How To Supplement Dog Food To Help Digestion
Have you ever put pineapple juice or marinade on meat and noticed the bubbling? The principle behind marinating is that certain foods can digest other fresh foods. Those are digestive enzymes at work. The enzymes in fresh foods can ease the digestive process and help your dog absorb more nutrients.
Some kibble may have added enzymes. You can usually recognize an enzyme by words that end in ase on the ingredient panel. Lipase breaks down lipids or fats. Amylase breaks down starches. Protease breaks down proteins into smaller amino acids. These are only a few of many enzymes. But these enzymes may not survive high-heat processing. So its best to add enzymes in a different way.
Slows Down Dinner Time
Eating speed is a very influential factor in the health of your pet because if it is too fast, in consequence, your dog will develop several health issues, especially if it is a large breed like Dobermann or English Mastiff.
Evidence suggests that large breed dogs are more likely to develop a Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus if they ate fast, which is a life-threatening condition that progresses at a fast rate.
We are sure that now you understand the importance of slowing down dinnertime, in consequence, all you must do is to add water to dry dog food.
Adding Water To Dry Dog Food: One Thing You Need To Remember
Wet food cannot be left out all day. If you leave your dogs food out for the majority of the day while they pick on it, then this practice will require a bit of an adjustment. Moisture encourages bacteria development, so that bowl of food could spoil in a matter of hours, and youll have to toss it out.
Otherwise, you run the risk of exposing your dog to bacteria that can cause illness.
As a result, ensure sure any wet food you feed your pet is eaten within an hour or two. This not only protects the integrity and taste of the food which will make for a much better eating experience for your dog, but it also better protects them from suffering an illness resulting from spoiled food.
Remember, adding water to dry dog food is meant to improve their health, not put them at a greater risk of developing harmful health conditions.
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What Is Dry Dog Food
Dry dog food contains less than 11% water. The majority of dog food is dry and comes in bags that have a long shelf life. Dry kibble may contain pieces of dried meat, but they don’t have a high water content like canned or pouched food will have. If you walk down the aisle of a pet store, the bags of dog food stacked on the shelves contain dry dog food.
Why Kibble Isnt Ideal
This isnt to make you feel guilty but before closing, here are a few reasons kibble isnt the best choice for your dog.
- Kibble is very high in starch. Dogs dont need starch in their diet at all. Its just what holds the kibble nuggets together! And its cheaper for the manufacturers than meat or fresh produce.
- Kibble is dead food. Thats because its so highly processed and heated. Processing at high temperatures removes most of the nutrients from the food. So kibble manufacturers have to add synthetic vitamins and minerals to meet regulatory nutritional standards.
- Kibble contains synthetic vitamins and minerals arent well absorbed by the body. And they can even be harmful long term. So if you do feed kibble, its best to find one without synthetic nutrients.
- Kibble can contain many toxins. These may be carcinogens like heterocyclic amines and acrylamides caused by high heat and aflatoxin mold in grains or legumes. Or potentially carcinogenic herbicides like glyphosate. Studies show glyphosate in kibble is up to 130 times the levels in commercial raw food.
There are still thousands of pet owners who believe that kibble is a complete and balanced diet. But its missing critical nutrients. Thats why a fresh food diet is best. By following these 6 recommendations, you should notice a difference in your dogs health and energy levels.
And if you do feed kibble, whatever the reason now you know how some kibble boosters can help your dog!
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Get The Latest Recipes Right In Your Inbox:
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.
Research Raw Food Diets
A raw food diet tries to replicate food a dog would have eaten in the wild. It consists of some mixture of meat, bones, organ meat, raw eggs, some fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
Fans of raw diets believe its the healthiest option for their dogs and that it promotes shinier coats, cleaner teeth, more energy, and healthier skin. Naysayers point out the risks, which include exposure to harmful bacteria for both dogs and humans, an unbalanced diet, and the potential dangers of sharp pieces of bone injuring a dogs teeth and digestive tract.
In spite of its popularity, some research has come out against raw food diets. As early as 2012, the American Animal Hospital Association stated, Based on overwhelming scientific evidence, AAHA does not advocate or endorse feeding pets any raw or dehydrated non-sterilized foods, including treats that are of animal origin. The American Veterinary Medical Association discourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens, because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs, as well as humans.
Additionally, some frozen raw dog foods have been recalled due to the presence of pathogens like E. coli and salmonella. Owners feeding these diets should be careful to always stay aware of the most recent recall information for their brands.
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You Can Learn More About The Toppers Here
Need some other ways to boost protein? Considering adding an egg over your dogs kibble, and reducing their portion a bit to account for added calories. You can also serve up some shredded chicken or turkey breast. Just be sure to avoid deli-meats with too much added salt or processing.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional.
Adding Liquids To Make Dry Dog Food More Appealing
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Is Dry Or Wet Food Better For Puppies
Wet food is a great way to give your dog a hydration boost, while dry food is excellent for keeping their dental health in check. 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.
How Do I Get My Picky Dog To Eat Dry Food
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Do These Oils Have Any Negative Effects For Dogs
Too much of any oil can cause weight gain, says Dr. Scanlan. A large dose of oil all at once can cause pancreatis in a susceptible individualespecially if they are fat, she adds.
