Fasting for 24 hours

The practice of fasting a dog is considered to be a health benefit according to most holistic vets and authors of animal nutrition texts.  Fasting can be carried out one day a week with dogs.  During this 24 hour period without food there should be lots of fresh drinking water available, and maybe some fresh apple or carrot juice. 

“Meal skipping frees up energy that would otherwise be used for digestion, enabling the body to cleanse, repair, and regenerate.”  If fasting for a whole 24 hours seems too radical, even skipping one or two meals on a weekly basis, with cats and dogs can be beneficial.  It assists in maintaining healthy skin, fur and overall health. (Goldstein et al 2005)

In agreement with this weekly method of fasting is author of, ‘Work Wonders.’  “In the wild fasting between hunts is normal and research evidence suggests that fasting confers health benefits.” (Lonsdale 2005)

Although fasting is beneficial, the downside is that it can be stressful both to the owner and to the dog.  When a pet’s human companions are all eating their regular meals, no doubt it can be very confusing for a dog to understand why he or she is not being fed as usual. (Allegretti et al 2003)

In opposition to most animal nutritionists, author of, ‘Raw Dog Food,’ says that its alright to fast a healthy dog but she doesn’t see any health benefits in doing so. (MacDonald 2004)

Although opinions in regards to fasting may differ, there is a general agreement that fasting should not be carried out with kittens, puppies, older or sick animals.

If fasting is carried out, there are ways in which to reduce stress on the dog, which are:

·      Ensure they are in good health before fasting.  A vet will be able to determine if there are any underlying health problems, which could be worsened by this practice. (Billinghurst 1993)

·      If a dog is refusing to eat a change in diet, they can be fasted for several days without any risk to health.  A really hungry dog will eat anything.

·      Owners could fast with their dog.  This will reduce stress in both owner and dog and certainly lead to a true understanding by the owner of fasting.

·      Preferably avoid eating in front of the fasting animal to avoid guilt on the owner’s part and temptation for the dog.

·      Keep the animal active and occupied for the fasting period such as going out on long walks, increasing playtime and staying away from the kitchen and food smells.

·      Once we have made a decision to fast our dog, we should adhere to a routine where we observe changes in the dog’s energy levels and overall health.

·      Long-term, we may be able to see health benefits, which will certainly alleviate guilt on fasting days when our dog looks up at us with hungry eyes.

According to Dr Billinghurst, author of, ‘The Barf Diet,’ “Fasting can be a great ally.”  Dogs can benefit from fasting for one or two days.  However, cats, in particular overweight cats should not be fasted for more than 24 hours.  Unlike the dog, cats will quickly develop a serious condition called ‘Hepatic Lipidosis,’ which has a negative effect on the functioning of the liver. (Billinghurst 2001)  In need of energy from fat stores, an abundance of fats pass through the liver in need to be broken down.  The stress on the liver can, over several days of fasting, cause liver failure.