Here’s a typical mealtime scene: you set down the food bowl for your pets, and in no time, they have gobbled up all the food. While their faces may seem hilarious, eating too fast may also cause them to gag, vomit, or even choke. Why do pets eat too quickly? They may be competing for food with other pets at home, or they may be feeling extra hungry as they are not getting enough nutrition. It could be something more serious such as a parasite or other medical conditions preventing them from getting enough nutrients they need.
Threats
Eating too fast can be very dangerous and life-threatening for pets. First of all, they may choke and gag, which will often result in vomiting. Also, eating too quickly increases the risk of a serious medical condition called bloat. It occurs when a dog eats too fast and gulps down an excessive amount of air along with his food. Eventually, the stomach (or intestines) expands and may twist within the abdomen
How to slow your pet down?
1. Seek advice from your vet: make sure the phenomenon is not cause by parasites or medical conditions that causes malabsorption and ensure that your pet is getting calories and nutrition in their diet.
2. More frequent mealtime: try to break up the mealtime, feed the pets with smaller meals and feed them more frequently throughout the day.
3. Give them their own space for eating: If you are having more than one pet at home and they feel a sense of competition at mealtime, they will eat too quickly. You can try giving them their own separate space to eat instead of feeding them with the rest of the pack.
4. Use a slow feeder: You can find slow feeders and food puzzle toys which are designed to make your pet take smaller bites. Not only will your pet be entertained, it will also help them to slow down when they are eating.
5. Use a muffin pan : Like a slow feeder bowl, you can try to divide up a meal among the cups on a muffin pan, preventing your pet from eating it all at once. To make it more fun, you can flip the muffin tin upside down, so your pet must work around the inverted cups when eating.
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