Feeding Dogs: What You Need to Know

While it may seem as simple as scraping the family leftovers into your dogs bowl or pouring out a can of hearty dog food for your dog to eat, there can be much more to it than that. Be sure you are feeding your dog the right food with these dog feeding tips.

Don't Feed Dogs Bones

Did you know that most veterinarians do not condone feeding bones to dogs? This is because they can easily become lodged in the dog's throat, causing them to choke. As you may know, dogs chew on bones and on occasion, bones break. Dogs can accidentally swallow a small portion of a bone that can get lodged. Broken pieces of bone also can have sharp edges, which can cause serious danger to your dog. Small bones can cause your dog to choke as well. This means that you should not feed your dog bones, especially those found in pieces of meat, such as chicken. Dogs nearly inhale their food at times, and swallowing a piece of chicken too fast that has small bones in it could cause them to choke.

Avoid Feeding Dogs Chocolate

Don’t feed your dog chocolate. Dogs simply don’t have the enzymes to break down chocolate like humans do, and excessive chocolate in their system will either come out as diarrhea or cause them major stomach problems, possibly leading to death. Dogs will literally die for chocolate if you let them.

Trim the Fat

Like humans, dogs can become obese and even have cholesterol problems. When choosing canned dog food, you should look at the fat content and even buy your dog diet dog food if they are overweight. (To find out if your dog is overweight, visit the Houston veterinarian office; they will be able to help you determine your dog’s healthiest weight.) When feeding your dog fattening meats, consider cutting off the extra fat so that their dinner doesn’t actually hurt them.

There are many foods that dogs should eat for optimal health and there are quite a few that they should avoid. For a comprehensive list of foods that are good for your dog as well as t find out what foods are bad for your dog, visit the Houston veterinarian clinic and they will be able to help.