Pros Of Feeding Wet Food To Dogs
There are several reasons why wet food is a good choice for many dogs.
First, wet food is typically much more appetizing than kibble to most dogs. It more closely resembles the fresh meat that dogs crave. Wet food is especially good for picky eaters as an alternative or addition to dry food.
Secondly, wet food may be healthier than dry food for the following reasons:
- Wet food tends to be lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and fat than dry food. High carbohydrate intake may contribute to obesity in dogs, so some wet food can prevent weight gain and even promote weight loss.
- Wet food has high water content and can help dogs maintain hydration. This is good for dogs that don’t drink much water, especially during periods of hot weather.
- Wet food is typically less processed than kibble, which means protein and nutrients are more bioavailable. Kibble goes through a great deal of processing to form it into small crunchy bites.
- In general, wet food has fewer preservatives than most kibble because it is sealed in small containers. Kibble usually contains many preservatives to keep it fresh in the bag.
Not all wet food varieties are the same be sure to check nutrition information and ingredients on the packaging when shopping for dog food. Ask your veterinarian for input about different diets. Read online reviews to see what other pet owners are saying about different foods.
Should I Feed My Dog Wet Or Dry Food
Should I feed my dog wet or dry food is a common question that customers often ask us. But there is no one right answer because both wet and dry dog food have their own unique qualities that are beneficial to dogs. A dry dog food does help remove plaque and tartar from a dogs teeth. It is also less expensive than canned food. Canned dog food however, contains less fillers and preservatives than dry dog foods.
Most canned dog foods also contain a higher grade of nutrients and are higher in protein than dry food. Wet foods taste great to dogs, which means they will eat every speck of food you put in their feeding dish.
The main benefit to feeding your dog a dry food diet is that it is beneficial for its dental health. Eating dry food kibble helps strengthen a dogs jaw muscles in addition to removing some, but not all, of the plaque and tartar from a pets teeth. Wet food does not provide the abrasive action that helps clean the teeth.
But what if you have a new puppy? Should you be feeding it wet food or dry food? One of the most important responsibilities of raising a puppy is to provide the best quality dog food that will supply all the nutrients needed for the puppys growth and maintenance. Growing puppies need more protein than adult dogs to support their growing muscles and organs.
So, were back to the question, Which is better, dry dog food or canned?
They Are What They Eat
Good health and longevity begin with good nutrition. The educated dog owner strives to feed the best and most beneficial food that their budget allows. Even the choice of canned food versus dry is a big one, thanks to a wide variety of formulations, price points and health claims with strong proponents on either side. As always, your veterinarian should be the last word on your dogs nutritional needs.
But for how canned and dry foods compare, heres the scoop:
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Lets Start With The Wet Food Amount Basics
Every dog food brand is going to have a recommended serving size based on a dogs weight, so make sure you know how much your pooch weighs. Some brands recommend one three ounce can of their food per 3 to 3.5 pounds of body weight.
Remember: the recommended serving size on your dog food can is for total daily consumption, so youll need to split it into smaller sizes for meals or your dog is getting way more food than it needs. She or he might be happy about all the food, but you wont be once the weight piles.
Most adult dogs should eat two to three meals a day, and puppies often need to be fed more frequently.
Most of the recommended serving sizes you find on the can are not going to be what you end up feeding your dog, because every dog is so unique. If your dog starts to gain or lose weight based on the recommended serving size, change the amounts accordingly.
Why Canned Dog Foodcan Be Better Than Kibble
In many ways, canned dog food can be superior to kibble. They typically contain more meat protein than their dry counterparts.
And theyre made with fewer carbohydrates, too.1
Plus, due to their air-tight packaging, canned dog foods contain no synthetic preservatives. So, fats and oils sealed inside cans dont easily become rancid.
And no artificial flavorings and colorings.
With cans, meat ingredients are closer to their natural state. So, canned products are more palatable and more appetizing.
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Prevention Of Not Eating Dry Food
Tongue cancer probably can not be prevented. However, most other causes of your dog& rsquo s avoidance of dry food can be prevented. To avoid dehydration becoming an issue, make sure that clean water is available to your dog at all times. Keep any toxins and breakable items that your dog might chew away from him to avoid nausea, tooth root abscess, and other kinds of oral injuries. To avoid the infectious diseases that may cause nausea, be very careful in allowing your dog to socialize with other dogs, and keep his vaccinations current.
