What if's
Wow, this is really interesting. I too have a raised dish for my girl. I just think about how "uncomfortable" it looks for them to eat with their heads all bent down, but... sometimes I feel I think about how * I * would like to eat....But, I am not a dog, so I shouldn't presume that what I would like, is what's best for my pup.
An odd thing happened to my boxer girl last week. She was in my bed, and started kind of twitching... I assumed she was dreaming, b/c that's what it seemed like. So, I nudged her with my leg to wake her up b/c the whole bed twitches with her, etc. It soon stopped.
Then, this past Sunday, around 3am, she was twitching again, then she hopped up and spun. I immediately knew something was weird, so I hopped up too, and brought her into the bathroom where I could see her in the light. She was having muscle twitches all over. Not violent ones, but enough to freak me out. Her pupils were completely dilated and she kept burying her head in my chest. I just held her and talked calmly to her, saying "You're a good girl...you're alright." This "mild muscle twitching" went off and on for about an hour. But, all the while she wagged her tail, went potty outside (both kinds) and begged for food, so I gave her 1/2 a cup of the lamb and rice (that my partners dog eats) with warm water. She ate it up. I briefly got online looking for similar symptoms and causes... and around 5am, we went back to bed, where I felt her "mildly twitch" for another ten minutes. After that, she acted totally fine. The next morning she was fine, fine, fine. Acted normal. After talking to the vet, it looks like she a.) got into something toxic (I did see mushrooms in the lawn) or b.) she's possibly anemic, so I should keep high protein treats, etc. around for when she wakes up at night. There's also c.) brain tumor, neurological disorder, etc....which I'm hoping is not he case.
The point to this way-to-long-post is that it dawned on me, that I could be "killing her with kindness" Sounds dramatic, but here's the thing...I had switched her to a trout and potato diet (b/c she shows signs of food allergies, and it's great quality food), she also has a raised dish, plus, I give her flaxseed oil... all of these things I do b/c I care so damn much. I want "the best" for her.... but...geesh...maybe the trout and potatoes have low traces of mercury... or maybe she wasn't getting enough of the right kind of protein with it.... and maybe the raised dishes are causing her to eat too fast, and not digest properly, etc. All "what if's" but.... I'm thinking I need to get back to the basics. So, lamb and rice, fed on the floor, it is from now on. Thanks for taking the time to read this, I truly appreciate it. -L
A lot of petstores advertising on google probably sell rawhides and pigs ears, and all sorts of other things we advise are dangerous for your pet, or inhumane.