Many people have heard that giving table food to dogs is not good. The reality is, there are lots of table scraps that can be healthy and safe for your dogs to eat. Of course, giving food from your plate is never a good idea. Keep in mind that just because a specific type of food is eaten by humans doesn’t mean that it is bad for your pets.
Giving in Moderation
Many people think that giving their pets table scraps causes obesity. This is not always the case. When you share your food with your dog, you are giving them extra calories. If it is high in sugar and fats, there is a real risk that your pet can become obese. For small dogs, the risk is higher, because they just need a few extra calories to promote weight gain. By sharing food that is healthy and in small amounts, or replacing the dog food with equal amounts of human food, you will prevent your dog from gaining too much weight.
Foods that are rich in fat can also lead your dogs to develop pancreatitis, a condition wherein the pancreas is inflamed with symptoms ranging from mild pain and blood infection to internal bleeding. Avoid giving food to your dogs that are high in fats such as pâté, sausage, bacon, gravy-covered meat, poultry skin, and beef trimmings. A little piece roughly around 1 cm by 1 cm for a 20-pound dog might not cause a problem unless your dog has an underlying health issue.
Carbohydrates are a great source of digestible energy. Because of this, you need to think about the amount that you give to your dogs. If your dog has diabetes, they shouldn’t be given table scraps that are a source of carbohydrates; namely rice and pasta. You can give your dog the last small piece of toast or sparing plain spaghetti but you cannot give them one big plate of pancakes with syrup.
For healthy dogs, salt intake is not a problem. However, for those dogs that already have chronic kidney problems, they shouldn’t be given foods with high levels of salt. Normally, salty foods are high in fat and calories so they should be given in small portions.
If you are going to leave your pets at dog boarding in Clearwater, let them know if you want them to be fed table food or not. You can create a list of what they can feed your dog and what they cannot.
What food can you give to your dog?
Veggies and fresh fruits are the best thing to give to your dogs. Fruits that are a source of fiber and high in water can be given to them but not in large amounts because it can result in an upset stomach. If dried fruit is given, they can end up with diarrhea due to the concentrated sugar. A small piece of watermelon on a hot summer day can be given. If you have a pet that is a picky eater, give them fruits in their bowls to increase their water intake.
Like humans, giving the right types of food to your dogs will not make them obese. They will have the proper amount of nutrition as long as you serve the appropriate amount of table food.
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