Is Canned Cat Food Bad For Dogs

Q: What’s The Basic Difference Between Dog Food And Cat Food

Dr. Leslie: Cats have higher needs for many essential nutrients, whereas dogs can adapt to life on very little. Cat food, as a result, tends to be higher in protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. Cat food is also smaller for their smaller mouths, and is higher in calories.

Many ingredients used in dog and cat foods are similar, if not the same it’s the amounts used to balance the food that vary. For example, cats are obligate carnivores and have a higher need for protein, essential amino acids, fatty acids and many vitamins. Their bodies can’t manufacture the essential nutrients at all or fast enough to meet their metabolic needs. So arguably, dogs could eat most cat foods, but cats should not eat dog foods. However, some cat food nutrients are dangerous to dogs too.

Can Dogs Eat Cat Food Can Cats Eat Dog Food

OK, so you might argue this issue is a no-brainer. But you’d be surprised to learn just how many of my cat owners feed their precious felines dog food .

Thats why its worth detailing the differences between the two perhaps so that youll not make the mistake of allowing your cat to eat dog food or feeding your dog cat food.

Feed Your Pet Foods Formulated For Their Species

Because of dogs’ and cats’ unique biology each species needs a different balance of nutrients. The best dog and cat food brands consider your pet’s biology before formulating the pet food. They will also take things such as lifestage, health conditions, certain pet food allergies, breed size , activity level, and a number of other factors into consideration before crafting a food that is right for a certain type of dog or cat.

This matters because all of those factors contribute to the overall health of your dog or cat. Think about it, you wouldn’t put the wrong type of gasoline into your car, would you? So, while you shouldn’t be too concerned if a kibble or two gets swiped, you should discourage them from sharing each other’s food when possible.

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When Cat Food Is Harmful For Dogs

For other dogs, consuming cat food, even as an occasional treat, could become problematic if there are underlying reasons for why excess protein or fat is not ideal.

Examples:

• A dog with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract may vomit or have diarrhea after eating cat food because the food is simply too rich.

• A dog with kidney or liver disease needs to consume moderate amounts of protein, not excess, to promote optimal functioning of those organs.

• An obese dog, or one with a predisposition for developing pancreatitis , must consume a lower-fat diet to promote weight loss or limit pancreatic inflammation.

For all of these dogs, feeding any amount of commercial cat food, whether its infrequent or on a long-term basis, could exacerbate health issues.

Canned Dog Food: What You Should Know

If you want convenience in dog food, you might wonder about feeding canned dog food.

Canned food could have some advantages over kibble. For one thing, you can store it a lot longer. But it is better or worse for your dog?

Well the quality of both kibble and canned dog foods varies enormously. So that question doesnt have a short answer. But Ill explain some of the main pros and cons of canned food.

First, a little history.

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When You Would Like To Find The Best Pet Food Then You Need To Make Certain That You Stick To The Rules For Purchasing The Pet

Including purchasing the food through your vet.By making use of a veterinarian, you will have the ability to read the nutritional information thats available on the tag of the food that you purchase. This way, you will be aware of what kind of diet your dog needs to be eating and youll be able to earn much better choices.

If youre confused about what sort of dog foods to buy, this article can aid you. There are many distinct forms of dry and wet dog food available, and they all have their pros and cons. The real differentiation, however, is primarily what they are against every other especially, which one is more healthful for your furry friend? The canned dog food is usually dry and the canned pet food that is commonly sold in pet stores is generally tender, too, but it is up to you what sort of food that youre going to feed your dog.

This depends on your dogs requirements. And, if youre feeding him homemade dry food, then you might want to consider going with canned dog food. In reality, you should consider producing your own pet food, so youre in a position to control the ingredients and the way that your dog gets fed.

So, which kind of dry versus wet dog food is healthier for the dog? Well, youll see a significant difference when you look at the supplements for the respective brands.

Although most dog foods arent as healthy as they are, most are much fitter than what you might think.

Bha Bht And Ethoxyquin

These chemical preservatives have been linked to organ disease, cancer, and skin problems. Its easy to avoid BHA and BHT by selecting foods preserved with mixed tocopherols .

Ethoxyquin is more stealthy while its often not added to pet food itself, it can sneak a ride in with fish meal.

Because of the risk of dangerous preservatives entering the food at various points on the supply chain, its important to choose a transparent, communicative company that closely monitors their suppliers.

