DOGS ARE WHAT THEY EAT
While foods are obviously vital to survival, foods can equally be a primary factor in medical emergency, shortened life span, and a reduction in quality life and comfort.
Common misconceptions:
- All dog foods are the same.
Food quality, bioavailability (how the body can use the food), nutrient balance, consistency in production, and nutrient density are important considerations in making a food choice. There are huge differences in pet foods and feeding is the one thing you do every day to influence your pet’s health. In fact, it may be the most important decision you make to keep your pet healthy and happy for as long as possible. Nutrient dense foods with less filler (non-digestible products) will most likely be of higher quality. Total amounts fed will be less because of quality, therefore feeding cost per day will drop. An added benefit to quality nutrient dense foods is fewer stools to clean up. Our best recommendation is to ask your veterinarian about food type and amount to feed.
- Dog’s need variety.
Realistically, dog thrive on consistency. Choose a quality blend and avoid change. We can’t imagine eating pizza every day for a month. It’s hard not to place our food habits onto dogs, but in fact, food indiscretion and resultant abdominal problems are one of the highest reasons our patients have to come in for veterinary examinations. Dogs will eat when they are hungry. Survival is a very strong instinct. Dogs learn quickly how to train us. Waiting or turning up their nose at their food is often the stimulus for us to add some meat or something inappropriate to “try and get the dog to eat.”
- The love language for dogs is food.
No, food is the love language of humans. Your pet will love you just as much for getting a baby carrot as it will for ham induced pancreatitis. The dog treat industry is a multi-million dollar venture designed to get into your pocket book. The majority of the dog treats are problem creators, not teeth cleaning, nutritional supplement, or health advantage products. Don’t be an emotional buyer. Love your dog by doing the right things to promote consistent health.
- “Natural” foods are superior.
After the melamine/china incidents where many dogs died of renal failure, a host of new “natural” diets hit the market. Some of these diets have been troublesome and are likely associated with GI and urinary problems that require veterinary attention and additional spending. Home cooked diets, in our experience, often do not have the proper nutrient balance to promote optimum health. Once again, consult your professional veterinary team to make wise food choices for your pet.
- Exercise is the key to weight loss.
NOT. Calorie intake is the key to weight loss. Picture this: A dog comes in to get a checkup and it is 20% above its recommended weight. The veterinarian makes a weight loss recommendation and the owner says, “But we walk around the block 3-4 times per week”. Being that it takes about 20 miles to burn off a pound, and walks at 10 below zero in December are probably not going well, remember ITS ALL ABOUT THE CALORIES.
Snacks contribute greatly to additional calorie load per day. Remember the caloric requirement for your pet is proportionally much less. For example, for a 20 pound dog eating just one hot dog is the equivalent of you eating three entire hamburgers!
National overweight figures are a high as 60% in our pets. Obesity does shorten a pet’s life and predisposes them to many problems. Circulatory, locomotion, skin, reproductive, and cancer diseases are 40-74% higher in overweight dogs.
Estrogen has been shown to suppress appetite. Consequently when our pets are spayed they will be more apt to over eat. This is all the more reason to premeasure and time the feedings of all pets.
Feeding your pet can be simple and effective if you follow recommended principles. Your veterinary team should address nutrition with the same enthusiasm as they would any other preventative measure. Feed your pet properly, they really are what they eat.
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