hi,
13 month shih tzu has not eaten properly for 4 days tried all sorts of dog food and ours to try and tempt her any ideas or is it time for vet
thanks

What do you mean by 'eating properly'? Have you checked her mouth? Is she drinking?

hi
have checked her mouth nothing wrong there, lively enough in herself,  have weighed her and she has lost about half a kg, used to eat as soon as food put down now just looks at it but will still eat her little treats

I'd stop the 'little treats' which could easily be taking away her appetite. Just offer her a small amount (no more than half her usual amount) of her usual food at her usual mealtimes, and remove it after 15 minutes. Offer nothing else until the next regular mealtime, but make sure she has plent of fresh water available.

How much fat cover does she have over her ribcage? Her ideal weight (regardless of what the scales say) is when you can feel the ribs without too much difficulty - ie, not sharp like a washboard and not smothered under fat so that you have to really poke hard to find them. :)

Is she due in season, or been in season recently.  Also it has been warm so could be just not hungry.

What is her weight like?  Tempting her with new things will just create a fussy eater holding out for something different.

Are you sure she isn't being given too much?

If she is a healthy weight and otherwise healthy give her less food than normal for a few days.  give her 15 minutes to eat it and remove until the next mealtime.  If she does eat then do not rush to give her some more.  Don't increase food to normal amounts until she has eaten well for several days.  Only increase the amounts if she is underweight.

thanks for reply and no she's not due in season and always been a bit of a fussy eater but has eaten well in the past and i have been leaving the food down too long i think and if she did'nt like it i'd try something else so i'll go and pick it up now

What is her actual weight like.  Can you feel her last ribs easily and her backbone fairly well?

If you can't then she is actually overweight and it could be now that she has stopped growing she doesn't need as much food as you think, and eats the delicacies when you add them but not really hungry or needing what you give her.

I would cut her food by a quarter and not add any treats to it at all, and none during the day either.  Put her food down and take up if she doesn't eat in in a few minutes.  when she realises nothing else will be forthcoming she will look forward to her reduced meals and clear them with gusto.  Dogs can go several days without food without coming to harm, as long as they are drinking plenty.

One of mine was one of those determined to stay ultra slim and when in season or just after might only eat 3 days out of seven.  Now as a spayed senior I have to watch her like a hawk, as she now will eat for all she's worth.

yes i can feel backbone and ribs all o.k. she's due to be speyed around 2nd of july.  i'll do as you suggest with food and many thanks for putting my mind at rest a bit