When you feed your dog it is only a simple matter of filling the food and water dishes and setting them back on the ground, right? It's not complicated, since dogs dont require anything fancy. Actually, numerous veterinarians don't agree with that statement. Even though there are a great many pet owners who do feed their dogs in this manner, using an elevated feeder is much better for your dog for many reasons. At first it might not appear to be an important difference, but the health issues that can be simply resolved through the use of an elevated dog feeder are numerous.
If you sit and consider it for a minute or two, the idea of eating or drinking with your neck and back bent seems very unpleasant and uncomfortable doesn't it? For an older dog especially, an elevated feeder is crucial to their health. Like all mammals, including humans, older dogs typically eat less anyway. Add to that the discomfort of eating from the floor and the potential that your pet isn't getting proper nutrition increases. Older dogs need to be as comfortable as they can to stay healthy and get the fuel they desperately need. This exact theory is applicable to pets that suffer from arthritis or joint problems. A elevated dog feeders is a great technique to use in ensuring the ideal nutrition of a senior or ailing pet.
Lets consider overall sanitation for a second. Pet bowls placed on the ground rapidly turn into a breeding ground for parasites and mold. The moisture from the water the dog loses when he raises his head to swallow collects underneath the bowls and makes the optimal condition for dangerous little pests to live. This is bad news for the pets and the people in the home. When dogs drink from an elevated feeder it isnt necessary for them to raise their heads in order to swallow and any water that does escape them tends to fall back into the bowl instead of onto the floor. An elevated feeder will go far in eliminating this probable health hazard to the whole family.
Another benefit to using an elevated feeder is gas. Laugh if you want, but there isnt a single dog owner who hasnt experienced their dogs occasional periods of noxious gas. If you need another reason to switch to a dog feeders this is it. An elevated feeder makes it so the dog can keep their head at a more natural angle while eating. What this means for you is that the dog gulps less, reducing air intake into the stomach and eliminating the gas. Without question your animal also feels a great deal better without having the constant bloated feeling that comes from having gas - turns out to be a definite win-win situation for both of you.
But in all seriousness, eating directly from the ground is really unhealthy for the four-legged member of the family. Some dogs are hindered by a condition called megaesophagus. This is a condition where the muscles of the esophagus become loose and too large. Eating and drinking from the floor forces the troubled pet to work against gravity with faulty equipment. Since the esophagus is weak to begin with, the food often collects there rather than continuing to stomach. An elevated feeder reduces the work the muscles are forced to do and aids gravity in getting the food to the stomach, where it needs to be.
There are several different reasons to pamper and take care of your pet. Most importantly, the day you brought him home; you in essence promised to care for him for the rest of his life. By providing your pet the proper materials to ensure good health is just part of doing your job.
