9/30/2014

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There are three major type of diets, dry, wet and semi-moist. As the names imply,

the major difference between these are their moisture content. Dry foods or kibble

have a low moisture content and wet or canned foods have a high moisture content.

Each type of food has benefits and drawbacks and its important for you as a pet

owner to consider these when choosing a diet. Dry food is relatively inexpensive

and can be stored easily without contamination or spoiling. Kibble also is beneficial

in reducing plaque buildup on your pet’s teeth. Wet food on the other hand will keep

for long periods of time until it is opened and will spoil quickly. Wet foods tend to be

more expensive than other foods but generally taste better. This is good if your pet

is a picky eater, is sick or is under-weight. Last are semi-wet foods with a medium

moisture content. These foods are very similar to wet food in their benefits and

drawbacks.

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Most commercially available diets are sold as dry, wet and semi-moist. Recently

companies have started producing raw diets – where the ingredients include un-

cooked meat and are sold frozen. Some owners choose to prepare meals for their

pets either raw or home cooked. When preparing food for your pet, you must make

sure the food is nutritionally balanced – doing so is no easy task. Raw foods both

commercially made and prepared by the owner are at a greater risk of food borne

diseases like salmonella and e-coli.

Treats and table scraps can be given to your pet, but this should be done sparingly.

Treats are essentially junk food for your pet and feeding them too many treats is

bad for their health. If you feed your pet table scraps, be sure that what you’re

feeding them isn’t toxic. For instance foods like chocolate, grapes and avocado can

be life threatening to your pet.

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So now that you’ve decided on what to feed your pet, how much do you feed?

There are three options to choose from and one might be better for your pet than

another. Free choice allows your pet to eat however much they choose whenever

they want. This method works best if your pet can auto-regulate, most pets cannot.

An alternative is controlled time feeding, where you provide unlimited amounts of

food but for a short window like 10 to 15 minutes. This method can result in pets

being overfed if they eat quickly or underfed if they are slow eaters. The third and

best option is controlled ration. This is where you feed a specific amount of food

each day. The food can be given in over multiple feedings such as breakfast or

dinner, or it can be made available all day. Whichever option you choose its

important that your pet eats the recommended amount and maintains a healthy

weight.

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Dogs and cats come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so how can you tell if your pet

is a healthy weight? To do so we use the Body Condition Score. The scale goes

from 1 (too thin) to 9 (too heavy). A score of 4 to 5 is ideal for dogs and a score of 5

is ideal for cats. At an ideal weight for both animals, they will be well-proportioned,

have an obvious waist, and you should be able to feel the ribs with minimal fat

covering. Obesity in our pets is a growing problem. Its important that we provide the

proper nutrition and exercise to keep our pets at a healthy weight so they live long

happy lives.

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Just like you and me, our pets like to eat in peace. When choosing a place to feed

your dog or cat, make sure to avoid loud noises like the dishwasher or dryer.

Choose someplace with low activity, perhaps a highly trafficked hallway or a child’s

room isn’t the best place. Most people don’t want to eat their meals in the bathroom,

your pets are no exception. Don’t put food and water bowls near places your pet

defecates, such as the litter box. Last, you should avoid other pets. Its best to feed

your pets in different rooms or at least in different areas to avoid conflict and

subsequent behavior problems.

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The first, and probably most common nutritional disorder is diarrhea. Diarrhea is the

increase in frequency, volume and / or looseness of stool. Diarrhea is often a

symptom of bigger problems but can be caused by a low quality diet. This can be

remedied by providing highly digestible food that is low in fat, moderate in fiber and

high in protein. Foods that contain ‘pre-biotics’ that promote good bacteria or

fermentable fiber that increases water absorption while decreasing gut pH can be

helpful as well.

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Bloat in dogs is caused by air and fluid accumulation in the stomach, resulting in

distention and swelling. Bloat has numerous causes including, age and breed;

stress; eating foods that expand in the stomach; overfeeding and eating too quickly.

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Pruritus in itself is not a disease but merely a symptom of a problem. It is itching

usually caused by a food allergy most often a protein that is incompletely digested

causing an allergic reaction. The best remedy for pruritus is to change to a food that

contains a novel protein source that is not typically used in most pet foods. Pet

foods are available made with fish, lamb, duck or kangaroo.

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Skeletal diseases are influenced by genetics, the environment and nutrition.

Nutrition is the easiest to modify to decrease the chances of diseases such as

osteochondriosis, hypertrophic ocetodystrophy or canine hip dysplasia. Often

simply providing a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight is enough to

prevent these disorders.

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Feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD causes difficult and painful urination as

a result of the blockage. The blockage is caused by urolites and urethral plugs

which form as excess minerals like calcium and magnesium are excreted in the

urine. Preventing this disease can be done by increasing water consumption and

avoiding foods that have high sodium or acidifier ingredients.

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The final nutritional disorder is hepatic lipidosis which is caused by a “too quick”

diet. Animals store excess energy in fat but cells cannot use this energy until its

been converted into smaller molecules. When a pet loses weight these fat reserves

are mobilized for processing in the liver; however, if a pet loses weight too quickly

more of these fat reserves are sent to the liver to be converted and the molecules

overwhelm the liver causing a buildup of fat molecules which quickly becomes toxic.

This is why you should never starve your pet and any weight loss should happen

gradually.

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