What Is The Most Vet Recommended Dog Food

Best Overall: Taste Of The Wild Dry Dog Food

Its hard to compare the nine different recipes that Taste of the Wild offers with their dry dog food including one recipe for puppies and one for small breeds. Each of the other seven recipes, however, is formulated specifically for the nutritional needs of adult dogs.

With Taste of the Wild dry dog food, the first ingredient is always real meat, no matter which recipe you choose. The Wetland Canine Recipe, for example, includes duck, duck meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, and peas as the first five ingredients.

And, if your dog is particular about their preferred flavor of kibble, you have multiple combinations to choose from . Youre bound to find something theyll love.

Can Dogs Eat Canned Pineapple

While a small amount of raw pineapple is a perfect snack for dogs, canned pineapple should be avoided. Why? Canned pineapple contains syrup that has too much sugar, which is a big no-no for dogs. Just give your dog a few chunks of raw pineapple, provided that you peel and slice them into bite-sized bits. Also, frozen pieces of fresh pineapple are tasty dog treats in the summer.

Are Vegetables Safe To Give My Dog

Vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, and asparagus can make great everyday treats. They are suitable either cooked or raw.

Should these snacks have been cooked in excessive oil, sauces, or dips, then its best to avoid feeding them to your puppy. Instead, opt for raw where possible however, boiled is an acceptable alternative.

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Key Features Of Healthy Dog Foods: Ingredients & Other Considerations

While each owner may have his or her own preferences when it comes to choosing a dog food, there are several important factors to take into consideration to ensure that your canine companion is getting the nutrients he needs.

When it comes to dog food, there are three absolute essentials you should always look for when making a choice:

1. The dog food is formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines for your dogs life stage. These guidelines are designed to ensure your furry friend gets the nutrition he needs.

2. Your dog food of choice addresses any of your dogs unique health conditions. Whether your dog has a specific food sensitivity or needs a weight loss food to shed a couple of pounds, your food of choice should address any of your dogs specific health ailments.

3. You select a dog food in collaboration with your veterinarian. No one understands the needs of your furry friend better than you and your veterinarian. Your veterinarian should approve of your choice and provide you with specific serving recommendations based on your dogs needs.

Once these criteria are met, you can look for other key indicators of healthy dog food, such as:

When Would My Dog Need A Prescription Diet

There are many times in a dog’s life that they may need a prescription diet. For instance, a diabetic dog might need a diet higher in protein and less in carbohydrates. Purina makes a product called EN. The EN is a diet specific for dogs that have gastrointestinal problems, vomiting, and diarrhea. It’s easy to digest. When they’re older and their kidneys are not working as well as they should, some dogs may need a special diet. So going to the veterinarian regularly and also using your instincts about any changes in your own animal’s behavior is crucial. And if nutrition is part of the answer, then that’s what you need to do: go on a prescription diet.

If you still have other questions and you’d like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at , you can email us, or you can reach out on Facebook. But please do reach out, and we’ll get back to you as fast as we can.

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Dog Food Brands Rated By Customers

As well as ratings for individual aspects, we’ve given each brand an overall customer score, based on customers’ overall satisfaction and likelihood of recommending it.

If you’d like to see how your dog food scored or interested in which brand does best, look through the table below.

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Best For Small Breeds: Nulo Freestyle Small Breed Dog Food

Nulos Freestyle Small Breed Dog Food is designed to meet the unique dietary needs of smaller dogs, accounting for their higher metabolism and increased energy levels. This food contains high quality protein from turkey, lamb, and salmon, as well as other ingredients such as red lentils, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, blueberries, tomatoes, carrots, and apples.

This Freestyle recipe is grain-free, with no white potatoes or tapioca, has no egg or chicken proteins, and is low in carbohydrates. Beyond its protein, fruits, and vegetables, this food supports the growth and activity level of small breed dogs with probiotics, amino acids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and vitamins C and E.

Nulo also formulates the Freestyle blend with a smaller kibble size to promote proper chewing in smaller dogs.

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Best Dog Food For Those With Joint Problems: Hills J/d Mobility

If your dog has joint problems, this food is one of the best dog food brands for them. With a Masters in animal science, focusing on animal nutrition, Andrea Antonelli has specific criteria when it comes to feeding her dogs. Some breeds are prone to joint problems, and the Hills J/D Mobility formula fits the bill for her three German Shepherds, Thor, Blitz, and Boris, along with her pitbull, Sylvia. I will only feed my dogs food from companies that will give me a fed and dry matter percentage, she says, meaning the moisture content and the amount of nutrients minus moisture . I want to know exactly what is going in my dogs mouth. We can all agree with the importance of that! Next, make sure you know these sneaky ways dog food labels lie to you.

