Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Are You Putting Your Dog's Health at RIsk?

While many people like to believe that their dogs possess a great intelligence, it is simply not true.  Though some breeds are more evolved than others, most dogs do not have a great mental capacity.  Their intelligence is limited to not much more than basic survival.  Whether dogs can interpret the concept of cause and effect is even questionable.


Because of their lack of intelligence, dogs act without sense.  They sometimes do not have any reasoning or intellect for their actions.  Many pet owners face issues because they do not know this, and one of the most detrimental results of this ignorance is dogs eating too much or eating the wrong things.


The truth is that a dog digging through trash or hunting for food is not because it is hungry or needs it, but rather an instinct or wanton desire.


dog with cucumber


Leaving food out or accessible to dogs can be hazardous to their health.  They can eat too much, making themselves sick, or eat things that are unhealthy to them, which are many of the foods humans eat.


The food humans eat is not always healthy to dogs.  Many people assume that it is good to feed them more than just dog food.  This is not objectionable, but feeding them the right things, and knowing what to steer clear of is important.


Dogs’ digestive systems are not equipped to handle many of the foods that humans eat, so feeding them the leftovers from dinner, as many people do, or not properly stowing it from them, can be harmful to dogs.


feast


Recent studies do not say that all human food is bad for dogs, but just that a sizable percentage of it is, and that education on the subject should be attained before feeding leftovers or human food to dogs.


Selective foods, that are present in many of today’s dishes, can surprisingly be quite hazardous to a dog’s health.  One such food is onions.  Though most fruits and vegetables are not considered a danger to a dog’s health, onions and leeks are because they contain a chemical that can potentially damage a dog’s red blood cells, causing anemia, weakness and breathing difficulties.


To keep a healthy, happy dog it is necessary to monitor and control what they eat and how much they eat.


Kristina Johansen, a canine dietician, promotes the use of an app recently released by Elmo’s Kitchen.   Johansen says that she is “sure that if more people knew what harm they were actually doing to their dogs they would pay more attention to the foods they feed them, and so having an app you can check at all times makes it much easier.”  


two dogs happy dogwhite puppy



Are You Putting Your Dog's Health at RIsk?

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