Why won’t a dog eat after being injured?
Expert Answer
After an injury a dog may feel pain, discomfort, or anxiety, all of which can affect its appetite and intake. Also, if the injury causes digestive problems, appetite may drop.
Treat the injury promptly with cleaning and disinfection. If the wound is large or serious, take the dog to a veterinary clinic for care.
When my dog got hurt he flat-out refused food, and the vet said pain and stress tank the appetite, plus if the gut's involved it drops more. I treated the wound clean and disinfected, but because he wasn't eating I watched him closely, an injury plus no food is a red flag for something deeper. If the wound's big or he's not eating past a day, get him to a clinic, don't gamble. Mine perked up once the pain was managed. The article's right, clean it, but the not-eating part is what tells you to escalate.