How Is Dry Dog Food Processed
Dry food contains very similar ingredients, but instead of adding gravy and canning the product, the meat mixture is pulverized in order to create a consistent dough that can be cooked.
Once cooked, the dough is extruded through specifically shaped holes to form kibble. The kibble undergoes a drying process, and then is sprayed with fats, oils, vitamins, and minerals and packaged before the fats and oils can spoil.
Some dry dog food diets also add live probiotics to aid in digestive and immune health.
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How Is Wet Dog Food Processed
Wet food starts with grinding the protein sources, or meat ingredients. Then a gravy that contains vitamins, minerals, and grains is added. Once those are mixed, the food is cooked and sterilized to produce the canned product.
As a result, wet food has a much higher moisture content than dry food. You can see the percentage of maximum moisture on the label, under the Guaranteed Analysis section. A dry food might have around 10% moisture while a wet food might have something like 78% moisture .
It Is More Palatable To Your Pup
Most wet dog food is free from synthetic preservatives and contains more real ingredients. This combined with real chunks of meat and veggies makes wet food more palatable to your pup. Remember that dogs have a much more intense sense of smell than we do. This means that the wet food might also smell better to you pup than a dish of dry kibbles.
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Contains More Protein Than Most Dry Kibble
Wet foods are generally speaking formulated with more protein and less carbohydrate content. They usually come packed with more meat than their dry counterparts. That said, all food is not created equally so it is still critically important to read the ingredient labels carefully before choosing a wet food.
What Else Do I Need To Consider When Determining How Much Wet Food My Dog Needs
The larger the dog, the more food they will need to eat each day. Some dog breeds also may require more food than others due to faster metabolism or energy level. Wet food is often more expensive than dry food, so cost may be a barrier to feeding exclusively wet food if you have a larger dog.
Younger dogs need more food than seniors. As dogs age, their metabolism slows down. You may want to re-evaluate your dogs caloric needs as they get older.
If your pup is not at its ideal weight youll want to work with your vet on a diet plan specific to your pup. If your dog needs to gain weight, you will want to work with your vet to help them pack on the pounds the right way. If your pup needs to lose a few pounds, your vet can help with a diet and exercise plan to get your pup back on the right track. You may also want to talk to your vet about your pup’s dietary needs in different seasons. Your pup may need some extra calories in the winter to help them stay warm and keep up their energy.
If your dog runs, hikes or competes in sporting events like agility, flyball, or dock diving they may need more calories, especially when theyre competing. Talk to your vet or a knowledgable nutritionist to make sure your dog is in optimal shape to compete and win.
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Is Canned Food Bad For Your Pet’s Teeth
Some studies have shown that dry kibble, particularly dental varieties with added calcium carbonate, can reduce surface plaque on dog teeth. However, while dry dog food may be slightly better for your pet’s teeth than wet food, no food alone provides enough benefit to adequately prevent plaque build-up, bad breath, or dog dental diseases, such as periodontal disease.
Converting From Caloriesto Serving Size
Once youve entered your dogs ideal weight and activity level, youll know the number of calories per day.
However, to convert calories into something you can use, youll need to enter the number of calories in your dogs food.
The number of calories in a given amount of dog food is known as its metabolizable energy . Its usually reported somewhere on a dog food package like this
- Calories per cup
- Calories per kilogram
By the way, the calculator assumes youre feeding your dog just once a day.
If you prefer to feed your dog twice a day, be sure to divide your result in half so that both meals add up to the full daily calories suggested.
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Guide To Mixing Wet And Dry Dog Food
Mixing wet and dry dog food is another option that may provide the best of both worlds. However, it is very important to ensure you are still providing the proper daily feeding amount to prevent overfeeding.
The best way to do this is to have your local vet calculate your furry friends daily calorie requirements for maintenance. Then you can calculate how much dry and wet food your dog should have each day to reach that number of caloriesand dont forget to factor in any calories from treats.
More Meat Protein Than Dry Food
Canned diets in general contain more meat than kibble diets, which is why they are typically more expensive. This is great news for dogs, who require few if any, grain-sourced carbohydrates.
However, dog food labels on dry foods are deceiving. They may make you assume that your food has more protein in it than it actually does.
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Always Check The Ingredient List
However, it’s always important to check your dog food ingredient list rather than rely on a general assumption about food types. There can be a huge difference in quality between dog food brands and formulas within the dry food or canned food categories alone.
The best way to judge a food’s quality is to check the ingredient list. Meat should always be the first ingredient.
