Animals – Treats for cats and dogs

They say that the best treats are the healthy and enjoyable ones, but a treat for a dog or cat is not necessarily what we think it is. A treat for a pet is often situation-related rather taste-related. For instance, my dog “loves” to roll around in another dog’s toilet waste and this waste also holds a great deal of interest for other dogs with well-developed smelling abilities. Therefore, it is good to consider alternatives.

I once examined a dog’s teeth that were completely covered with grey/black film. When questioning what treats the owner was giving, they admitted giving him a small piece of banana every morning. We changed treats, cleaned the dog’s teeth and the dog had no further issues with his teeth. Hence, any fruits which leave a film on my teeth, like banana does, I would suggest is not a good treat. Fruit that isn’t stone fruit is often classified as suitable for dogs and cats, but should always be given in moderation.

Another time, when I examined a fine corgi’s teeth, I noted that all his incisors (the small front teeth inside the canines) on the left side of his mouth where dark brown and discoloured, with a considerable amount of wear showing on the tips of the teeth. The right-side incisors were all normal and healthy, the other teeth in the dog’s mouth were also in good shape. Again, with questioning about treats the owner admitted to feeding his dog a round wine biscuit every day, which the dog nibbled with the front of his teeth, scraping the biscuit down from his hand as he held onto the biscuit. So, like people, I suggest that anything which has a quantity of sugar as an ingredient should be avoided for teeth health and waistline maintenance.

Many of our clients report using small amounts of raw vegetables as treats, with carrot and broccoli common favourites. Our dog Jock is very partial to rocket salad and makes a beeline for the garden whenever we leave the house for walks, snaffles part of a rocket salad leaf and then looks very pleased with himself as he starts his ‘sniffing everything’ routine.

A vet nurse I worked with a few years ago was adamant that you can train a cat to do everything that a dog can do with Vegemite. From my understanding, Marmite is just as effective.

A key message when assessing treats is to understand the calorie quantity and social interaction trade-off. While the benefits of substituting treats for alternatives often sound simple, I try to ensure the trade-off around interaction benefits and negative effects is not compromised. A simple awareness of total treat calories and appropriate reduction in main meals quantity can allow both to continue.