Don't let me eat too fast, Mom!Many pets eat too quickly! A dog or cat that eats too fast can have problems as a result. Rapid eating can lead to weight problems. Just as with humans, our bodies and our pets bodies need around 20 – 30 minutes to allow for our natural feeling of fullness to kick in. Increasing the time it takes to eat gives our body a chance to let us know when we’re full and curb our appetites.

A pet that eats too fast is not chewing their food. This often means that they will then vomit shortly after eating. Cats are notorious for doing this after gobbling down their dry food too quickly.

One of the biggest dangers of eating too quickly is bloat! Bloat is one of the most serious and dangerous conditions a dog can face! Large breed dogs with deep chests are especially prone to bloat.

Here are a few suggestions to help slow eating down:
1. Change the bowl – there are many bowls/feeding devices which are designed to slow down their eating. Some bowls have raised ridges to separate the food so that it can’t be gulped down in a couple of bites. Other feeders make the dog work to get to the food.
2. If you don’t want to buy a new bowl, then make the food lay flat in single layer instead of all piled up, again making it so the pet can’t eat it all in a couple of mouthfuls.
3. Put object in the bowl – like a metal ball, which makes the pet eat around the object.
4. Timing of meals – increase the frequency and smaller meals
5. Water – adding water can slow down and decrease amount of food eaten. The only disadvantage is there will be no dental benefit from the kibble since it will no longer crunch.

Getting their furbabies to eat more slowly is a concern faces by most pet parents. If your pet gobbles his meal down too quickly, try the steps listed above, and as always consult with your Vet!

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