My old dog has lost their appetite and often won't eat. How should I feed them and choose their food?
This is something to decide with your vet. The UK charity PDSA says a dog that has eaten nothing for over 24 hours should see a vet quickly. What and how much to feed is also something to decide with your vet.
This needs your vet’s judgement. This page only shares other owners’ experiences and public information. It is not medical advice.
A real example
The US Dog Aging Project analyzed 2,570 end-of-life surveys filled in by owners in 2021. Looking back on the time before their dog died, 1,238 owners (about 48%) reported decreased appetite, and 1,111 (about 43%) reported their dog eating or drinking less.
What others said
「My old dog digests poorly and keeps losing weight. I changed the meals, and now even the diapers are too big.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My 15-year-old dog has stomach and liver problems and often won't eat, so I'd like to hear from other owners.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My dog, 15 and a half, is eating less, and tests found no cause, but I'll keep caring for them.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026「My 15-year-old dog has chronic kidney disease and throws up whenever they eat, so how did others feed their dogs?」
Shared online (reworded) Yahoo!知恵袋, Japan, Oct 2026What people do in different places
Sources
Updated 25 Oct 2026. This page updates daily from owners’ posts.