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Dry Food

This formula has carefully raised farm chicken as the primary component. It is an excellent protein source that your canines love. Your pet will be cheerful when you fill their food bowl with NUTRO WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS Adult Dry Dog Food. With small crispy pallets, this delicious dry canine food contains fundamental cancer prevention agents. It has omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids. These components are necessary for beautiful skin fur and a soft glossy coat. This NUTRO formula is made with non-GMO ingredients* and has no corn, wheat, soy protein, fake flavors, hues, or additives. It is formulated in the USA with the best components from around the globe for your grown-up best friends. Give your canine NUTRO WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS plans for better health.

BEST DRY FOOD: It is dry food containing essential vitamins and minerals. It has high amounts of vitamin B12 which supports the joints and vitamin A that are essential for a shiny coat. It has a small amount of niacin and biotin that protects your pet from infections.

WHOLESOME INGREDIENTS: It contains farm-raised chicken meat, sweet potatoes, pea protein, rice bran, and brown rice. The main component is farm-raised chicken that helps the muscles to grow. It also adds to the taste of food. Other protein sources like beef, salmon, lamb meal, venison, etc. are also included. Sunflower oil provides unsaturated fatty acids.

PACKAGING AND QUALITY: It is available in 3lb, 5lb, and 15lb packages.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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Honorable Mentions: Taste Of The Wild High Prairie Grain

Source: taste of the wild

This is our pick for the most affordable, high-quality dog canned food. It is a great addition to your dogs well-rounded diet. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Canned Dog Food has a chunky texture and tasty gravy. Its rich in protein and provides your pup with a palatable diet that they wont be able to resist. While containing the highest quality meats, this formula also promotes healthy digestion with various minerals and potato starch.

Despite its affordable price, this recipe is jam-packed with excellent and nutritious ingredients.

It is made with real beef which is a high-quality protein source that supplies your dogs with the essential amino acids it needs. It also contains bison, roasted lamb, and ocean fish that add flavor to the overall diet. It supports lean nutrition and helps develop stronger muscles.

Since this is a natural recipe with real fruits and vegetables, it also gives your lovable pooch vital vitamins and powerful antioxidants that boost your dogs overall health. In addition, it also supplies omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that promote healthy skin and coat.

You are guaranteed a boosted well-being with this product since its ingredients are sourced from trusted and sustainable suppliers, with no grain, corn, wheat, filler, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives in sight. This is one of the best canned dog food for your sensitive pup.

Best For Puppies: Wellness Complete Health Puppy

The Complete Health Puppy dry food from Wellness offers a balance of nutrients to support your puppys growth and development during this crucial life stage. This food starts with deboned chicken as its first ingredient and follows with chicken meal, oatmeal, ground barley, and peas.

Wellnesss Complete Health Puppy food also includes salmon, salmon oil, and tomatoes. Salmon is a natural source of vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids salmon oil is a natural source of DHA, which supports brain and eye development and tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C.

In addition to these ingredients, this puppy food provides calcium and phosphorus for bone growth, vitamin A and calcium for healthy teeth and eyes, and other omega fatty acids for healthy skin and a clean coat.

Plus, if you want to keep your puppy eating the same dog food brand as they grow older, Wellness offers a variety of options for adult dogs, including grain-free options, large breed options, small breed options, and more.

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Best For Weight Loss: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Healthy Weight

For dogs that need a food designed for weight management, Blue Buffalo offers their healthy and holistic Life Protection formula. This recipe is formulated without extra calories from fat to help your dog maintain a healthy weight.

The Life Protection Formula for Healthy Weight starts with deboned chicken that supports muscle development and energy and follows with whole grains, fruits, and veggies. This recipe contains barley and brown rice for B-vitamins and minerals, as well as high-quality carbohydrates for energy and fiber. It also contains cranberries, blueberries, and carrots for vitamins and antioxidants.

In addition, Blue Buffalos Life Protection formula includesL-carnitine, an amino acid that helps support a healthy weight. This food has no chicken by-product meals, no artificial flavors or preservatives, and no corn, wheat, or soy. Plus, the kibble is specially formulated to retain the potency of its ingredients.

Veterinary Advice And Nutrition

The first person you might take this question to is your dogs veterinarian, and with good reason. Unlike laypeople, vets have dedicated many years of their life to becoming educated on the topic of pet health and wellness.

Dogs also have the privilege of being one of the most popular pets in the United States and perhaps the world, so there has been much research dedicated to them. We know a lot more about them compared to other species.

Most importantly, a vet can assist in choosing the best diet for your individual pet. However, in recent times, vets have come under scrutiny. While we easily trust them with most of our dogs medical conditions, including even surgical procedures, it has been said that vets know little about nutrition .

