Slow Feeder Bowls: The Tools That Slow Down Your Pet's Eating and Help in Digestion
For many pet owners, mealtime may be just a little chaotic with their dogs or cats gulping it all as if they haven't eaten for years. This is one common behavior that is termed as "scarf and barf." Practice of this nature is much more widespread than you might have thought and presents several potential health hazards, which may run the gamut from indigestion to some other form of choking or bloating or even vomiting. That's when slow feeder bowls come into play: it's a simple yet really effective tool to make your pet eat slower, thus improving the digestion and overall well-being of your pet. Let's get a little deeper into why slow feeders gain popularity and how they can improve the life of your furry friend.
- Why Do Pets Eat So Fast?
Because of instinct, most pets gobble it down. Animals must wrestle for food in the wild, and animals will gobble their meal to avoid a rival animal taking it away. Since this is not so much of an issue with pets, though it certainly can happen with any pet, the instinct is still there, especially in breeds of dogs that are prone to gulping.
Some pets learn to do it. Pets that at some point in time have gone through episodes of hunger or irregular feeding patterns might develop the habit of eating hastily so that they ensure that some food goes into their stomachs. With all these reasons, fast eating can be very dangerous for your pet.
- Issues Fast Eating Causes
When animals consume their food hastily, it creates the following health issues in them:
•Choking: When the food that your pet does not chew down will enter its esophagus, then most probably you will face the case of choking or food getting stuck in the throat.
•Indigestion: The rapid eater will swallow more air when eating, and that can lead to gas, bloating, or stomach discomfort.
• Vomiting: It goes undigested in time since it gets swallowed too fast, and even creates a necessity to induce gagging or vomiting within a few hours after eating.
• Bloat in Dogs: Large and deep-chested breeds of dogs are most prone to bloat - an often-fatal gastric dilatation-volvulus condition. This is yet another reason why you need to slow down your dogs when they eat.
- How Slow Feeder Bowls Work
Slow feeder bowls come loaded with ridges, mazes or other obstacles that require your pet to work its way around to the food. Instead of scooping big chunks, they must navigate the design of the bowl to eat, slowing the process down.
The bowls come in shapes, sizes, and materials: from plastic to stainless steel, both for cats and dogs. And in terms of complexity, the designs can be from simple to complicated, so there's a choice based on your pet's eating or challenge level.
- What Are the Benefits of a Slow Feeder Bowl?
There are quite a number of benefits that slow feeder bowls can provide:
• It enhances digestion because feeding your pet slowly will help its food be chewed and digested. This therefore minimizes indigestion, gas, and bloating. Animals that eat slowly have a healthy gut since their stomachs don't get overwhelmed by large lumps of unmasticated foods.
•Prevents Vomiting and Choking: Slow eating by pets reduces the possibility of eating a massive amount of food and air to prevent choking or vomiting after consuming meals.
• Implies Better Portion Control: Slow feeder bowls make your pet eat slowly, which can also indicate a better portion control. Pets who take longer to eat will sooner know when to quit and how much to consume because it reduces the possibility of overeating and subsequent weight gain.
• Cerebral Exercise: Slow feeders can really become an interesting enrichment activity for pets that seem to grow bored very easily. Transitioning the mealtime experience to be a puzzle, slow feeders challenge your pet's brain and keep it engaged while it eats.
- Choosing the Best Slow Feeder Bowl
When choosing a slow feeder bowl for your pet, you first consider his or her size, breed, and eating behavior.
• Material: Slow feeders are offered in various materials. Some are manufactured from plastic, silicone, and stainless steel. Stainless steel is strong and a clean option, the plastic bowls are lightweight and may come in pretty designs. Always make sure the plastic feeder doesn't contain BPA for usage with food.
• Complexity of Design: On the one hand, some slow feeders have quite simple ridges, while others are very complex in terms of mazes and spirals. That should be an advantage for a fast-eating pet. Start with simple ones if your pet has never tried to use slow feeders, and challenge him or her with a harder design when they get used to using it.
•Size: The bowl should be appropriate size for your pet, depending on breed. A large dog will need a greater bowl and more substantial challenge. More so, a small dog or cat will require something more suited to their size and eating styles.
- Gradually Introducing a Slow Feeder
Most pets get used up with slow feeders, though a few take some time to get familiar with it. Start slow and introduce the slow feeder at the time of your regular meal so that if it frustrates sometimes, the pet will learn very soon to move about the bowl and enjoy the meals in a healthy rate.
Slow feeder bowls: Easy and effective, it helps the pet to eat much healthier and reduces the chances of digestive problems, choking, and overeating. Whether instinctive or through a habitual process, it shows the difference in your pet's health.
