Nom-Nom-Nom! How to TREAT Without Tummy Troubles

Nom-Nom-Nom! How to TREAT Without Tummy Troubles

Treats cause tummy troubles? Really? According to my pets, “bad treat” is an oxymoron.

“Only morons say that,” says Karma-Kat, paws-ing in his pursuit of a scorpion munchie.

“Oxy? Is that like steaky?” says Magical-Dawg, drooling and licking his lips.

“Mfffn.” (Seren’s too busy lapping up tasties to comment.)

My pets LIVE for treats and all eagerly gobble up anything that doesn’t move faster than they do. I’ve been very fortunate that nothing seems to phase their cast-iron bellies, especially since Magical-Dawg relishes eating cat TOYS, too. He steals catnip cigars, furry mice, and pom-pom sparkle-balls left within reach. Sparkly poop happens. Ahem.

But then Karma-Kat got sick. And I know exactly what upset his tummy and caused day-long vomit-icity (thank goodness output from the other end remained normal!). Karma likes dog food and swipes a kibble or two whenever he can. His c’attitude is that if Magic swipes his toys and treats, it’s only fair for Karma to return the favor.

Ruh-roh…

MERRICK GRAIN FREE + GLUTIN FREE DOG TREATS

The fine folks at Merrick sent me a box filled with wonderful doggy tasties to review. They include oven-baked biscuits Jerky Chip Treats (chocolate chip cookie look alikes…but no chocolate, of course!); minty bone shaped Mini Brush Bones dental chews; paw-shaped Grammy’s Pot Pie Kitchen Bites; and tiny star-shaped soft chewy protein Power Bites. These treats are made in the USA with no ingredients from China, and are grain free, gluten free.

Karma got into trouble with the Power Bites. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing “bad for cats” in the treat and I actually like the fact it’s appealing to cats, too. With deboned beef as the first ingredient, no wonder Karma (and Magic!) went nutso over this. Karma, though, swiped the bag and ate who-knows-how-many causing his upset tummy.

Lesson learned. I categorize the Power Bites as a “locked cupboard” treat.

In a decidedly unscientific test, I offered Magic his choice of each treat, side by side. I showed him a different treat in each hand, and asked him to choose. We went three or four rounds, with different choices each time. His favorite picks, in order:

Mini Brush Bones (yay! he’s got some tartar buildup this should help). Ingredients include potato starch, vegetable glycerin, dried plain beet pulp, cane molasses and chicken fat.
Power Bites. This are a great size for training rewards. Ingredients include deboned beef (there’s a chicken version, too), potatoes, peas, potato protein and potato starch.
Grammy’s Pot Pie. A nice crunchy reward, could be broken into smaller chunks for multiple rewards from one treat. Ingredients include deboned chicken, sweet potatoes, peas, organic cane molasses and chicken fat.
Jerky Chip Treats. Interestingly, these looked most appealing to me (yum, chocolate chip!) but were last choice for Magic. He enjoyed it readily enough but kept making eyes at the other options. Ingredients include deboned beef, dried potatoes, peas, garbanzo beans, tapioca starch, pea fiber and chicken fat.

I like that the treats each come in resealable packages, and include “calorie count” information for pet parents to choose an amount that won’t upset their dogs’ nutrition.

Now if I could just get Karma to read the package!

At our house, we “treat” our pets with non-commercial tasties, too. A favorite is plain yogurt. This helps normalize the “good” bacteria in the gut. After Karma’s day-long bout with tummy-itis, I offered him small tastes of the yogurt to help get him feeling better. Seren and Magic beg for this as a treat, too.

I recently discovered a new no-fat treat that Magic loves, too (more on that later!). It’s ideal for dogs that have issues with overweight or pancreatitis, so I can’t wait to share more info, soon.

What are your pets’ favorite treats? Commercial ones? Off-your-plate treats? And how do you manage furry thieves like Karma that get themselves into trouble swiping munchies they shouldn’t gnosh? Do tell!

I am not being paid for this post. The opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I received free samples from Merrick Pet Care Inc. in exchange for an honest review. 

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

 

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!