Q: Is It Normal For An Older Dog to Lose Her Appetite?

A: No. I see a loss of appetite as a red flag. If your dog is a picky eater and skips one meal, I wouldn't worry about it. But if it's more than one meal, you should bring the dog to see a vet.

Many factors can cause a dog to lose its appetite: metabolic disorders; infections; viruses; stress -- it can even be a sign of cancer. Like humans, dogs need to eat food to survive and it's important that they eat every day.

I often see owners feed their pooch more food after it has finished a meal because it appears that the dog is still hungry. This is how so many dogs become overweight.

Honestly, most dogs are always hungry. My dog would eat until her stomach couldn't hold any more food if I let her. In fact, she once tested this and broke into the food bag!

I would suggest following the recommended amount for each brand listed on the bag of food or its website. Portions are based on the individual dog, but remember, there's never a time or an age when a dog should stop eating all together.

Tags: appetite, dogs, dr cooper, DrCooper