UPDATE - I'm confused: Elevated food bowls & Dog Bloat?

[Christine & Camus]

UPDATE:   Success!  I followed Karen's suggestion, last night and again this morning -- first I told him to lay down then I gave him his food on the floor between his front paws.  He finished his meal then got up.  He did not eat quite as fast and no burping.  So, no more feeding him on his elevated table.

 

Research is great, but when recommendations keep changing it is hard to keep up - thank goodness for Doddle Kisses and Karen!

 

I'm confused.  I have read that feeding large dogs in elevated bowls is best for their digestion, but when Camus got sick I re-read the information on bloat and found that using elevated food bowls is one of the causes.  Labradors, Goldens and Poodles are all on the list of dogs at greatest risk (deep chested dogs).  Does this mean none of us should use elevated bowls for our doodles?  Any thoughts or comments? Thanks

 

[Heather & Brinkley]

Well, I just bought elevated bowls... and now I don't know if I should use it!  Brinkley always lies down to drink but never to eat.  I guess he can't lie down if I have it raised.  So confused!

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Bailey lays down to eat..I thought this wasn't a good idea and was looking into getting her an elevated food bowl. She is also a grazer.  she likes to take her time to eat... Now I think I will just get her a raised water bowl so maybe she will keep her paws out of it...

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

When we first got Sgt. Pepper, our St. Poodle puppy, he had just had his first birthday,  and ate like food was going out of style.  In order to slow him down I inverted a small bowl inside the middle of his kibble bowl and he learned to eat more slowly.  He actually lies down on the floor to eat .  There are rare occasions when he stands to eat, but mostly he prefers to lie down and hug his food bowl with his paws.  I was concerned about bloat the way he bolted his food and almost purchased one the slow feeders, but his habits changed and now I don't worry about it anymore.  The inverted bowl seemed to do the trick.

[Sharon & Monty]

Exactly what is considered elevated?  Monty has his dishes in a holder but not more than 3 inches off the floor.  I have a rubber mat underneath for any scatter of food or water.  He however is a very slow gentle eater and drinker, the mat is usually not messed up.  So.....I dunno?

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I wouldnt consider this elevated, unless you have a 5lb dog - Coopers is set to her shoulder height - at least 23 inches

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

DH reminded me that one of the reasons we got an elevated feeder was to prevent pressure on her joints as she bends down to eat.... but if I can get her to lay down to eat....

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Pepper has done this on his own.  He is the only dog I have ever had and that is a lot of dogs, that lies down

to eat.  It has always puzzled us.  However, maybe you can train her to do so.  Pepper is also a 65 pounder, and  tall enough that his snout reaches our kitchen table easily.  I haven't measured his height and he is

sleeping now, so I will do that tomorrow.

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Just measured Pepper, he is about 25 inches high at the shoulders!  Oh, my!  He is a big baby!

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

wow I just measured Cooper out of curiosity - shes almost 30 inches to the shoulder - she weighs 62lbs

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I just lowered her bowl and she did not lay down to eat - but it only takes her about 1 minute to eat (and thats with a slow feed bowl) so i doubt it would make much difference

[Christine & Camus]

Try giving her the command to lay down, then give her the bowl of food.  Camus did eat a bit slower when laying down.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

yeah Cooper does seem to eat a little slower when the bowl is on the floor...