# 7 month old female not eating



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Kcapone*

Kcapone

I would definitely call the vet and tell them Her change IN WANTING TO EAT.
Is she drinking and going to the bathroom?
Are her gums pink? Pale gums can mean dehydration or internal bleeding.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Just my opinion...but she is consuming 2 cups of food large breed puppy food per day...
That is pretty typical amount of food for a 7 month old female ...even on the bag is says 1-3/4 - 3-1/2 cup per day (and we knwo those amounts are usually generous!)

BUT the _sudden_ loss of interest in food would surely make me sit up and take note...


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## Dexell1827 (Feb 23, 2011)

2 cups/day sounds right in line with what my female was eating of Pro Plan at that age. Is your girl spayed? I do know that when my girl had her first heat cycle, her appetite was off for about a week prior.


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## kcapone (Jan 23, 2011)

she has been spayed for 2 months, the pro plan bag says she should be eating 4-5 cups per day. what is the reason for checking the gums to see if they are pink? never heard of that.


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## Dexell1827 (Feb 23, 2011)

A nice, pink color is normal for a dog's gums. If they are any other color (bright red, pale white, or blue/black), it's an indication of a serious problem.

You can also check the gums' refill. Press your thumb firmly against her gums, count to two, and remove your thumb. If it takes more than 2 seconds for her gum to return to the normal color, there could be a problem with her circulation, which would be cause for a vet visit.


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## Katie and Paddy's Mum (Mar 31, 2010)

I think any change in behaviour warrants a vet visit. And no doubt about it, for a golden to all of a sudden lose interest in food would be very, very disconcerting to me. I always say, I will know soemthing is wrong with me dog, the day she refuses food!

I cannot comment on how much food she should be eating daily, as the metabolic rate of all dogs is different. Some need more than the stated guidelines on the bag, and others need less!

Best of luck - let us know what you discover,

Kim


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

This is where I found the amount to feed..
A female will weigh approx 65 pounds at maturity...and your girls is 7 months old...
Large Breed Formula - Products - Purina® Pro Plan®


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## HudsensMama9 (Dec 17, 2009)

Maybe her growth is slowing down a bit and she isn't requiring as much food? Hudsen, who was always an eager eater, began doing the same thing you mentioned your girl is doing last summer (around 10 months old). I changed his food at that point and it helped temporarily, but he still does not gobble up his food the second I put it down. It is usually down for up to three hours before he eats it sometimes. Maybe she is just getting bored with her food? Is there another flavor in the same brand that you could try?


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

She is getting more than enough to eat. The bags are "guidelines". My goldens eat anywhere from 2-3 cups/day. When they are not hungry, they don't eat!


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

No golden I have ever owned and that is nine has ever eaten 4-5 cups/day.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

4 cups of food a day is a LOT of food. It could be that she's self regulating because she doesn't need that much food. Kind of like when a 3-4 month old puppy weans themselves off from their lunch feeding.


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## Dexell1827 (Feb 23, 2011)

I went back and looked at my feeding records from 2007, when my Ella was six months old. [Yes, I'm extremely Type A and keep records of that. ] At six months, Ella was getting 2.5 cups/day of Pro Plan LBP in two feedings. By seven months, she was down to 2 cups/day in two feedings, and she's been between 2 and 2.25 cups/day ever since. Ella is also a smaller, more compact girl...she stays between 58-60 lbs year round.

Honestly, I wouldn't be at all worried about your girl eating less. You say she's happy and energetic, and is pooping normally. If any of that changes, then it might be time for a vet visit, but at this point I would simply reduce her feedings to 1-1.25 cups twice a day. She'll definitely let you know if she's still hungry, and at that point you could increase her portion in small increments until you find the right portion for her.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree in general that a sudden change in appetite is a cause for concern.

At the same time, lots of dogs experience a pretty significant change in appetite after their major growth spurt is over, and 7 months, while a little early in my experience, would fit into that window. My dogs have always had a dropoff of appetite around 9 months to a year.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I probably wasn't clear. But my opinion is that she is getting too much to eat and she is cutting herself back. As long as everything else is normal(no vomiting, etc), I suspect she is fine. Many of my intact girls will not eat well 2 months after being in heat.


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## kcapone (Jan 23, 2011)

*thanks*

thank you all, I did wind up switching her food to Blue large breed puppy and she woofed it up, but I am feeding her much less than the 4 cups a day, prob 2-3 cups.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

At her age I'd be considering switching over to an adult formula too.


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