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Pet
owners often have many questions about what to feed pets, especially
regarding specialized
diets for obesity, kidney problems, heart problems, and other
special conditions. Should we feed dry versus canned? Commercial or
homemade? How bad are table scraps? Which is better, free-choice or
specific meals?
Diet is a controversial subject; there are as many opinions as there
are veterinarians, breeders, pet food producers, and animal owners
out there. The opinions range from commercial food only, no people
food to raw food only diets, and everything in between. There are
theories of certain vitamins, minerals, herbs and food products that
are supposed to prevent or cure a variety of health problems. How
does one figure this out?
The most
common current approach to feeding pets is to feed them commercial
pet food. Most commercial foods are balanced diets that meet the
needs of most animals. However, every animal is an individual.
Nutritional needs change over time. Puppies need a different mix
than adults, and large breed puppies have unique needs during their
growth phase.
How bad are table scraps? The problems are numerous. You could
unbalance your animal's diet.
Dry or
moist? Commercial dry food is recommended as most are well balanced
and may even be better for your pet's teeth. If you have an animal
that has had kidney, bladder problems or digestive/mouth problems,
it is important to consult your veterinarian about the proper diet
for your pet. This may include moist food because it has a very high
water content.
How do I
know if what I'm feeding is good for my pet? First of all, look at
your pet. Does he have clear shiny eyes with little or no discharge?
Is his coat glossy and free of dandruff? Is he at a good weight?
Does he have plenty of pep? If not, the diet he's on may not be
quite right for her.
First of
all, always consult your veterinarian if your pet shows any of the
above problems. Your vet can rule out any underlying problems (eye
infections, parasites, etc.) that could be contributing to dull dry
coat and excess eye discharge. If no problems are found, you might
try some different types of food.
When
buying pet food: Buy the best quality you can afford. Avoid
artificial colours, flavours and excess sugar or corn syrup in the
food. Buy the type of food for the stage of life that best fits your
pet. Get recommendations from your veterinarian. Ask people with
especially healthy looking animals what they feed their pets. Don't
be afraid to try different brands. Your pet is unique. What works
well for one animal may not suit another.
How often should I feed my pet?
In almost all cases, free-choice feeding is not ideal.
How bad
are table scraps? The problems are numerous. You could unbalance
your animal's diet. You might feed him too much and help make him
overweight (obesity is the number one health problem in domestic
pets). Also, your pet could get finicky and pick out only those
things he really likes, thereby unbalancing his own diet. It's too
easy to feed your pet junk food. If they aren't used to it, pets can
become quite sick from people food.
How
often should I feed my pet? In almost all cases, free-choice feeding
is not ideal. The vast majority of animals do much better with one
or two discreet meals a day. You know exactly how much your pet is
eating and can immediately tell if her appetite is off. Her
digestion is much better if she eats only when she's really hungry,
rather than if she picks all day. And free-feeding greatly
encourages obesity. You can convert to distinct meals by offering
your pet his food for about 5-10 minutes, and then put the bowl
away. Each meal, just put the bowl down for a short time, and remove
it at the end of that time. His appetite and eating patterns will
quickly change. And it's OK for a dog to miss a few meals (unless
he's prone to low blood sugar, but your vet will know that). Cats on
the other hand shouldn't go for more than two days without eating.
They can develop serious liver disease if they abruptly stop eating.
General good feeding guidelines:
1. Feed the best brand you can afford, available from grocery
stores, pet food stores, feed stores or veterinarians
2. Don't overfeed!! This is the biggest problem. Your animals need
far less food than you think, and usually need less than the package
recommends.
3. Don't free-feed! You'll have no idea how much they eat, and
they'll usually eat themselves into blimpdom. Measure how much
you're giving them and feed adults just one meal a day.
4. Feed dry food whenever possible. Dry food is much better for your
pet's teeth. Dental disease can lead to many problems with the teeth
and even other body systems. Moist food should usually only be given
if it is recommended by your veterinarian because of the special
needs of your pet.
There are many approaches to feeding your pets. There is no
one right method. Many experts prefer certain methods based on their
experiences, so try to talk with several who are trained in
nutrition to get the best information. Consult animal nutritionists
for special needs such as good geriatric care, pregnancy, obesity,
special needs of large breed puppies, and cancer diets.
Source: Dr. Laurie Green, Pet Care Information Centre
www.petcare.umn.edu |