To make matters worse, it has also been claimed that the education vets do receive is presented by pet food companies, creating a conflict of interest. To those who are concerned about a vets apparent lack of nutritional knowledge, there is an easy solution. There are veterinarians who actually specialize in nutrition they are board-certified veterinary nutritionists. You are in luck if you can access a specialist like this in your area, but if not, their useful information can still be found online.

In most cases, general veterinarians will advocate for the same foods that these nutrition experts do.

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The Health Status And Medical History

As I mentioned in the introduction, certain dogs can have food allergies and/or stomach sensitivities. Some ingredients in dog food, such as corn or wheat, may trigger these problems. But there is good news as well: some brands prepare foods specifically designed for dogs with allergy or stomach sensitivity. However, you have to be careful while making a choice, because some dog food brands arent exactly truthful while selling their products.

What To Watch For When Feeding Homemade Dog Food

It’s important to monitor your dog closely when changing to homemade dog food. Stay in contact with your veterinarian regarding any changes you notice, whether good or bad. For best results, keep a record of your dog’s weight and body condition over time. Weigh your dog at least once per week and contact your vet if you notice unintended weight loss or gain. Watch for vomiting or diarrhea that may occur if your dog is sensitive to one or more ingredients. Note and report these or any other signs of illness to your veterinarian.

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Compare Dog Food Prices The Right Way

When comparing dog foods, make sure you compare price per ounce, not the price on the sticker. Some dog food bags are 30 pounds, some are 40 pounds, and some are 35 pounds. âBy comparing the price per ounce, it will give you an apples to apples comparison of the foods you are looking to purchase,â says Askeland.

Dry Dog Food Versus Wet Or Canned Dog Food

Freeman argued the amount of water in wet food might make it an unwise investment, and instead recommended you go with dry food. One benefit to dry food , she noted, is that the friction of chewing it can help keep your dogs teeth and gums healthy. Its also less messy. Morgan added that bags of dry food also tend to be more affordable compared to the other options.

However, Morgan noted that kibble typically includes less meat and often includes some sort of grain, legume, or potato. If you go with kibble, Morgan suggested topping the dry food with a bit of canned food, meat from home, or other toppers.

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Balanced Homemade Dog Food

Making a healthy homemade dog food-diet for your pet-friend can be tough, but its important. It isnt something you should take lightly. At all times you do not offer the pet the same food you use, because the meals you enjoy having might not be so healthy for your pet-companion. So, when preparing the meals for the furry friend never forget to include the following ingredients:

• High quality proteins such as beef, poultry and fish
• Fats use in small amounts
• Veggies and additions like iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and folic acid

Furthermore, when including these elements into the animal diet it is important to have in mind following aspects such as dogs age, breed, weight, and genetics. Additionally, puppies and adult dogs get various nutritional needs, so the balanced food should be formulated for their life stage. For example, milk is good for puppies up to 4 months of age, but it is not good for adult dogs as milk affects their digestive system. But, in any case the vets would always help to make the perfect and healthy diet for your dog.

Best Overall Dog Food

According to our experts, owners of large and giant-breed dogs should avoid foods that contain legumes as a protein source. Nicole Goudey-Rigger, the owner and CEO of doggy daycare service Pets a Go Go, told us she took her two purebred Akitas and two medium-size mixed breeds off their low-grain diet after the connection between DCM and grain-free food was raised. Instead, she now feeds her four big dogs Purina Pro Plan Salmon Sensitive Stomach, which contains brewers rice and barley . She and three other experts we spoke with like Purina Pro Plan foods because, as Gstrein points out, the recipes meet AAFCO standards and are formulated by a veterinary nutritionist. Goudey-Rigger adds that Purinas Purina Pro Plan line features a wide variety of proteins, including chicken, beef, salmon, duck, lamb, pork, and even quail. Looking for a variety of proteins in a brands line is important, she says, because not all proteins agree with all dogs. Ochoas dog also likes Purina Pro Plan and gets a small portion of its shredded chicken food as a complement to Hills Science Diet.

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Can Dogs Eat Canned Tuna

Without batting an eyelash, yes. Your dog can safely consume tuna, but make sure that your furry friend eats it in moderation. Dogs can handle cooked or raw tuna well. If you decide to give them raw tuna, dont forget to remove all the bones first. If you feed your pet canned tuna, go for the ones packed in water and not oil. Tuna has much higher mercury levels compared to other fish, so feed your dog a very minimal amount of tuna and only on rare occasions.

Buy Small Bags Of Dry Kibble

If you are feeding dry kibble, buy a bag of kibble you can use within three weeks. Kibble is sprayed with fats for nutrition and taste, but those fats will oxidize quickly and become rancid, which can cause pancreatitis and inflammation in your pet, Dr. Morgan cautions. When you open the bag and expose it to air and light, it further oxidizes and heat can also create oxidation. To store it properly, keep the food in the bag in a sealed container and roll it down tightly after each use. As with all food, you should also check the expiration date.

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