subject: The Dangers Of Pets Eating Too Quickly [print this page] When it comes to the health of our pets, all too often people don't realize that, in a lot of respects, they are a lot like children. As they grow, the are more and more capable of taking care of themselves, but when they are little, especially in the first couple of years of life, we have to be very cognizant of what they do and how they do it. This level of attention applies not just to the pet toys they play with but most especially to their food and eating habits as the patterns they develop early will last them their entire lives.
As newborns, animals develop their feeding habits from their mothers or caretakers. She will only allow them to feed as much as they need to stay healthy. As the animals starts weaning, they begin to take control of their own eating habits. This is also true when they change to solids and chewy treats. How the habits are formed, whether by competition with other animals or because they feel hungry is not relevant. What is most important is that the animals not eat their food too quickly, as this can lead to all kinds of digestive issues later.
While most cats aren't terribly prone to gulping their food, dogs can be especially voracious at times. The problem with this type of eating style presents several issues. Because the animal is often eating too fast, they do not even realize the amount they are eating and will in turn take in more than their body can handle. Just like with humans, this can lead to physical discomfort and indigestion, and in extreme cases, even regurgitation. This means that the nutrition value is wasted with all the food that is eaten.
Another issue is obesity. Rapid eating often leads to overeating. Too much food is introduced into their systems and cannot all be broken down with normal exercise. And because of the physical discomfort and indigestion that can result from eating too fast, the animal doesn't feel like "normal exercise" anyway. Poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle will lead to an overweight pet.
So between the weight issues, the indigestion and physical discomfort, these issue alone should give us as pet owners enough reasons to monitor our pets eating habits closely and work to modify them. Being properly fed is only part of the equation as we want them to enjoy the food and feel happy and content because of it.
