How Oatmeal Can Be Beneficial for Your Dog
Many pets, mostly in the United States, are fed the same things day in and day out, with the exception of a few new treats here and there. Like cheap human food, the low-cost treats and kibbles offered at pet stores are packed with chemicals, fillers, and ingredients completely lacking in nutrition…Not to mention, it’s quite boring. Unlike humans, however, dogs have no say in the matter. They must eat what their owners feed them, which leaves them completely reliant on you for their health. So do your best buddy a favor and give him some healthy and tasty food.
Luckily, there are plenty of common, nutritious foods that you can use to supplement your pet’s diet that actually cost less than the expensive, organic pet treats. Oatmeal, for example, is one such option and it has many great qualities whether you feed it to dogs or use it topically. The grains are high in protein and fiber, but low in carbohydrates. This is why so many people use oatmeal as part of their diet when trying to lose weight and/or stay in great shape with their diet. The fiber curbs your appetite and the protein gives you energy, but you don’t wind up with a bunch of carbohydrates that add to your waistline. The same goes for your dog.
The Internal Benefits of Oatmeal
Since oatmeal is a natural source of nutrients like iron, zinc, B vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids, it offers an easy an effective way of keeping your pups healthy. The protein in oatmeal is also a great alternative to meat, which makes it the go-to for sensitive animals in need of hypoallergenic foods. It’s also a lot cheaper than meat.
Weight Loss
In terms of weight loss, the high protein and low carbohydrate ratio gives you an effective way of keeping your dog’s weight under control without compromising their health. Some of the weight loss formulas offered by common pet food manufacturers are lacking in nutrients because of all the fillers used to lower calories. Additionally, the fiber in oatmeal helps keep your dog satisfied with a reduced-calorie meal plan as well as regulates their digestive system.
The benefits don’t stop here, though...
Anti-Inflammatory
Oatmeal is a natural anti-inflammatory. Not only does this promote healthy skin and a silky coat, but it soothes your dog’s nervous system and boosts immune systems. Good for your dog... and in the end, you.
While you may have already been aware of the common nutrients found in oatmeal, you may not know that oats contain silicon, which helps strengthen bones. All in all, feeding your dogs oats is almost like putting your dogs on a vitamin regiment, only cheaper and more effective...and have you tried shoving pills down your dog's throat? Not my favorite thing to do.
The External Benefits of Oatmeal
Yup, that’s right! You don’t have to feed oatmeal to your dogs to promote a healthy lifestyle, though it is recommended. Oatmeal shampoos and creams get your pup many of the same skin and coat nutrients needed to reduce itching, allergies, hot spots, and dandruff. However, you should look for organic formulas that are free from chemicals, otherwise your dog won’t get much benefit from the regiment.
In high school, I worked at Arfin' Annie's in Albuquerque, NM; a pet salon. Best job ever! Anywho, we had a lot of dogs that had skin irritations. They came in to our pet salon pissed off and miserable. Just by looking at the dog and their temperament, the dog groomer and bather knew exactly which shampoos to use for them. One of the best shampoos/conditioners we used was an oatmeal shampoo/conditioner. We'd lather it on the dog really good and then let them sit for a couple of minutes. It helped with dogs' skin irritations, including itches, scratches, scabs, wounds, dandruff, etc. The shampoo smelled so dang amazing, and left the dog soft, content, and happy. You can check out our quality oatmeal shampoos and conditioners here.
Skin Issues
For dogs with severe skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, try feeding them oatmeal as well as using an oatmeal cream or shampoo on their skin/fur. Sometimes you need to treat these conditions both internally and externally, but at least your dogs gets to recover naturally rather than with medication or harsh topical treatments…and you save on vet bills in the end.
Remember that your furry family member is relying entirely on you for all their health needs. Oatmeal is healthy and quite tasty for both humans and doggies.
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