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Old Dog Resources
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Elevated Feeders
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc
Q. What are the benefits of an elevated feeder
A. Veterinarians recommend elevated feeders
for dogs and cats because they offer a number of advantages: hygiene and cleanliness, comfort
for dogs and cats with arthritis or neck or back problems, and benefits for cats
and dogs with megaesophagus or other conditions that make swallowing difficult.
Elevated feeders
and dishes keep feeding areas cleaner. Elevated
dishes help keep the food and water in the bowls and not on the floor. They
prevent cats from playing in their water, which some are prone to do. Dogs tend
to lift their heads after taking a drink to facilitate swallowing. As the dogs
raise their heads, water that does not make it down their throat often ends up
on the floor. Over time, this can ruin your floor. Moisture that may get under
the dish creates a great place for molds and bacteria to grow. With an
elevated feeder
they do not have to raise their heads as far and the water usually drips
right back into their water dish.
Elevated feeders
may help reduce intestinal gas in dogs. Eating
bent over forces dogs to gulp their food. In the process, the dogs swallow more
air. This air can end up as foul-smelling gas a while later. The higher the food
dish, the less gulping. In rare instances, swallowing an increased amount of air
may result in a condition called
bloat (gastric dilatation and volvulus - GDV).
This occurs most commonly in large breed dogs, and is life-threatening. Some
veterinarians recommend elevated feeders for dogs susceptible to bloat, although
the benefits are not clear.
Elevated feeders
can help in caring for dogs and cats with a condition called
megaesophagus.
In this condition, the esophagus (the tube that leads from the mouth to the stomach) becomes large
and flaccid. Instead of moving the food down to the stomach through muscular
contractions, the enlarged and weak esophagus dilates and allows the food to
accumulate there instead of the stomach. This can lead to regurgitation and
vomiting. An elevated feeder
will allow gravity to help get the food down to the stomach.
Elevated feeders
are more comfortable for older pets.
Dogs with arthritis and
cats with arthritis also benefit
from elevated feeders. Bending over to eat is not comfortable for pets with stiff muscles or sore joints, particularly for pets with neck or back problems,
such as
intervertebral (IV) disc disease.
Older pets often eat less anyway, which means they may not get the nutrition they need. If eating is painful or uncomfortable, they are likely to eat even
less. Raising food and water to their level encourages eating and drinking.
Finally, elevated feeders
have an extra bonus. We have also had pet owners tell us that they appreciate not having to bend over as far to pick
up or fill up water and food dishes. For the frail, physically handicapped, or persons with arthritis or back problems, elevated feeders can make a big
difference.
Permission to reprint from our friends at PetEducation.com (http://www.PetEducation.com)
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