Welcome! I would be happy to assist you. I am a 2003 graduate from UC Davis and a Medical Director of a veterinarian practice.

Hello Randy,
I am not sure how significant this lack of appetite may be. It can sometimes be very significant with possible causes including:

- Dietary indiscretion (eating something you do not know about)
- Stomach or intestinal foreign body
- Something that was given to them (new food, new treat, human food)
- Intestinal parasitism (not just the worms, but the microscopic bugs like Giardia and Coccidia). They can cause vomiting also, not just diarrhea
- Toxin exposure would be less likely, unless you have reason to suspect exposure to a chemical.

To help settle the stomach you can use of the following, but not as a replacement for veterinary examination include 1.Pepcid A.C. (famotidine) comes in 10mg, 20mg, or 40mg tablets.
You can give it every 12 hours. You can give 0.5mg per pound of body weight. So, a 20 pound dog would get 10mg.
2.Prilosec (omeprazole). It comes in 10mg or 20mg tablets.
You can give in every 24 hours. You give 0.5mg per pound of body weight. So, a 20 pound dog would get 10mg
3.Zantac (Ranitidne). It comes in 75mg, 150mg, or 300mg sizes.
You can give it every 8 to 12 hours. You give 0.25 to 1mg per pound of body weight. So, a 20 pound dog would get roughly 1/3 tablet of the 75mg. Even with bigger pets, it is easiest to get the smallest size tablet. Even a 75 pound dog would only need one 75mg tablet.
4.Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate
You can give it every 8 hours. The average dose is 1ml per pound of body weight, and that is the TOTAL dose for the day.So, if a pet weighs 30 pounds, they would get a total of 30ml a day or 10ml every 8 hours. This is dosing for regular strength Pepto-Bismol. If you use maximum strength liquid, give half as much.

Bland Diet:
Although a veterinary examination is always going to be recommended, especially with vomiting episodes and/or diarrhea, here is a bland diet recommendation:
Boiled boneless, skinless chicken breast OR low-fat cottage cheese
And
Cooked white rice
*Never add on salt, pepper, oils, butter to any of the above
*Ideally, give 1/3 chicken or cottage cheese, and 2/3 white rice
Veterinarians will often prescribe some prescription bland diets as an easy alternative including
Science Diet I/D
*It is important to remember that if improving on a bland diet or prescription food like I/D, when you transition back to the old diet, do so gradually over 3-5 days.

I am not confident the above suggestions will help, but best ideas I can throw out there.
Definitely, well worth more immediate examination if a poor appetite persists or you observe any other symptoms of illness like vomiting or diarrhea.

Good Luck
Dr. Andy

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