Side Effects Of Switching Dog Food
If you didnt take the time to follow a diet transition schedule, or if you otherwise tried to switch too quickly, you might get to see what intestinal upset looks like.;
Consider a time when you have eaten a brand new cuisine or a food you were otherwise not used to eating. The stomach pain and/or bathroom consequences you experienced are similar to what a dog goes through after eating something their body is not used to. Intestinal upset can manifest as throwing up, little or no appetite, or diarrhea.;
Do You Need To Transition When Using Meal Mixers
When fed as a topper, we do still recommend introducing the meal mixers to your dogs diet slowly, working your way up to the feeding guidelines/full serving thats shared on the back of the packaging. Whenever adding a topper, its also important to decrease whatever you are currently feeding in order to not overfeed your dog when adding meal mixers in with the meal. If you need further help with calculating how much you should be reducing, please reach out to us at;. If you will be feeding the meal mixer as a complete and balanced meal , it will be necessary to transition slowly using the timeline shared above.
Symptoms Of Dry Skin In Dogs
Youll be able to notice dry skin visibly when you look at it. However, if your dog has a thick coat, its easy to miss unless you check your dog regularly.
The first sign that your dog has dry skin is when they keep biting and scratching, which can be caused by irritation.
Itchy skin can lead to excessive scratching, which can cause secondary infections that might be more serious than dry skin.;
You also need to note that not all dogs would have the same symptoms. Some dogs would have flaking, dandruff, scabs, or experience hair loss.
Other dogs experience only one or two of these symptoms, while others will suffer from several.;
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Tips & Methods For Switching Dog Foods
It is important that your dog switch dog food gradually from his current dog food to avoid digestive upset or tummy trouble.
To transition, mix your dogs current food with his new food. Over 7 days, gradually decrease the amount of the current dog food while increasing the amount of new dog food.
To help you with the switch and dog food transition, refer to the 7-Day Transition Schedule below or view this video.
Remember these tips when switching your dogs food:
Catering To Your Dogs Preferences
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Food Transitioning Over 7 Days:
Once youve selected your dogs new diet, we recommend a transition period, changing their old food to their new food over a 7-day period. This process involves mixing the two foods together until your dog is solely on the new diet.
For the first two days of the transition period, feed 75% old diet and 25% new diet. If your dog is fed multiple times a day, ensure this split occurs at each meal. For days three to four, split the diets 50:50 50% old food and 50% new food.
If at any time during the transition your dog begins to have a loose bowel movement, stop the transition and take a step back. This process doesnt need to be finished within seven days if your pets stomach gets upset, so take your time and work to what your pet can handle.
If after day four your pet is looking good, eating the food willingly and has normal stools, then for days five and six feed 25% old food and 75% new food. Then finally, on day seven, feed 100% new food. Your dog is now fully transitioned onto their new diet.
Monitor Your Dog’s Stool
Four years later and I’m still monitoring my dogs’ poop because it tells me how my dogs are doing and what I need to change about their diet. ;Monitoring your dog’s stool during the transition to raw feeding will do the same. ;I love the idea of feeding my dogs a balanced raw diet, and I work hard to attain some balance. ;I follow the 80/10/5/5 while keeping in mind that my dogs have individual needs and what’s balanced for one dog may not be for another. ;So I don’t tear my hair out trying to make their diet perfect. Instead, I treat the 80/10/5/5 as a starting point.
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When To Switch To Senior Dog Food
A dog is more or less considered a senior at around 7-8 years of age.; A senior dog food provides fewer calories to your dog during a given meal. The assumption behind the design of a senior diet is that, as dogs age, they are not as active as they once were; and do not need the same number of calories as an active adult dog.;
The problem with that assumption is that each dog is an individual whose energy, appetite, and metabolism are unique to that individual.;
Here are a few guidelines to help you decide whether and when to switch your dog to a senior diet:;
- If your senior dog is healthy, maintaining a healthy body weight: It is generally recommended to continue feeding your dog the adult food they know and love.;
- If your senior dog is healthy but is gaining weight or overweight: A senior diet might be a good idea so you can meet your dogs calorie needs without the extra weight and stress on their body.
- If your senior dog is seemingly healthy but unintentionally losing weight: Consider an exam with your veterinarian to figure out the cause of weight loss before making a decision about your dogs diet.;
- If your senior dog has a disease condition , there are many commercial and prescription diets you can feed to help manage those conditions.;
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.
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Transitioning To A New Food Without Illness
Which Is The Best Pet Food For My Pet
There is a bewildering number of pet foods available on the market today, and it can be hard to find the right one for your pet. Overall, the best dog or cat food is determined by the health and nutritional needs for your specific pet, which is why your vet is best resource when it comes to your fur kids diet.
But there is a difference between premium pet food and grocery store brandsand it has to do with more than just price. In general, premium pet food brands, such as Orijen and Acana, contain no fillers, synthetic colors, preservatives, artificial flavors, growth hormones or antibiotics.
Pets are similar to us in that they are what they eat. Feeding a premium pet food that meets guidelines for a complete and balanced diet as set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials a voluntary membership association of local, state and federal agencies to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds and animal drug remediesand that contains nutrients sourced from minimally and carefully processed high-quality ingredients positively impacts the health of your pet the same way eating whole, fresh foods instead of McDonalds french fries impacts your body. For instance, Orijen Original Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is made with 85% quality animal ingredients including fresh chicken and turkey and cage-free eggs, while Acana Free-Run Poultry Recipe + Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food features free-run poultry and wholesome, high-in-fiber grains.
