Occasional Fasting Will Benefit Your Dogs Health

Canine species in the wild fast often.  Even when food is readily available wild canines will abstain from eating if they are ill.  Our first reaction might be "shouldn't they eat to keep their strength up?"  No, quite the opposite actually.  The process of digesting food uses up a lot of energy from the body.  When illness or injury strikes, fasting is a way to allow the body to concentrate on the healing process rather than on digestion.

Fasting can be employed to improve health in the following ways:

• Breaks down and gets rid of wastes that have accumulated in the organs and fatty tissues

• Clears infections
• Decreases inflammatory molecules in many different cell types (inflammation underlies many degenerative diseases).
  
• Repairs overworked cells, glands and organs

Your dog will not withhold their love for you if you withhold their food occasionally! It is not a cruel punishment, but a very health promoting practice.  In most cases dogs can safely be fasted one day a week.  Be sure to have plenty of fresh clean water available to help with the clearing of waste from the body.

Puppies should not be fasted, and if your dog is ill please consult with a professional before fasting them.  Cats should never be fasted.

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