Canine Nutrition a Food Allergy

FOR YOUR PeT Wellness Care example, an adult dog that is used for or hunting used is adult dog that an example, puppies). small-breed another than grow faster As calcium and phosphorus large-breedbecause puppies (for example, these foods have higher amounts of puppies requirements of large-breed special the meet Large-breed puppy foods formulated are specially to apuppy toyou’ll need feed dogs. for food large-breed For example, if you own a Saint Bernard puppy, are even these life morestages specificcategories. including puppy, maintenance, or senior diets. Within brand(s)“Which do you recommend?” food will meet the particular needs of my pet?” and “Which following: the your veterinarian by asking Howthat’s do you a food find forright your dog? Start supply stores, so selecting a dog food can be daunting. eat meat food and plants sources.their as primary can they that meaning meat), omnivores, eat are dogs whichcats, are carnivores (meaning mustthey that Unlike haircoat. alustrous in results and function, promotes and teeth,healthy protects gums immune a other benefits, dietproper bones,strong helps build of your dog. longevity Among and for health the tant impor is diet complete balanced A high-quality, and aDogFood? Do IChoose How • • • • • Canine Nutrition a food allergy. a food to due infection) askin or ears infected itchy, (such as and does not become overweight or develop a problem nutrition balanced receives dog your that ensure to aminimum to kept be should treats and Table scraps nutritionist. a veterinary of guidance the under it do to best it’s diet, raw or ahomemade feed to prefer you If trials. feeding Officials) Control Feed American of (Association AAFCO underwent food the says that label food’s the on astatement for Look sources. food primary their as plants and meat eat can they that meaning omnivores, are Dogs dog. your of longevity and health the ensure to necessary is diet A proper Most pet foods are created for different life stages, at pet available number are of dog foods A large

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consult your veterinarian for nutritional advice. your veterinarian consult or condition, adisease has your pet If veterinarians. through only available are and prescriptionare diets inflammation. and help reduce pain to antioxidants and of levels glucosamine higher now contain diets many For osteoarthritis, with dogs dogs. allergic many in scratching and itching the help reduce proteins or can hydrolyzed limited with progression. Foods shown to helpbeen slow disease lower protein in diets for have example, disease, For kidney with dogs diseases. of many signs, the Nutrition help slow progression, the can or manage Special Foods? Require Diseases Do Certain supplements. any your pet before giving your veterinarian Consult dangerous. be nutrients supplying too many can fact, in not necessary; supplements usually vitamin are of food. the nutritional adequacy of the indication statement abetter is trial feeding the when to notmay fed animals, digestible be not beensome Because tested on nutrients animals. appears to be complete and balanced, but the food has of food the analysis achemical that simply means standards A label saysthat the food meets AAFCO Feed Control Officials. of American Association the according testedtowas on guidelines from animals the food that means This trials. feeding AAFCO underwent the food that verifies that on label the content. energy higher with diet amaintenance require most likely will breeding Most diets that are designed for a specific disease disease for aspecific designed are that Most diets With a complete and balanced commercial diet, diet, commercial With acomplete balanced and Before purchasing a dog food, look for a statement

Wellness Care

Is a Homemade or Raw Diet Okay to Feed? What Do I Need to Know About The advantage of homemade diets is that they can be Table Scraps and Treats? tailored to the specific needs of your dog. However, The biggest problem with table scraps and treats is most homemade diets found in books or on the that they add unnecessary calories that can make Internet can be too vague or too complex, and ingre- your pet overweight. Pet obesity often leads to dient substitutions or alterations may result in a diet diabetes, increased blood pressure, and orthopedic that is nutritionally deficient or unbalanced or is even problems, all of which can reduce your dog’s life toxic. If you really want to provide your dog with a span. If your dog is overweight, consult your vet- homemade diet, it’s best to work under the guidance erinarian about a diet and exercise plan to get your of a veterinary nutritionist to ensure that the diet you dog back to a healthy weight. In addition, many prepare is complete and balanced for your dog. dogs are allergic to common foods, such as wheat While the proponents of raw diets claim that meat and chicken, resulting in problems such as itchy, and bones more closely resemble the diet that dogs infected ears and skin infections. would eat in the wild, there is a lack of scientific Table scraps and treats can also upset the evidence to support this idea. Raw diets have the same bacterial balance in the digestive tract, resulting potential drawbacks of homemade diets: raw diets in vomiting and diarrhea. Fatty treats, especially, can also be nutritionally deficient and unbalanced. can lead to pancreatitis (inflammation of the What’s more, raw diets carry the risk of contamination pancreas), which can require hospitalization. with bacteria such as Salmonella, and bits of bone Even if your dog is fed a balanced diet, additional can break teeth and perforate the digestive tract. If treats can result in unbalanced nutrition. If you you want to feed your dog a raw diet, consult your can’t refuse your dog’s begging, consider giving veterinarian for advice, and make sure to handle your dog healthy treats such as raw carrots and all the food and your dog’s feces with care to avoid green beans. transmitting bacteria to people in your household. FOR YOUR PeT © 2011 Vetstreet Inc. Created and peer-reviewed by Vetlearn. Brought to you by Vetstreet. Vetlearn grants permission to individual veterinary clinics to print and distribute this handout for the purposes of client education. Posting on an external website without written permission from Vetlearn is a violation of copyright laws.