My dog is a german shepherd (King shepherd really) and she is 8 years old. I can not stop her from eating too fast. I am worried that she will get bloating which can be a very serious problem. I have given her smaller portions 3 times a day but she still eats it too fast. Has anyone had this bloating problem with their dog? And does anyone know how to train a dog to eat slowly?
2007-03-20 04:20:15 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
I have 2 Danes and my vet told me that the bigger issue is to not allow them to play or be very super active right after they eat, since typically that can trigger the problem.
I guess it's sort of like the "don't swim for thirty minutes after you eat" policy your mom always warned you about....
2007-03-20 09:37:14 · answer #1 · answered by Ty C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dividing the food into smaller meals should prevent bloat, as the amount of food bolted down is smaller. Also, if the dog tends to drink right after eating, take away the water for a little while. And don't let her exercise right after eating.
Of course this doesn't guarantee the dog will never bloat, but you will have done what you could to prevent it.
2007-03-20 04:29:23 · answer #2 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont know about the bloating part of it, but i have a part pug that will wolf down canned dog food or chicken- anything she thinks is really delicious. So, i stopped feeding her these items. Now, she and my other 3 doggies only get Iams dry food [which I am looking to change for a more nutritious type of food- any suggestions on this would be appreciated ], and a bowlful of cooked, canned veggies which they all love. I dont do anything special to the veggie- i get low salt when available- canned veggies- green beans, peas, carrots, yams, mixed veggies, etc- just heat them up and give each doggie a little bowlful -and they can [and do] have seconds... They all love it, and eat every morsel- but no one wolfs it down anymore. I suppose this menu can be embelished a little by adding maybe a little chicken, or lean beef if desired. But this is not necessary at all. I hope this helps a little. My vet said this is excellent for them to eat- as many veggies as they want .
Then i give any leftover veggies to my birds, and turtles- yummm !
Good luck,
Mary
2007-03-20 04:53:27 · answer #3 · answered by msmonkeydog 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I worked for animal hospital ,yes it can die from a twisted stomach & the operation is very expensive and not guaranteed, put food bowl up higher using stand you can buy from walmart pet store ect. that way the head isn't being bent to far downwards pushing air into stomach, also maybe feed him less food more often to see why he's so greedy, or a bigger portion maybe its hungry as well. Ask vet
but it is a real worry glad you are concerned it could happen but seeing dog is 8 yrs old it may not but why chance it??
2007-03-20 05:21:51 · answer #4 · answered by "Angel" 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you giving her worm supplements and if you are can you be sure she is injesting them ? (Not spitting them afterwards.)Is your dog a bit on the thin side? Is its diet appropriate for a strong, big dog at that age that is still in it's prime? Answering these questions will narrow the scope of possible explanations.
Finally, my experience with dogs and especially German Shepherds is that they wolf down their food and have great appetites. The time to worry, and very worried about their health is when they loose their appetites.
2007-03-20 04:33:29 · answer #5 · answered by John M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've looked after a Newfoundland who likes to inhale her food - her owners have figured out that if they drown her kibbles in water (kibble soup, served cold - lol) it slows her down. Should work for dry food.
If you have time, and your dog's on a raw food or canned food diet, you can pace her by just giving her "bite-sized" portions - esp. since it only takes a few minutes per mealtime anyway... Quite a hassle, but better safe than sorry, right?
My dogs have all been saints, and pace themselves - but then I've only had 4 in my life so far, so I guess it's probably just a matter of time!
2007-03-20 04:31:47 · answer #6 · answered by Megs 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Large breeds should ahve a feeding table they are only about 20 bucks for a cheap one...u can also put a rock about half the size of the bowl in her fed bowl it will make she eat slower...which lessen the chance of bloat. as she has to eat around it. good luck
2007-03-20 05:20:58 · answer #7 · answered by dragonwolf 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dad had a dog that did this. And like the other answer is putting a rock in the food dish. Slows them down. but make sure its big enough for him not to eat. good luck to you
2007-03-20 04:27:51 · answer #8 · answered by dee g 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My boxer eats incredibly fast & I also feed him 3x's a day.
This is just a habit he has always had but he is very active & healthy. Never has a problem w/bloating or gas or anything.
2007-03-20 04:24:37 · answer #9 · answered by march_hare_in_june 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take a cupful of your dry dogfood & place it in a tall clear glass. Fill the glass with water. If you see alot of air bubbles coming off the food-change the food. I feed my Mastiff On the BARF diet(Bones And Raw Food) I also suppliment his diet with Petco's Nutro Natural Choice. You can research the BARF diet by doing online searches. It is becoming more & more popular as it is natural for dogs. Raw bones will not choke them as do cooked bones, more vitamins & minerals.
2007-03-20 04:33:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