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Dogs And Cats Have Different Nutritional Needs

Cats and dogs are both considered carnivores, but cats are defined as “obligate carnivores”. What this means is that they are true carnivores, and as such, cats survive better on eating a diet of mostly meat proteins, while dogs survive better by eating a balanced diets of meat proteins, grains and vegetables.

For this reason different standards have been provided for each group. According to AAFCO standards on dry foods, dogs require 18% protein for minimal maintenance. Cats on the other hand require a higher, 26% protein for minimal maintenance of good health.

That said, most manufactured dry cat foods actually contains 30% to 35% protein, which means that if your dog is frequently eating from the cat’s bowl instead of his own, he can potentially be consuming up to twice the amount of protein he needs. A high protein diet is not necessarily bad for your dog. Dogs can consume higher amounts of protein so long as they’re appropriate for them and of high quality. And what happens if your cat eats dog food? That’s not a good thing either.

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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Canned Dog Food

Canned dog food has some advantages as well:

• It has a very high water content which often means the dog can enjoy a larger portion per meal to provide the same number of energy calories as an equivalent portion of kibble.
• Some dogs prefer the palatability of canned food over kibble.
• When dogs have to spend time away from home, it may help them to eat more normally if they have a little encouragement from some delicious canned food along with their kibble.

Canned food is more expensive per energy calorie than kibble due to the high water content and the packaging. Another disadvantage to canned dog food is that for some dogs, canned food may contribute to periodontal disease.

Once the can is opened, it is best to transfer the remainder into a small food container for refrigeration. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian to determine the appropriate daily portion.

“Be sure to consult with your veterinarian to determine the appropriate daily portion.”

One option for feeding dogs is to use a combination of dry and canned food each day. Remember to stick to the total daily portion that has been calculated for your dog. The only way to prevent your dog from becoming overweight or obese is to measure each day’s intake carefully. Mealtime is bonding time, so meals should be fun for you and your dog!

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What Can Happen If Dogs Eat Cat Food

As we already mentioned, nothing will happen if your dog occasionally eats cat food. However, he may suffer from diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems if he has a sensitive stomach.

On the other hand, if you feed your dog cat food on a regular basis, he may eventually suffer from more serious health problems. For example, dogs that eat cat food regularly have a greater risk of obesity, as well as pancreatitis, a potentially life-threatening condition. Additionally, too much protein can be hard on the dog’s liver and kidneys.

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Keep your dog healthy and fit with this easy peasy homemade recipe its cheaper than store-bought and chockfull of fresh veggies!

I never thought I would be one of those dog owners who made homemade human food for their pups. Not in a million years.

But when Butters recently fell sick with an upset stomach, our vet advised us to feed him a bland diet chicken and rice without any kind of seasoning. So thats what we did we poached a chicken, shredded it in a food processor, and mixed in some white rice and fed him this bland diet for 3 days.

Thats when I started to do some research on homemade dog food, and I have been so amazed as to how many different kinds of vegetables dogs can have. And with the help of Balance IT, you can create so many different recipes for your pup!

Now the best part about making homemade dog food just like making anything at home is that you know exactly what is going into the dog bowl, and not any of that questionable gelatinous gunk from the canned food.

But its important to note that dogs have different nutrient requirements than humans for their proportional body size, such as:

Now this recipe here has a balance of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains, but the ratios can easily be adjusted to suit your pups breed and/or needs.

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How To Stop Your Dog Eating Cat Food

If you also have cats in the household, you may find it challenging to discourage your dog from continuing to eat cat food. This is particularly true as wet cat food is often left out for several hours at a time so that cats have the opportunity to come back to it when hungry.

If they currently eat in the same area of the home, it is advisable to make sure that this is no longer the case. If you are still concerned that your dog will seek out cat food, you can try feeding your cat on a higher surface that your dog is less likely to access or in a location which your cat can access but your dog cant.

What Happens If A Dog Eats Cat Food Especially On A Regular Basis

If it happens once or twice it’s nothing to worry about, but there are many reasons for making sure your dog sticks to dog food.

• Upset stomach. For starters, the protein-dense diet of cats can cause an upset stomach in dogs with sensitive tummies.
• Poor nutrition. Even if your dog’s digestion isn’t visibly affected, the long term ingestion of cat food creates problems because it’s not properly balanced for canines when it comes fiber and protein content and certain nutrients.
• Liver and kidney damage. Additionally, Dr. Crowell-Davis adds that the great amount of protein can be hard on the dog’s liver and kidneys.
• Obesity. Cat food will also affect a dog’s waistline. The cause for blame is the cat food’s heavy levels of fat. This may cause a cat-food-eating dog to become overweight. Note: Kitten food is even more harmful due to its higher levels of protein and fat.
• Pancreatitis. Overweight dogs are at risk of developing pancreatitis, explains Dr. Patty Khuly.