$25.99
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Additional Support May Be Necessary
Food should be thoroughly ground Bones and bone meal should be excluded;at first Food should be gently cooked for many months in the initial transition phase Begin with only two ingredients in a homemade diet. Slowly add nutrients one at a time as you dogs health improves Provide probiotics and digestive enzymes to aid in the transition
Dogs with inflammatory bowel disease or an overactive immune system may need both a detoxification and leaky gut protocol to transition.Consider these tips from Dr. Karen Becker for transitioning dogs with GI disease:
Along with a slow change in diet, an additional medical protocol to treat dysbiosis and an inflamed GI tract is recommended. Thomas Sandberg echoes the concern:
Remember, dogs that eat kibble and dogs that eat raw have different gut microbe populations. When youre first transitioning, its likely your kibble-fed dog may not have the gut microbes and healthy bacteria to get the most out of raw food.This is why supplementing with probiotics is a good idea.Gut microbe transitions will also take time. It takes about a week to decrease the microbe population we dont want and increase the ones that we do want.;According to dog food formulator, researcher, and author Steve Brown:
Switching Dog Food Due To Pet Food Recall Etc
Changes to your dogs diet should be made gradually. In fact, taking five to seven days to mix increasing amounts of the new brand of dog food in with decreasing amounts of the old brand reduces the chances that your dog will develop an upset stomach or refuse to eat. But what do you do when you have to switch your dog’s food quickly due to a food recall or other circumstances, like a diet-related illness?
To minimize the risk that your dog will have a bad reaction to the rapid diet change, there are some important steps you must take.
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What Are The Different Types Of Terrier Mixes
1. Chihuahua x Jack Russell Terrier Mix 2. French Bulldog x Boston Terrier Mix 3. Shih Tzu x Yorkshire Terrier Mix 4. Poodle x Yorkshire Terrier Mix 5. Chihuahua x Yorkshire Terrier Mix 6. Beagle x Jack Russell Terrier Mix 7. Poodle x Wheaton Terrier Mix 8. Pug x Boston Terrier Mix 9. Maltese x Yorkshire Terrier Mix 10.
Dog Food Transition Schedule
- happens over a 7-10 day period or longer.;
- A typical dog food transition:;
- Day 1/2 Mix 20% of the new food with 80% of the old.
- Day 3/4 Mix 40% of the new food with 60% of the old.
- Day 4/5 Mix 60% of the new food with 40% of the old.
- Day 5/6/7 Mix 80% of the new food with 20% of the old.
- Day 8/9/10 Feed 90-100% of the new food.
These tips to switch dog food safely will help your dogs tummy as the transition proceeds.
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The Treat First Switch
Day 1: Use the new raw food as a treat. Keep an eye on the condition of your dogs stool. Day 2 4: Increase the number of raw food treats over the next several days. Continue to monitor stools. Day 5: If the stool is normal, replace one whole meal of old food with the new food. Day 5 7: Do this for several more days. If the stools remain normal, stop the old food and feed the new food permanently.
Instructions:
Young dogs
Healthy Dogs
The treat first switch is another simple approach. But be aware the potential for stomach-upset stills exists. Thats because youll be transitioning from treats to a full meal in one swoop.
Pros & Cons
Best suited for:
Dogs with sensitive digestive systems
Some dog owners choose to start at 1/4 to simplify things but if your dog is hypersensitive, start at 1/8th .;Feel free to extend the transition time to two weeks or longer if you feel it will make it easier on your dog and your household.
Each day, youll offer less kibble and more raw foods.The ratios are adjustable for your dog. Consider the following as a starting point:
With this approach, we offer both types of food at the same time.;
Day 1: feed 1/8th;of the new food, 7/8th;of the old food Day 2: feed 1/4th;of the new food, 3/4th;of the old food Day 3: feed 1/2 of the new food, 1/2 of the old food Day 4: feed 3/4th;of the new food, 1/4th;of the old food Day 5: feed 7/8th;of the new food, 1/8th;of the old food Day 6: feed 100% of the new food
Pros & Cons
To Grain Or Not To Grain: Do Dogs Need Grain
No dog needs grain-free food unless they have a particular sensitivity to gluten. In this case, the gluten could potentially upset your canines stomach and cause skin allergies, which we are trying to avoid.;
Most dogs are NOT allergic to gluten. Allergies like chicken and beef are equally as likely. If your dog is allergic to grain, go for grain-free dog food. Otherwise, its better to go with grain-inclusive food when possible.
Grain-free food often doesnt include more protein or meat, as most people think it does. Instead, the companies usually use inexpensive veggies in place of the grains they would normally add.
These vegetables include things like peas, potatoes, and lentils.
The FDA is currently investigating these veggies for a connection to certain heart problems in dogs.;
Peas, in particular, are troublesome, likely because they contain a large amount of protein. Some companies specifically use pea protein in their dog food.
When peas are used, it makes the dog food appear to contain more protein.
However, this protein is not complete and doesnt contain all the amino acids that whole meat does. This can lead to potential issues, which the FDA is currently investigating.;
For this reason, its usually best to choose a grain-inclusive food since these potentially troublesome veggies are not often used in these formulas.;
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