Smart Dog Food Switching
There are other reasons to change a dogs food every few months or so. Switching from one source of protein to another occasionally can help prevent the development of food allergies or intolerances. It can also help prevent a dog from developing a stubborn preference for just one kind of food, which can be highly inconvenient.
When switching foods, spend a few days replacing the old food with the new in gradually larger proportions. This gives the dogs digestive bacteria time to adjust to their new job, and should eliminate the gas or diarrhea that can sometimes accompany a sudden diet change.
Other than when you are switching from one food to another, its not a good idea to feed different foods at the same time. Your dog might enjoy a mix of half this and half that, but if he suddenly exhibits a digestive problem, it will be harder to track down the offending ingredients.
On a final note: Dont hesitate to discontinue feeding any food your dog has a bad reaction to. No matter how much you trust its manufacturer, any product can suffer a dangerous manufacturing defect that could put your dogs life at risk.
Why You Shouldn’t Seek A Sole Perfect Food For Your Dog
Without a doubt, the most common question I am asked is What kind of food should I feed my dog?
Unfortunately, the answer is not simple. I try to teach dog owners to recognize the hallmarks of good quality foods, buy a bunch of them to try, identify a few that really suit their dogs, and then to rotate between three or four of the best. I suggest that they give their dogs one food for 2-4 months, and then switch to another food, and then another. Ideally, the foods are made by a few different manufacturers, and contain completely different protein sources, too.
Should You Be Changing Your Pets Food Regularly
Once your pet becomes all grown up and it starts to enjoy the same kind of good quality food, theres nothing else that needs to be done, right? Depending on the weight and type of pet you have, you should consider altering your pets diet periodically.
For many owners, the bag for life method is the most common because its routine and we like to think that our pet can handle or eat anything. The point of this article is to learn to not be one of those owners. Your pet is like family, and family deserves better. Change your pets food regularly to maintain optimum health and nutrition for your animal.
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Switching Dog Food: Should You Do It
There are a few situations in a dogs life that may justify a food change.
These include:
- A transition from puppy food to dog food
- A transition from dog food to a senior dog food
- A transition from kibble to a canned version
- A transition to a veterinary-recommended prescription diet
Many pet owners will switch from a puppy-specific formula to an adult dog food formula as their puppies grow up. A food change may also be recommended when dogs enter the senior phase of their lives as nutrient and calorie needs change.
If your dog was born with a medical condition, or develops one during their life, a change in diet prescribed to address the condition may help your pet to feel better and even live longer. For instance, if your dog has digestive problems, your veterinarian may recommend switching to a dog food for sensitive stomachs.
Is It Ok To Play Switcheroo With Your Pet Foods
Originally published as a three-part series on Fully Vetted.
Do you switch your pets food around? Be honest. Assuming you feed commercial, do you succumb to whatever super-premium canned kitty food is on sale this week? Is it one month Halo, next month Canidae? If so you shouldnt feel so bad about it .
Yes, veterinarians can be kind of funny on this topic. Get us chatting on the subject of pet foods and youll find we tend towards the conservative. So, too, does it go on the subject of switching pet foods.
For example, when asked if the occasional food switcheroo might be OK, most vets will offer up their best frowny face and lace their next few sentences with ominous gastrointestinal details involving the words “bowels,” “gut,” and “microflora” none of which sound too promising with respect to your pets potential diet change.
So you know, we vets tend to cop this cautionary attitude for one understandable reason: The vast majority of our gastroenteritis cases revolve around pets whose diets were suddenly changed. Hence, our profound and persistent distrust of pet owners when it comes to messing with our patients diets. Because it sucks to have to hospitalize a patient for three days after her three-year-long love affair with lamb and rice ended in a venison and potato-ey pool of bloody diarrhea.
Heres how I see it:
There’s obviously much more to this food-switching issue than meets the eye.
Heres how I see it:
1. Variety .
3. Non-cutaneous food allergies .
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Can Changing A Dogs Food Make Them Sick
Yes, changing to a new dog food can cause an upset stomach if it is done too quickly. Sudden changes to your dogs food can cause changes to the dogs bacteria in their stomach, which can cause diarrhea or vomiting.
