Treats in Moderation

Treats are a great way to reward and bond with your pet, but they should only make up a small part of their daily diet. Too many treats can quickly lead to weight gain and upset stomachs. As a guide, treats should make up no more than 10% of your pet’s daily food intake. Healthier options include small pieces of carrot, apple (without seeds), blueberries, strawberries, banana, popcorn and specially formulated low calorie pet treats.

Foods Pets Should Never Eat
While it may be tempting to share your food with your pet, some everyday foods can be very dangerous for them. Apart from chocolate being toxic to dogs, other common human foods such as grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, avocado, cherries, macadamia nuts, tomatoes, mushrooms and products containing xylitol (a sugar substitute often found in sweets and peanut butter) can also cause serious illness. Bones are another common risk, they can splinter easily and may lead to choking, intestinal obstructions, or internal injuries.

To keep pets safe, it’s best to avoid feeding table scraps and stick to pet-safe treats instead.

If your pet eats something they shouldn’t, contact your vet as soon as possible.

Why Sudden Food Changes Can Upset Stomachs
Pets can have sensitive digestive systems, and switching foods too quickly may lead to vomiting, Diarrhoea, or loss of appetite. If you need to change your pet’s food, it’s best to do so gradually over a 7 – 10 day period, slowly mixing increasing amounts of the new food with the old. The general approach is to start with 75% original food, and 25% new food for the first 3 days and then increase the new food component by increments of 25% every 2-3 days .This helps their digestive system adjust comfortably to the change and avoid a digestive upset.