We can often hear from a dog owner that they feed their pet the same food regularly. We can also observe customers in pet stores and see that people always buy the same food. It can be dry or wet food from the same brand and even with the same flavor. The owners explain this by saying that the animal is used to it and doesn’t want to eat anything else. The dog is healthy, has a good appetite, and eats the same food well. But is it worth changing the animal’s diet? Will the dog accept the “new food” and will there be no “strikes”? Why are we talking about this and is it worth it? What do veterinarians say about changing food? So, today we’re going to talk about changing a dog’s food in more detail.
What do veterinarians say about feeding your dog the same food regularly?
After asking and interviewing veterinarians at specialized veterinary clinics, we heard the following well-founded opinion. Experts believe it is correct and advise to periodically change dry and liquid food for all animals. You should not use one line of food. Manufacturers have separate feed lines, i.e. sets and series of feeds that are created according to a certain concept, but differ in type, purpose, and functionality. And owners often choose one line of feed and do not change or diversify the animal’s diet. These can be lines of such companies as Royal Canin, Opti Life, Nutro, or PURINA PRO PLAN and others. But animals, like humans, need to eat a variety of foods full of different vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Dogs belong to the group of animals – mammals. This group of animals is considered to be predators if they live in the wild and they need a lot of strength, energy and a healthy diet for their daily existence. Mammalian pets are no less weak physically and mentally. The dog is famous for its loyalty, as well as for its high endurance, speed and strong limbs. For a healthy existence and physical activity, this animal needs a healthy and balanced diet. The diet should be filled with vitamins and minerals of various groups to ensure the functioning of all hormonal systems in the body. The dog’s hormonal system plays a key role in regulating many physiological processes. If there is a lack of certain vitamins and minerals, just like humans, the animal will get sick. Regular drinking and hygiene is also an important factor in a healthy existence.
Unfortunately, if you buy the same food, it will not contain all the essential vitamins and nutrients. Some vitamins and minerals predominate in a brand of a certain brand, while others are completely different. Changing the food will always help to avoid certain deficiencies and excessive amounts of certain ingredients. For example, Royal Canin is a large line of specialized formulas, food for different breed sizes, ages, and health conditions. This line includes balanced mineral and vitamin complexes (A, D3, E, B-vitamins, omega fats). Purina Pro Plan, Purina One includes vitamins A, E, D3 and omega-3 fatty acids. Nutro offers Grain Free, Limited ingredients lines, these foods contain vitamins A, D3, selenium, zinc and omega fats. Opti Life offers Puppy, Adult, Senior and Light/Sterilized formulas for the development and support of dogs of all ages and activities. Switching brands will allow you to enrich your dog with important vitamins. Vitamin A will improve your dog’s eyesight and skin appearance. Vitamin D3 for bones. Vitamin E for immunity. B vitamins are for metabolism, and omega-3 and 6 for the coat and skin. An important point in changing the pet ‘s diet is the fact that variety is needed. Imagine how you would feel if you ate the same food all the time. Most likely, you would get bored with such a diet and choose to be hungry rather than eat the same thing again. By introducing variety, the dog will not lose appetite, weight, or energy. When an animal stops eating and drinking, it always causes anxiety for the owner, but in fact, the reason may be that the food is boring. Periodic change of food prevents allergic reactions. Dogs can have such reactions from birth and in early childhood, and some allergies occur throughout life. The most common cause is the use of the same food for a long period of time, which can be weeks, months, and years. In this case, you will notice redness on the skin, paws, and watery eyes. Such allergies are usually treated with pharmaceuticals, and more often with antibiotics. Antibiotics are prescribed according to the course and severity of the lesion.
Ways to replace dog food
The best way is to mix two types of food, the old and the new, in proportions of 1:7 or 1:10. It is important to reduce the previous amount of food daily, in a week Tails ‘ plate will be filled with new dry food by almost 80-100%. If you observe your dog’s activity, energy, and healthy appetite, you can say that the plan is successful. Some owners practice the transition with natural food. In such cases, it is recommended to give natural food and a little bit of the previous food for 1-2 days, as it can be stressful for the dog. After 1-3 days, you can try to give a new dry food without mixing for one day, and practice this for 7-10 days. It is worth paying attention to the dog’s mood, general health, and bowel movements. If there are no signs of anxiety and everything is fine, you can safely switch to a new food.
So, if you are a dog owner, it doesn’t matter what kind of dog you have, no matter what size or breed. The owner and loving master should remember that the animal needs a healthy diet for life and well-being, for living in everyday life, to have the strength and energy to run, play, eat actively and sleep well. To get all the vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, it is useful to feed the animal natural food, give it enough water to drink, and regularly change dry and wet food, making sure to monitor the composition of the food and its vitamin content. Implementing and following all these rules is a guarantee of your pet’s life and well-being.
