My Dog Eats Too Fast: Tips to Prevent Bloat

We’ve all experienced bloat before. It happens. But our canine companions also experience the discomfort of bloating, often due to eating their food too quickly. If you’re looking to avoid the discomfort and risk of choking associated with your dog eating too fast, preventing canine bloat in Phoenix, AZ only requires a few extra steps.

Is bloat a serious concern?

When most people experience bloat, they pop an antacid and wait for the uneasiness to subside. In dogs, bloating causes the stomach and/or intestines to twist within the abdomen, thus preventing digestive gases from exiting their body. This inhibits circulation to the stomach, heart and other organs. The result could be fatal if left unaddressed for too long. That’s why many pet owners use specialized dog bowls to prevent bloat in Phoenix, AZ.

Physically slow down food consumption

As your dog gulps down food and air, they’re inadvertently causing the uncomfortable bloat they’ll experience later. Fortunately, there’s a variety of dog bowls to prevent bloat in Phoenix AZ designed specifically to slow your pup down while eating:

• Puzzle feeders: Engage your dog’s mind as they work to get the food out of a puzzle feeder. These specialized bowls come in a variety of designs and colors. Instead of eating from one open bowl, a puzzle feeder forces your dog to gradually consume food, allowing time to properly digest while breathing naturally.
• Flip the bowl: Many dog owners use a stainless steel bowl with a non-slip, rubber bottom. Simply flipping the bowl over and putting the food in what would be considered the bottom causes your pup to have to chase their food around. When the bowl doesn’t move, they can swallow their kibble in a single gulp. A moving target makes it much harder to overeat food all at once.
• Treat balls: Usually used as a method for slowly administering treats to pets, a treat ball also works well with kibble. Fill the ball with the appropriate amount of dry food and let your dog have fun while pushing the toy around to receive small amounts of nourishment over a longer period.
• Hand feeding: This works to not only slow down how quickly your dog eats, but also helps with training efforts. Instead of using treats as positive reinforcement during training sessions, provide small amounts of healthy food instead. This helps reinforce correct behavior while also preventing canine bloat in Phoenix, AZ.
• Muffin pans: Most people have a muffin pan or two in their kitchen. By dividing a dog’s mealtime serving into the pan’s separate cups, they must slowly work their way through each one to eat all of the food. This takes time, thus slowing down the rate at which your pup chows down.
• Smaller meals: Instead of one or two meals, feed your dog snack-sized portions of their food throughout the day. Smaller portions decrease the amount they ingest, thus prohibiting them from taking down a large amount of food in a single sitting.

If you’re interested in learning more about preventing canine bloat in Phoenix, AZ, make an appointment at Christown Animal Hospital now. Working with our experienced veterinarian, you’ll discover the best methods for slowly feeding your canine while also finding out more about the right diet to provide to your beloved pet. Contact us now to book an appointment with a veterinarian.

Categorised in: Animal Hospital

This post was written by Writer