So in order to keep Rover safe and healthy, make sure that he is specifically fed a diet purposely tailored for his or her own species.

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Will Canned Cat Food Hurt My Dog

A little cat food now and then isnt great for your dog, but depending on the type of cat food, it shouldnt cause too much of a problem, either.

If your cat is on any sort of prescription canned food, such as brands that treat kidney disease or other health problems, take extra care not to let your dog have any of it.

This would be similar to letting one of your children take the prescription medicine of the other its not only unhealthy, but dangerous.

In most cases, dogs who eat a little bit of canned cat food can experience no symptoms at all, or may display symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, gas or vomiting.

Unless there are other health issues at play, its highly unlikely that a few bites of cat food will kill a dog.

If dogs are fed cat food consistently over time, even just a little bit every day, they are at risk of becoming obese or developing pancreatitis, which is potentially life-threatening.

One of the reasons why cat food isnt good for dogs is because canine and feline digestive systems are so different.

Cats are carnivores, and wet cat food is almost exclusively meat. Dogs, on the other hand, are omnivores, and need more than just meat to have a balanced and healthy diet.

In fact, even if you have two of the same type of pet, such as two dogs, they may have different nutritional needs.

If dogs eat cat food regularly, their bodies cant process the overload of protein. Besides obesity, this can lead to serious liver and kidney problems.

So Whats The Secret To Identifying Bad Cat Food

When choosing cat food, you should rely on a combination of reading labels and shopping by brand. Label literacy is fundamental. Learning to intelligently read labels puts you ahead of the vast majority of the cat food consumer population.

Once you know what youre looking for in a food, you can start to think about brand reputation. When you know that you can trust the company youre buying from, youll feel more comfortable feeding your cat food from that company.

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What Food Should Cats Eat

There are several different types of commercial cat food available for purchase, including dry, canned, and raw. These are markedly different in composition to dry, canned, or raw dog foods.

Many experts now recommend feeding some or all wet cat food to help maintain hydration, minimize carbohydrate intake, and promote a healthy urinary tract. Cats do not need carbohydrates to thrive and cat food is generally considerably lower in this macronutrient than dog food.

In fact, a high carbohydrate intake in cats is associated with diabetes and obesity. In addition, cats don’t tend to drink enough water to stay well-hydrated, This can lead to problems with the urinary tract and kidneys.

Despite the reported benefits of wet food, some cats prefer dry food and will not eat enough wet food to stay healthy. Some cats even become addicted to dry food and need to be gradually transitioned to wet food for health benefits. Your veterinarian can help you decide if your cat needs to begin eating wet food rather than dry kibble.

Raw food has become increasingly popular among many cat owners. Those who support raw food for cats claim that the diet mimics the way cats eat in the wild. Many cats enjoy raw food and can thrive on it. However, there are always safety risks when feeding raw meat. Many cats will be able to digest and tolerate food-borne pathogens in raw food, but cross-contamination can expose humans in the home to these dangerous pathogens.

Human Food Safety For Dogs

Almonds:No, dogs shouldnt eat almonds. Almonds may not necessarily be toxic to dogs like macadamia nuts are, but they can block the esophagus or even tear the windpipe if not chewed completely. Salted almonds are especially dangerous because they can increase water retention, which is potentially fatal to dogs prone to heart disease.

Bread: Yes, dogs can eat bread. Small amounts of plain bread wont hurt your dog, but it also wont provide any health benefits either. It has no nutritional value and can really pack on the carbohydrates and calories, just like in people. Homemade breads are a better option than store-bought, as bread from the grocery store typically contains unnecessary preservatives, but its best to avoid it altogether.

Cashews: Yes, dogs can eat cashews. Cashews are OK for dogs, but only a few at a time. Theyve got calcium, magnesium, antioxidants, and proteins, but while these nuts contain less fat than others, too many can lead to weight gain and other fat-related conditions. A few cashews make a nice treat, but only if theyre unsalted.

Cheese: Yes, dogs can eat cheese in small to moderate quantities. As long as your dog isnt lactose intolerant, which is rare, but still possible in canines, cheese can be a great treat. Many kinds of cheese can be high in fat, so go for lower-fat varieties like cottage cheese or mozzarella. Many dogs enjoy their very own dog-specific Himalayan dog chew made of dried cheese .

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