Weve discussed how many treats your pet can receive per day and a few human foods that are healthy or harmful for your pet, but Ive seen a few families recently where table scraps or just giving a little bit can add up quite a lot! If youre looking to add a little treat outside your pets meals, need options to give medication or to use as training treats, or are looking for some palatability enhancers to encourage your pet to eat, weve created a larger list of foods that are healthy and relatively low in calories so you can avoid unbalancing your pets diet with too many foods coming from outside their main diet.
How Much is Too Much?
Reminder that your pet should only receive 10% of their daily calories from treats so you dont unbalance their diet! A 10 lb dog or cat has an average daily calorie requirement of 300 calories per day so 10% of that would be a maximum of only 30 calories for treats. For your average 75 lb dog, their average calorie requirements are 1,400 calories per day so that means a maximum of 140 calories for treats. Unsure how much your pet should be getting? Check out this previous post with links to calculators that estimate your pets daily calorie needs, including the maximum number of calories they should be getting from treats.
Food Options and Amounts to Meet 15-20 Calories:
*We strongly recommend weighing these out so you know exactly how much your pet will get and so you dont under or overestimate calories coming from volume measurements!
While these treats may be ok for a healthy pet, these foods may not be appropriate for any pets with a medical condition. Be sure to talk to your veterinarian about appropriate treats if your pet has any medical issues.
Dr. Deborah Linder, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, is the head of the Tufts Obesity Clinic for Animals and has had articles appear in Eating Well, the Boston Globe, AARP, SHAPE, and XM Sirius Radio Doctor Channel. She has spoken at national and international conferences and a Capitol Hillbriefing, and is an expert in pet obesity, nutrition communication, and in the human-animal bond.
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Treat Options for Dogs and Cats Without Unbalancing Their Diet
