Treats for Pets with Dietary Restrictions

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

13 Feb 2009 12:53 PM

When it comes to food, my two dogs are very different. Lally is the sort of dog who will only eat when she's hungry; I could leave a bowl of food out all day and she'd regulate herself. Moose is a chow hound; he'll eat until there's nothing left and then eat some more. I can't leave food out for him, because he'd never stop eating!

It's very hard to manage Moose's weight when he never turns down food. The vet suggested that we avoid chewy snacks -- they generally have a higher fat content than crunchy, dry snacks have.

Safe, healthy snacks for dogs include:

• Ice cubes
• Fresh or frozen veggies or fruit
• A few pieces of dry kibble
• Air-popped popcorn (without butter or salt)

But what if your pet is on a special diet? Maybe you have a diabetic pet, a pet with food allergies, or a cat who is prone to urinary crystals. The more restricted the diet, the harder it can be to give your pet a special treat.

Here are a few ways to make treats out of your pet's food!

1. Turn mush into treats! Cut canned food into patties or pieces. Microwave for three minutes (you may need to flip pieces and zap for another minute or two on the other side) -- this will change the texture of the wet food.
2. Turn kibbles into cookies! Crush dry food into powder using a blender or food processor (or even a coffee grinder if you have a spare). Mix the powder with water or chicken broth to form dough. Shape the dough into biscuits (or whatever shape you like) and bake them at 350 degrees for a half hour -- or until crispy.

My roommates' cats are rather fussy about treats. They like their own food, and that's about it. So these treats made from regular pet food might just work as a treat the cats will enjoy!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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