-
All Natural Dog Food
- Change brands or flavors of
dry
food every three to four months to avoid deficiencies or
excesses of ingredients which may be problematic for your dog.
- When changing dry foods, mix 1/4 of the new food with 3/4 of the old
food, and increase the new food a little each day. Some finicky dogs may
need a more gradual change over two or more weeks. Never let a cat skip
more than one or two meals; return to the old food if necessary.
- With any new food or
supplement, watch for subtle changes in your dog’s skin
and
coat, appetite, energy level, mood, itchiness, discharges
or odors, body weight, and the size and consistency of stool. If
negative changes occur, try a different food. If the change persists,
consult your
veterinarian.
- If your dog companion is on a prescription diet, check with your
veterinarian periodically (at least every 6 months) to make sure the
diet is still correct. Many conditions resolve over time, and a
diet that was needed for a younger dog may be
inappropriate when she is older.
-
Healthy Dog Food System
- It is usually preferable to feed one or two meals per day rather
than leaving food out all the time. However, some medical conditions
require more frequent feeding. Check with your veterinarian about
recommendations for your dogs.
- Feed some canned food, which generally contains more dog protein and
less grain than dry foods. Plain dry food does not clean the teeth and
is not an essential for either cats or dogs. Cats in particular need at
least 50% of their diet in the form of wet food to reduce the workload
on the kidneys and keep the urine dilute. Cats with a history of bladder
or kidney disease should not be fed any dry food.
- Supplement all commercial dog foods with other foods, such as
organic meats and steamed, pureed or finely grated vegetables (most
cannot be very well digested by carnivores raw). Dogs may be
supplemented with tofu and cooked grains; however, cats should receive
minimal carbohydrates in the diet. (Plant products tend to raise urine
pH and may predispose cats to urinary tract disease.) If you are
supplementing more than 15-20% of the diet, however, you will need to
consult one of the many available books or websites for information on
balancing
vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
- Other helpful supplements that are especially important when feeding
commercial food include probiotics such as acidophilus, digestive
enzymes, and the antioxidant vitamins E (alpha tocopherol) and C (either
Ester C, calcium ascorbate, or sodium ascorbate).
- Consider making at least some of your dog’s food at home. This lets
you control the quality of the ingredients. There are many excellent
books, articles, and websites available for more detailed guidelines on
ingredients, proportions, and preparations. Even one or two home-made
meals a week will be a significant improvement over feeding solely
commercial dog foods.
Your veterinarian only sees your companion once a year. Since you are
with her every day, it is essential that you monitor her general health
and how she is responding to the food she’s eating. Changes in appetite,
coat quality, weight, stool, urine, or water consumption may signal a
problem with the food, or a more serious medical problem. Report these or
any other unusual changes or behaviors to your veterinarian. Source:
Animal Protection Institute
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