Too much oil can also lead to a vitamin E deficiency if you dont properly supplement with some additional vitamin E.
Fish oil can prolong the time it takes blood to clot, so if your pet is going to have surgery, its best to stop the oil for at least five days before and five days after the operation, Dr. Scanlan says.
Meal Topper Ideas For Your Dogs Kibble
After ruling out medical issues for picky eating, meal toppers are one easy way to make your dogs dry food appealing again.
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How To Shop For The Best Food For Dogs
One of the most important steps in figuring out the best dog food is through the ingredient list, said Freeman, noting the first three are the most critical. This will help you determine if the formula is vegetable-based with things like corn and rice or meat-based with chicken, fish, or lamb, said Freeman. While each dog is different, they generally do best on a protein-rich, meat-based diet, she added.
Next, analyze what type of meat is within. Look for brands that specifically name the type of meat, like beef, chicken, or lamb, said Morgan. She noted that meat, bone meal or meat byproducts could come from any animal. Similarly, poultry meal signals any bird, she said.
The ingredients will also highlight some of what you want to avoid. Freeman suggested avoiding dog food that includes: dyes , sugar and high salt , as well as other solvents and preservatives like propylene glycol, BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin.
Is Tuna Good For Dogs
Tuna is not toxic to dogs, and a tiny amount will not cause mercury poisoning. If you own both a dog and a cat, make sure your pup isnt eating the felines food, as wet cat food often contains tuna. Cats are also susceptible to mercury poisoning, so consider choosing a cat food made with other kinds of fish.
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What Else Can You Mix With Dry Dog Food
If you have no idea of what to mix with dry dog food, then here you have some excellent examples
In addition, avoid mixing dog food brands, because you can create deficiencies and excesses of certain nutrients and disrupt the mineral composition and balance of the food. Being that, stick to only one brand and one kind of dry food.
Add Freeze Dried Meat Toppers
For many pet owners, its not always possible to have fresh meat or freshly chopped fruits and veggies on hand every single night. For this reason, freeze dried toppers have exploded in popularity over the last few years. In fact, theyre one of the fastest growing products in pet stores today!
Freeze dried toppers offer substantial benefits over processed kibble because freeze-drying gently locks in nutrients. Its about as close to fresh as you can possibly get!
Plus, theres an added benefit of freeze dried topper: dogs go absolutely crazy at meal time! We like the Happy, Healthy brand of toppers because it includes chicken or beef, probiotics , blueberries, kale, and carrots for additional nutrition.
Unlike kibble, no heat is used with a freeze dried product, so the meat is as close to nature as possible. The addition of a small amount of fruits and vegetables helps increase your dogs intake of natural vitamins and valuable phytonutrients that are not found in dry dog food.
When we taste tested this topper in the iHeartDogs offices, 10 out of 10 dogs went CRAZY for it over their regular kibble. The topper coats your dogs existing kibble, boosting the flavor and the nutrition.
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Benefits Of Dry Dog Food
Dry dog food is more cost-effective, lasts longer once it is opened, and is easier to feed and store than wet food. Dry food can also help to keep a dog’s teeth clean by scraping off plaque as the food is chewed.
It is widely accessible, doesn’t need special storage once it is opened like canned food requires, and comes in a variety of dry kibble shapes, textures, flavors, and sizes.
What Can Be Mixed With Dry Dog Food
To improve the healthiness of your kibble diet, here are some steps we recommend. The digestive enzymes should be added. Consuming vegetables lightly steamed or raw is a good idea. Fresh, lightly cooked meat or eggs can be added. Enrich your skin with essential oils. By way of example, goats milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, or canned fish can be added. Fresh, meaty poultry should be fed.
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How Or When Did This Terrible Rumor Start
Well, if we go back in time, research shows that shortly after the invention of processed pet foods, manufacturers were having a hard time convincing pet parents to make the switch from foods in their refrigerators to their commercial pet foods.
So in 1964, the pet food industry, along with the PFI, joined together with a whole bunch of marketing dollars and launched one of the most influential campaigns the pet world had ever seen: the Ban All Table Scraps from your Pets Bowls campaign!
Through thousands of newspapers, magazines, and news stations, the public was warned about the dangers of table food scraps or human food and the importance of feeding processed commercial pet food. From there, the giant smear campaign took off!
Not only did this clever campaign work, but it was so impactful that now, 50 years later, folks are still in fear of offering anything that is not labeled pet food.
Feel like you need a Phd in science to understand the ingredients in your dogs commercial food? our free Pet Food Analyzer now and learn what those big, unpronounceable ingredients really are, just .
Video Answer: Healthy Foods To Feed Your Dog
For many dogs, dry kibble is their daily diet, so it’s important to choose the most digestible food to get the least waste.
A higher protein kibble also will help your dog produce less waste and make his stool more solid.
For those of you wondering does raw food make dogs more aggressive? Specifically, the protein levels. Rest assured this is a myth. Our natural canine behaviourist, Caroline Spencer and our vet expert friend Dr Brendan Clarke explain why this is simply not true. Proteins are the building blocks in our bodies. Natural, healthy and nutritious.
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