Dogs have to eat everyday like human beings. But owners should be careful in choosing between wet food or dry food. The wrong dog food will bring diseases to your pets. Nowadays, many owners choose grain-free food for dogs. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the three kinds of dog food? Owners should have a clear knowledge and choose the proper dog food!
Reference: Pet Space
Dog food・Dry food | Easy for storage and cleaning teeth
Dry food is easy for storage and never goes bad easily. It has clear weight and can provide accurate food for dogs. Some manufacturers produce them in different shapes to clean dogs’ teeth. As dry food is mixed and dried after instant freezing, it contains a lot of calories and is suitable for dogs that run around a lot. Compared with wet food, dry food is more cost-effective with a relatively long storage life and relatively smaller burden for families with pets.
However, dry food is relatively hard and dogs with tooth decay will suffer toothache. Some dogs may have difficulties in chewing dry food due to teeth problems or facial structure (such as pugs).
Dog food・Wet food | High moisture and protein
Compared with dry food, wet food has higher moisture, which is important for dogs with urinary illnesses or are drinking less water. The moisture in wet food will make dogs feel full and reduce the absorption of unnecessary calories. Wet food generally contains higher protein. Active and young dogs need more protein to keep them energetic. Wet food can also facilitate muscle growth and strength.
Wet food is like the food hunted in nature and is widely accepted by most dogs. It requires less chewing and is suitable for older dogs. The flavor of wet food is also attractive to picky dogs.
Wet food generally requires refrigerated storage after opening and the freshness lasts one to two days. It is more expensive than dry food. Dogs will not clean their teeth when eating wet food which will result in dental plaque and other dental diseases.
Emerging dog food | Is grain-free dog food good for dogs?
Grain-free dog food became popular recently as it contains rice, wheat and other grains and it has a lower chance of an allergic reaction. However, it cannot provide the nutrition required by pets. Dogs used to have different food before becoming pets, including animal intestines with grains. Therefore, it will have no significant effects on pets’ health to have grain food.
High-quality grain-free dog food has sufficient protein, supplemental nutrition such as glucosamine and chondroitin as well as certified organic meat. But data points out long-term use of grain-free dog food is prone to heart diseases for dogs. Despite no solid scientific reasons, owners may consider half grain-free dog food and half wet dog food as grain-free dog food is not an essential food for dogs!
What to do for dogs with food allergy?
Pruritus may be caused by food allergy. Dogs will bite their feet, front feet, while cats tend to have injuries on their head and neck. To test if dogs are having a food allergy, owners should feed them without protein and carbohydrate for 6 weeks.
It is advised to use prescription or veterinary food to treat allergy of dogs as they contain hydrolyzed protein to shorten the amino acid chain. Such food is extremely expensive, but they are effective for dogs.
Common mistakes in feeding
Many owners prefer free feeding. They put the dry food in dogs’ bowls and fill in them again after they are empty. It may have many problems. Dogs will not control their appetite and will keep eating until they have problems.
As we mentioned, dogs like overeating. Labradors, beagles, basset hounds and some other dogs can eat at a high speed. Besides overeating, some dog food may lead to flatulence and abdominal distension, which may endanger their lives.
Pets insurance | Guarantees to your pets
Visiting the veterinarian is costly as the cost would be high to visit a veterinarian and the consultation fee would range from hundreds of Hong Kong dollars to thousands of Hong Kong dollars. If you want to save the cost on medical treatment for pets each year, you may turn to pets insurance and it save the life of your cats.
Pets insurance covers the general consultation fees on visiting the veterinarian, medical treatment for pets and even hospitalization expenses on pets can be compensated. A maximum of HK$750 can be compensated each time with 20 claims each year. Like insurance for human beings, cats would be better guaranteed at a little age. Otherwise, if the pets are old or sick, the insurance may exclude such expenses.
Purchasing pets insurance through YAS can enjoy “10%” off As low as $2.76 each day for best protection of pets Purchase insurance online now ▶▶ Pets Insurance
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