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 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!
So why is your dog eating so fast? First, you will want to rule out any medical cause. Your veterinarian may want to test your dog for certain diseases like diabetes mellitus or a hormone-related problem such as Cushings disease. If your dog is on any medication, ask if the side effects include increased appetite. Your veterinarian can also test for intestinal parasites, which can rob your dog of essential nutrients and increase hunger.
The first danger is that your dog could choke or gag on his food. Dog owners know the “Ack ack” sound well. If he swallows food without chewing, the pieces get stuck in his throat (Ack!). And when dogs gulp their meal too quickly, they swallow air along with their food. Food and air expand in the stomach, causing pain and discomfort. This can cause your dog to vomit or regurgitate and lead to a serious condition called gastric dilatation-volvulus, or bloat. No one knows for certain what causes it. Some veterinarians think that it can happen when a dog eats too fast and gulps air into his stomach, which then expands with food. The stomach can then twist (volvulus), and even rupture. This is a life-threatening medical emergency, and sometimes surgery is the only treatment option.
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.
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Why does my dog gulp its food so quickly?
It can be easy to assume that our dogs are simply greedy and want to eat as much as they can in the shortest time possible. There may be an element of truth in this for some cases, but there is often an underlying reason as to why your dog may eat so quickly. Some medical conditions, such as Cushings disease, can increase the appetite greatly, caused by a problem with the hormones. If your dog is already having treatment for an illness, it could be caused by the medication that they are on. Internal parasites can also be responsible for an increased hunger and an unnatural eating pace. If you suspect any of these to be an issue for your dog, you should seek help from your vet.
YOUR DOG IS EATING TOO FAST How to slow your dog down, EASILY!
Does your dog eat every meal as though it hasn’t been fed in months? It is very common for our four legged friends to literally inhale their food, without a single chew being taken and without any enjoyment of the flavours or textures.
There are ways that you can stop your dog from eating too quickly, which will be highly beneficial for their health. We have taken a look at what can cause a dog to eat fast, the issues it can bring and some tips on how to slow them down.