It is best to always change your dogs food gradually to avoid issues.
See our easy to follow chart below to help you change your dogs food correctly.
Things To Consider Before Switching To Adult Food
Maturity and adulthood can be difficult to predict. To be sure about your puppys age, you can talk to the shelter, breeder, or rescue groups where you adopted your dog as well as talking with a veterinarian to be certain of when to switch your puppy to dog food. The importance of switching lies with nutrition.
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I Love Veterinarys Top Tips To Get Your Picky Dog To Eat Again
We know that no one likes picky dogs, but that doesnt mean we shouldnt give them the care and love they deserve. The secret to getting a picky dog to eat again lies in engagement, stimulation, and fun. So lets look at a few tips from us:
- The first and foremost tip is to see a vet when your dog is not eating. No matter how picky a dog is, a healthy dog will never go a day without food.
- Try swapping your dogs food from one food flavor to a different one. Sometimes, a dog would refuse to eat their food because they dont like the taste, size, appearance, or smell.
Note that, when swapping your dogs food, do not swap from one food brand to another with the same flavor. Usually, this doesnt work.
After two to three attempts, your dog would know it will starve for a day if they dont eat something.
How To Transition Your Dog Or Cat To A New Food
Need to switch your pet’s dog food or cat food? There are several reasons why you may want to change to a new food brand or formula:
- You’re bringing a new pet home and want to put them on a different formula
- Your pet has a food allergy or sensitivity
- Your pet is entering a new life stage
- Your pet needs to gain or lose weight
- Your veterinarian has recommended a specific diet for your pet
- You want to change your pet to a functional or minimally processed diet
Whatever the reason is for change, you should always consult with a veterinarian before transitioning your pet to a new diet. Dogs and cats can experience an upset stomach if you don’t transition them to a new food gradually. Transitioning too quickly can lead to diarrhea, vomiting or even loss of appetite.
When transitioning to a new pet food, do so slowly over a period of about 710 days, mixing an increasing amount of new food with old food each day:
- Start with 75% old food mixed with 25% new food for approximately three days
- Then mix 50% old with 50% new for approximately three days
- Then 75% new, 25% old for approximately three days
- Then 100% new
While we mentioned a few reasons you may need to change your dog or cat’s food, with the risk of pet sensitivity to new food, why would you want to switch to a new food at all? Here is some additional informaiton to explain the likely scenarios, and what makes switching foods so important at these junctures:
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So Is It A Good Thing To Only Offer Your Pet Dried Kibble
Not according to ongoing research it isnt, especially with todays cancer rates being 1 in 2 dogs over 10 years old!
In a 2005 study conducted at Purdue University on Scottish Terriers, the results showed that adding fresh vegetables to dry commercial kibble actually prevented and/or slowed down the development of transitional cell carcinoma !
In the study, dogs ate a diet of dry commercial pet food, while some got an assortment of vegetables added to the mix at least 3 times per week.
When the study was concluded, according to the researchers, they werent really shocked by the results.
But What If There Are Negative Reactions
The most common problems associated with switching your pets food are gastrointestinal in nature. If at any time during the food transition your pet develops soft stool, vomits, or refuses to eat, go back one day in your transition schedule and try again. If the problems persist, go back to the old food for one week.
If your pet eats the old food for one week without any problems, you can begin transitioning to the new formula againbut go slower: Start with 1/8 cup of the new food, and 7/8 cup of the old food, and so on. It can be especially difficult to get cats to switch foods. They may only like dry or canned food .
If you continue to have problems switching your dog or cat to the new food, it could be that your pet is sensitive to something in the formula and you should give youre a vet a call to see how you should proceed.
Take care to ensure that your pet is eating throughout the transition. While you of course dont want to see your fur baby go hungry, cats especially can end up with liver damage if they go without eating for more than a couple days.
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A Guide To Changing Your Dogs Food: How To Transition To Wet Or Dry Foods
10/30/2020
When it comes to our pups, we want to make them happy just like they do for us, but sometimes health or other restrictions get in the way. When these situations occur, it usually means a change in food. No matter the reason for this change, here are a few ways to make the shift easier on you and dog.
