I have a request.
We’ve had a number of stray animals brought to the shelter over the years who have been in bad shape. Thin, malnourished, obviously hungry.
Many of the people who brought the animals to us or called us about them informed us that they had fed the pup or cat.
One gentleman a few years ago told us, “Oh he had three or four big bowls of food at my house.”
Here’s where my request comes in to play. I know – believe me, I know – that when you see an animal whose ribs are showing, your instinct is to give them a literal buffet of food and feed, feed, feed them.
But, actually that’s one of the worst things you can do.
Most of the animals who came to us being given “as much food as they could eat” were throwing up before the day was out. No joke. They threw up all three or four bowls of the food they had been given by the finder.
It’s true even for humans who haven’t had food in a while – you have to go slowly.
You can’t overwhelm your system or you can actually do more harm than good.
Throwing up the food gets no protein into the animal at all and can cause stomach problems down the line, so we have to ration the food to our pups and cats who come to us in bad shape.
There’s actually a term for it – Refeeding Syndrome. It’s something that happens if a very thin animal (or person) is give too much to eat too quickly. It’s because the body, accustomed to minimal intake, struggles to handle a sudden influx of nutrients and fluids. Refeeding Syndrome can lead to serious health complications, including fluid and electrolyte imbalances and potential organ failure.
It’s an incredibly serious condition.
I’ve heard stories that some dogs will eat, literally, until they are sick. They eat their food, their sibling’s food, the cat’s food, look to mom and dad for more and then 10 minutes later bring up all that food on the floor.
From what I understand, the instinct comes from when dogs lived in the wild. Hunting and foraging for food meant that when the dog found something to eat, he had to scarf it down, practically on the spot, because not only was he not certain when his next meal would be coming, but he never knew how many other creatures would try to attack him for a nibble.
It’s important to remember that just because we domesticated our pets, it doesn’t mean they don’t still have some of their wild ancestry and tendencies. As a result, some of our dogs will eat and eat and eat, even though it’s not good for them.
So it really is important to resist those imploring, pleading eyes that you see looking up at you when you’re eating dinner. Believe me when I tell you, I know how hard it is – heck, I can barely resist my cats begging for bites of turkey from my Subway sub – but over-feeding our pets can be just as dangerous as not feeding them at all.
And it’s especially important for animal shelters who may be getting skinny strays. I know people mean well and they want to help, but letting an undernourished stray have three or four bowls of kibble before bringing him or her into the shelter really can be problematic and cause serious health problems.
So if you find a four-legged soul stranded and alone, remember to do what’s best for him, even if your instincts – and his pleading eyes – may be telling you otherwise.
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Jennifer Vanderau is the public relations coordinator for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at [email protected]. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, readers may call the shelter at 717-263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Readers may help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.
