so by applying CBD oil directly to your puppy's mouth. This can be used with a dropper for ease and accuracy in dosage. Remember to be gentle with the administering. Do not gag or squeeze their mouths too tight. If this does not work, you can mix CBD oil with your dog's food.
Conclusion
It can leave pet parents frustrated when their dog loses its appetite. Since eating is an essential part of any species, it is crucial to identify what makes your dog lose the energy to eat and find ways to recover and increase its appetite.
CBD oil is one of many ways to help your dog in terms of eating, but make sure to consult a veterinarian to figure out the underlying issue your dog may have and what steps you can take as a dog parent. With CBD oil for your dog, it is also best to consult the veterinarian with the proper dosage so that your pup can recover safely and happily.
