As nutritionists often say, you are what you eat. This, too, applies to your pets. Do you want your dog to stay healthy? Do you want to reduce the number of times you visit the veterinary doctor? Then what you feed your dog should be carefully considered.
Unlike cats, dogs are omnivores, just like humans. An adequate balance of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins in their meal keeps them in a good condition. This, in turn, ensures they stay healthy and alive longer.
You may choose to add more water depending on your cat’s preferences and whether you want to thin out the consistency of the meal. For more tips on enhancing your pet’s diet, visit https://www.undertheweatherpet.com/.
What Bad Foods Can Do to Your Pet
Some pet foods mainly contain fillers, preservatives and other chemicals that are not healthy for dogs. These chemicals produce toxins that put a toll on the pet’s liver and kidneys. The more the dog overworks these organs, the higher its chances of developing a health complication. Also, most fillers have no nutritional value. So, when consumed, they keep the pet full without adding any nutrients to its body. Over time, the dog will end up malnourished, develop a weak immune system, and become prone to illness. Malnourished pets are usually low on energy, with an overall uncheerful mood.
Bad foods can also inflict bowel disease on the dog, which can be uncomfortable.
In a 2018 assessment carried out by Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), they reported that an estimated 56% of dogs in the US are obese, mostly caused by the pets’ consumption of unhealthy foods.
How to Ensure That Your Pet Stays Healthy
Dogs share a similar digestive system with humans, and that’s why they can eat the things we eat without developing serious digestive problems. But because our bodies can digest the same foods doesn’t mean we should feed them with just about anything. You consider the things you eat not necessarily because you can’t digest them, but because you react badly to some food items – could be an allergy. That’s why you should also consider what you feed your dog. Dogs, too, can be allergic to some foods. Sometimes their skins itch badly if they eat something that doesn’t sit well with their body system.
Keep foods with high-fat content away from your pet. They usually trigger pancreatitis in dogs. Pancreatitis is a painful inflammation of the pancreas, which is painful and would keep the dog in discomfort until treatment is administered.
To ensure your dog stays healthy and out of harm’s way, find a pet nutrition expert to diagnose your dog and suggest the foods that would be best suited to the dog. There are services such as Tailored Pet Food that specialize in preparing and delivering pet foods tailored to a pet’s needs. So, finding what a nutrition expert prescribes shouldn’t be a challenge.
Investing in your dog’s health is not as expensive as many people think it is. Being deliberate with what you feed them will save you cost in the long run. For instance, a healthy dog doesn’t take you to the hospital often. And we all know how expensive hospital bills can be.