Slow Feeder Bowls: Do They Actually Help?

A slow feeder is a bowl with ridges moulded into it, so the food sits in channels the pet has to work at. They are cheap, they are effective at the narrow job of slowing eating, and they are frequently oversold.

What they reliably do

• Stretch a meal from seconds to several minutes.
• Reduce the amount of air swallowed with food, which for many dogs means less post-meal burping, gagging and regurgitation.
• Give a bored dog a small amount of mental work at meal time.

What the evidence does not settle

Slow feeders are often marketed as preventing bloat, or gastric dilatation volvulus, which is a genuine emergency in deep-chested breeds. Fast eating is associated with higher risk, but slowing eating has not been shown to prevent the condition. Treat a slow feeder as one sensible measure, not as protection.

If you have a deep-chested dog such as a Great Dane, Weimaraner or Standard Poodle, talk to your vet about risk factors properly.

Choosing one

• Match the ridge depth to the muzzle. Flat-faced breeds need shallow, wide channels or they simply give up.
• Check it is dishwasher safe. Textured bowls hold grease.
• A non-slip base or a mat underneath stops the bowl travelling across the kitchen.

If your pet becomes frustrated rather than engaged, ease off: scatter feeding on a snuffle mat achieves a similar result with less pressure.