How Long Can A Dog Go Without Food Before It Will Suffer From Starvation?

First of all why would you want to know that they have to eat every day but to answer your question a dog can go about a week but if you do that you are just cruel and inhuman if you starve your dog if you can not take care of it then find someone who can right away

I agree!!!!!!!!!!!! Good Grief! What kind of question is that? Why are you asking this? If you cannot feed your animal you need to let someone know.

Okay, everyone is being very very rude.
My dog is sick and has um diarrhea so we can't feed her for a few hours or until it stops. This person may be curious or have a problem like mine, so lay off him!

This post is actually very helpful....I looked on here b/c my dog is sick and hasn't eaten for a day and 1/2....and wanted to know how long is too long for him to go without food..he is drinking ok but has an upset stomach....so I would think the individuals writing this post are not planning on deliberately starving their dogs.

Well if i think its a valid question my dog is missing and has been missing presumed taken now almost 2 weeks ago

This is a very legit question.  I don't know why people jumped to the conclusion that the asker is cruel and/or inhumane.  I provide temporary foster homes for rescue dogs, and the first time I did it I was pretty scared.  The dog wouldn't eat the food I gave her, nor would she drink the water.  I found myself asking the same question because, quite frankly, I thought the dog was going to starve herself.

Didn't seem to post the first time, so sorry if this is  a duplicate.

Why is the assumption negative? I came to this site also looking for answers.  Our beloved dog quit eating over 2 weeks ago. I've been to the vet MANY times. We've tried everything we know short of more operations since she is elderly. After urine & blood tests, they determined it might be a liver problem, so she was on meds. But it didn't work. Two weeks ago, she had nothing but a few morsels of chicken or beef. This week she has had nearly nothing.  Anything she eats, she spits out. 99% of the time, she simply walks away.  We've tried dog foods, table foods, treats, broth, milks, ETC.   Her vet  thought she'd live only about a week without food, but it has been longer.   The vet said "we'll know" when it is time, and when her quality of life is gone. Well, we don't!  We've brought her on short versions of her favorite walks  yesterday and today, and she still seems to enjoy it!!!!  She is still drinking water. She must be existing on fumes.     We don't want her to suffer. She has obviously lost weight, and is getting weak,  but she does not appear in  pain.  So, that's why we too wondered how long a dog can live without food.

Boccigirl,  Thanks for asking.

Unfortunately we decided it was "time" last week. They thought perhaps liver failure (or liver cancer) was the likely culprit. She had spleen cancer previously which was removed and treated successfully, so they thought it may have spread.  BUT, nothing was definitive.  Until she stopped eating, she seemed very healthy. She had not had a full meal in over 3 weeks, and virtually nothing  for the last week, but was still drinking (water only...we unsuccessfully tried broth, milk, Ensure, etc.), still walking, still going outside on her own to pee.   I also discussed with others how long we could let her not eat before it would be painful for her. Many suggested it was probably not a painful decline at all, but I could not stand the thought that she might be in pain, and just not showing it.   Another vet also advised that while owners may hope for a peaceful end at home, it often does not happen that way due to emergencies.  We brought her to her favorite park one day prior, and she just froze and looked terrified, so I decided that was enough!  She was obviously getting weaker every day. By far the hardest decision I've had to make because we still didn't know if it were reversible or not.  But it appeared it was only going downhill, and decided to not take extraordinary measures since she was over 14 years old.   

I continue to question if it were the "best" decision, or the "right" time. It was (is) tough!

I do hope you were able to find an answer for your dog!