Transitioning To A New Food Without Illness
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Identify When They’re Not Ready
Your dog may not seem to tolerate the new food, no matter how slowly you go, and that’s OK too. Slowly shift them back to the old food and start again with something else after giving his tummy a break. It could be that the new dog food contains ingredients to which your dog has an intolerance or allergy. If you continue to have trouble changing dog food, or if his stools contain blood or an unusual color, you should consult a veterinarian.
Transitioning From Wet To Dry Dog Food
- When shifting from wet to dry food, similar tips apply. Make it a slow transition by gradually mixing in the new food while removing the old to avoid any digestive upsets. However, the shift to dry food can be a bit tricky depending on your furry friends tastes. If your dog dislikes dry food, there are a few tricks of the trade to help get you both on the same page.
- Add some water to your dogs dry food bowl to help soften the kibble
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Transitioning Your Pets Food
Nutrition needs are highly individual and evolving. Many pet parents find that they need to make diet changes. Whether its a long-term switch to a new food, or rotating in different types of proteins or diets, making changes too quickly can cause digestive upset. Here are some steps for a successful transition.
Gradually Mix in New Food.
Unlike us, our pets often eat the same diet for months or years and are not used to sudden changes.
Switching foods abruptly can cause vomiting, diarrhea or excess gas. So its important to change diets gradually.
The Ratio Method.
Keep the ratio of old to new food the same for several days. If at any time during transition your pet experiences gastro-intestinal upset, increase transition time at the previous ratio to allow them time to adjust.
High-quality, high-meat content foods are nutrient dense and usually higher calorie-per-cup than cheap alternatives. Feeding the same amount of a nutrient dense food can cause diarrhea or weight gain from over-feeding. Use the guidelines on the packaging for feeding recommendations. But remember, its just a guideline. Your pet may need less to maintain their ideal body weight. So, its a good idea to cut down on the amount you feed when you switch to a better food.
Measure Appropriately.
The Cold Turkey Switch.
Fast Your Pet. Skip one meal so their stomach is empty of old food contents. Dont skip more than one meal though, especially with cats.
Use Digestive Aids.
Change Of Dog Food Flavour Not Brand Do I Need To Make Gradual Change
Change of dog food flavour not brand. Do I need to make gradual change? Having the dog as a pet in the family surely makes people have to pay attention to its health and welfare. We can make sure that they have to make sure that the dog can enjoy the right food properly. This can be the reason why they try to change the favor of the dog food. They just want to give the opportunity for the dog to taste different flavor of dog food. The dog might be excited with the new flavor but the owners must also consider about its digestive tract which can give different reaction.
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S To Successfully Switch Your Dogs Pet Food
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Whether your dog needs a therapeutic food or theyre just entering a new stage of life, there are several reasons you may need to transition them to a different pet food. When the time comes to make the switch, youll want to do it in a way that doesnt cause stomach upset. Here are three tips that can help.
What If My Dog Doesn’t Like The New Food
If you follow the 7-day transition process, its most likely that your pet will quickly adapt to their new diet. But if you notice your pet avoiding their food, it may be more to do with what they are eating outside of their bowl. If your pet is receiving too many treats, they may start to avoid their main meals. Its important that you avoid overfeeding them to ensure that they look forward to their daily meals to satisfy their hunger and keep them healthy.
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Extra Tips For Switching
I recommend you feed dry or canned food separately from dehydrated or raw meals because they digest at different rates. When transitioning, its ok to mix foods and incrementally increase the new food if needed. For long term use however, you should feed dry or canned at one meal and dehydrated or raw at the other meal.
To start, make his meal 75% old food and 25% new food.
Youll know its time to increase your dogs ratio of new food when he has solid stool.
Increase the new food by another 25% in a few days or when you see that your pet is tolerating the change in diet. Some pets may take three days to transition and some may take three weeks.
Observe your dogs reaction to the new food and increase according to what you think is best, based on his tolerance. Look for firm stools before you make any new changes. If he is really sensitive to the change, add only 10% new food. Adding probiotics to his food will also help the sensitive pet to transition more easily.