August 26th is a pretty important day for our canine companions: it’s National Dog Day. This event is to honor our canine companions, and encourage people to adopt them. Of course, if you could ask Fido how he wanted to celebrate his special day, he’d probably want lots of treats … especially bacon. Snacks are fine, but it’s important to stick with healthy options. A Carolina Forest, SC vet offers some advice on this below.
People Foods
Fido isn’t shy about asking his humans to share their snacks. Begging may be cute, but it’s also bad manners. Plus, it can be dangerous: your pup could end up with something that’s not safe for him, such as meat on the bone. If you do want to give your pup some people food, stick with plain, cooked, unseasoned meat, fish, or poultry. You’ll want to limit organ meat, such as liver and kidney, as well as processed and fatty ones, like sausage and pepperoni. Ask your vet for more information.
Store-Bought Snacks
Your canine pal would most likely be thrilled to sample anything and everything in stores. For the most part, there’s nothing wrong with experimenting, unless of course your pup has allergies. However, it’s a good idea to read labels. Choose things with identifiable, healthy ingredients, such as meat, fish, or poultry. You may also want to watch recalls, which you can do through the FDA site here or AMVA here.
Homemade Goodies
Why not try your hand at something homemade? Here’s a fancy one: bacon glazed pumpkin treats. Mix a cup of pureed pumpkin, 2 eggs, 2 ½ cups of whole wheat flour, a teaspoon of baking soda, 1/4 cup of oil, and 1/2 cup of natural PB. (Make sure the PB doesn’t contain xylitol.) Mix into the desired shape, and cook for 15 minutes at 350. Then, mix 2 tablespoons of baking fat with another ¼ cup of PB and drizzle. Voila! You’ll of course find many other options online. Just stick with safe ingredients!
Frozen Options
The Dog Days of Summer can be scorching hot. Fido may enjoy some doggy ice cream, which you can order from many different places. You can also make your pooch some frozen goodies. Put kibble, broken dog treats, or shredded meat into an ice cube tray, then pour sodium-free broth over it and freeze.
Do you have questions about your dog’s diet? Contact us, your Carolina Forest, SC pet hospital, anytime!