Also, check your dog food label to see how much meat the food actually contains .
Wet Versus Dry Pet Food: Is One Better For Your Pet
This article was first published in The Skeptical Inquirer
From improving their joints to making fur shine, dog and cat food companies load their products up with bold claims and flashy buzzwords. Even if youve managed to avoid the often-pseudoscientific trends such as raw diets, organic pet food, or vegan kibble, you may still have some questions about the best practices for feeding your feline and canine friends. One of the most fundamental is: Whats better, wet or dry food?
The good news is that either type of pet food can provide your animal with the complete nutrition they need to grow, run, play, and be merry. You can be sure of this by checking the statement of nutritional adequacy that will be found on any pet food. In North America, these statements are regulated by the Association of American Feed Control Officials , and there are equivalent authorities in Europe and elsewhere. The statement of nutritional adequacy will read something along the lines of: for all _____ where the blank is filled in with the type of pet this food is for , and the bracketed part may be omitted.
If your pets food bears this sentence, then you can be sure that if you follow the feeding guidelines on the package , your pet is receiving all of the calories, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and protein they need. Many companies will also provide instructions for if you want to feed your pet both wet and dry food.
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Whats Good About Dry Food
Dry dog food is generally what most owners favor as it is usually more convenient, but there are also many health benefits to dry food that do wonders for your dog. A big plus to feeding your dog a dry diet is that it can support their dental health. The texture of dry kibble encourages your dog to chew before they swallow, which improves their digestion and also helps to clean their teeth. All Eukanuba adult and senior diets use an S-shaped kibble that can help provide a brushing effect. Our adult and senior dry diets are also coated in sodium hexametaphosphate, which helps bind calcium in your dog’s saliva to help slow the formation of tartar between meals.
Is Wet Or Dry Food Better For Dogs
When trying to decide what to choose for your dog, you should first find a pet food that gives them excellent nutrition to fulfill their health needs. Their food should also be something they find appetizing. Wet food is a great way to give your dog a hydration boost, while dry food can support dental health. As wet and dry dog foods have many differing benefits, another option to consider is to feed a mixture of both to give your dog a well-rounded diet that targets all kinds of needs.
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What About Raw Meat
Supplementing raw meat into your dog’s diet is fine, but only if it is very fresh. The reasoning behind feeding raw meat is usually to mirror your dog’s natural diet, but remember that meat from the shops is not the same as freshly hunted meat. Meat from the butcher has been processed in an abbatoir, and often transported for days before being sold.
If you really want to feed raw meat, best to go for a freeze-dried option, such as K9 Natural or Ziwi.
Fruits That Are Safe For Dogs:
A dogs digestive system is completely different from ours, and he or she demands a special diet to keep healthy and fit. And as dog owners, we want to keep our pets safe at all times. Thats why knowing what you can and cant discuss with your dog is crucial. Grapes , avocados, cherries, and grapefruit are all considered toxic to dogs.
The good news is that there are a variety of fruits that are both safe for dogs to consume and offer significant health advantages.
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How Many Black Olives Can A Dog Eat
A veterinarian is in the best position to fill you in on whats considered appropriate for a dog concerning black olives and other fruits.
Thus, you should visit your vet before including black olives in a dogs feeding plan.
As a general guideline, you can feed your dog some olives once in two weeks. Watch out for any signs of allergies or disinterest. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, go slower.
If you notice any unusual signs, perhaps another fruit will be better for your furry paddy.
What’s Wrong With Preservatives In Dog Food
But what’s the problem with preservatives? For one thing, many preservatives in cheaper pet foods are not naturally derived.
They’re non-foods that would never naturally occur in your pet’s diet. Most provide no other nutritional benefit to your pet’s food other than making it last a long time on the shelf.
Most of the time, a long shelf-life isn’t even a real convenience for you. Generally, you probably buy dog food and use it up within, at most, a few months. This benefit is for the pet food manufacturer and the pet store, instead.
They can have the same food stored in their warehouses, back rooms, and shelves for sometimes years before having to check for expiration dates and refresh their stock. Business-wise, the longer the shelf-life, the less money is lost through expired products that cannot be sold.
Other than providing no real benefit to you or your dog, preservatives may actually harm your pet. Some common preservatives, such as nitrates or nitrites, are known carcinogens.
There are other options out there. Choose foods with natural preservatives whenever possible, or go the no-preservative route with canned foods.
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