The Dangers of Eating Too Fast
Choking & Gagging – When dogs eat too fast, they don’t always chew their food thoroughly, which can lead to inhaled pieces getting stuck in their throat. Some common warning signs of choking include:
Anything stuck in a dog’s throat is a medical emergency and can quickly escalate to breathlessness and death. Find out what to do if your dog is choking HERE.
Vomiting – When your dog eats too quickly, there is an increased risk he’ll vomit immediately after his meal.
Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (AKA Bloating) – When a dog eats too fast, along with the food, he also gulps down an excessive amount of air. This causes his stomach to expand. Not only is bloat uncomfortable, but it can be life-threatening. As the stomach expands, it can twist (volvulus), making it impossible for anything to pass through the stomach to the intestines. If this occurs, the animal can go into shock and die. According to Dr. Karen Becker,
“Without immediate treatment, other abdominal organs will also be compromised, along with blood flow to the heart. Ultimately, the stomach will rupture and peritonitis, a fatal abdominal infection, will result.”
Symptoms of GVD include:
A Behavior Learned From Puppyhood – From the time our fur kids are just puppies, mealtime is a competition. When nursing, newborn puppies have to compete with their littermates for their mom’s milk. When they transition into food, they still have to compete against their littermates to gobble down enough food before it’s all gone. This eating behavior may carry over into their new home. This behavior may be more pronounced if there are multiple animals in your home, but can still happen if your pooch is an only fur-child.
Not Eating The Right Food – If your dog isn’t eating high-quality food, he may be starving for nutrients. So, he may be more likely to scarf down meals in an attempt to satisfy his nutritional needs. I’m a huge advocate for a real-food diet.
Medical Condition – You’ll want to talk to your veterinarian to rule out any medical causes. Intestinal parasites can rob your dog of essential nutrients and ultimately increase hunger. There are certain diseases and hormone-related problems that your vet may also want to check for. Plus, if your dog is on any medications, check to see if increased appetite is a side effect.
Make your own food puzzles for a creative boost for you and your dog. Cupcake or muffin tins filled with morsels of dry food and covered with appropriately sized balls can also be a way to slow down greedy eaters. Your dog must remove the ball to reach the food (Just be sure the balls are too big for your dog to swallow!). These same tins can also be flipped upside down. Place the kibble in between the mounds. Your dog will have fun figuring out how to get to the food.
Some dogs are nibblers. Many dogs are gobblers. They devour their meal as soon as the bowl hits the floor. It makes you wonder if they even taste what they are eating. Gulping with such gusto can present some problems for your dog, but there are some things you can do to ease your worries and slow the roll to and from the bowl.
Make a game out of mealtime. Hide the food in various locations throughout the house or even in the yard. Your dog will have to “hunt” for his food. This will not only provide some playtime, but some exercise too!
One option is to reduce the amount of food your dog can access during a single feeding. PetSafe brand timed automatic dog feeders can dispense food on any schedule you’d like. The PetSafe® Smart Feed can be controlled and programmed with your phone to reduce and schedule portion sizes.
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Slow feed dog bowls are flat on the bottom and usually contain lots of hiding places for your dog’s food. You fill these dishes with food and place them on the ground during meal times. While they’re interactive, they don’t move. They sit in place like your dog’s regular food bowl.
Lately, there’s been an explosion of dog food bowls promising to slow your dog’s eating habits, but I don’t believe these bowls work for all dogs. Most dogs that eat fast slightly suffer from an underlying anxiety, which can cause them frustration while trying to chase or lick food trapped between barriers and crevices. If they can’t get to the food fast enough, most dogs will flip over the food bowl to gain access, then it’s a feeding frenzy.
Refrain from tossing your dog’s kibble in the yard. It’s very difficult for your dog to find each and every piece plus it attracts ants and rodents. Tossing your dog’s meals into your yard is like tossing a free meal out, which isn’t fair to your dog. Don’t be surprised if your dog starts fighting wildlife once he learns you give out his meals on a daily basis.
Once he gets really good at eating his food spread out, increase the distance between the kibble by fanning out his food in a larger smooth-surfaced area. By increasing the distance between the kibble, you’re forcing your dog to search for each kibble. To make it even harder, sprinkle his kibble on a large rug where he must hunt through the fibers for his food. This makes a great rainy day game. If you want to make it even more challenging, sprinkle his kibble in a shag rug. It could easily take 30 minutes for him to find all his food.
For the most part, I’ve always shared my home with fast eating dogs, so I’ve gotten used to this behavior. However, just because I’m used to it doesn’t mean it’s allowed to happen. I take many precautions to stop my dogs from eating too fast, which I’ll happily share with you.