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Top Tips For Changing Your Dog Food

By Shari Evans


Unlike humans, a dog can get sick just by a sudden change of the kind of food that he eats. Their digestive system is not designed to handle abrupt transitions. Doing so can cause an upset stomach, loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting. To make sure that your beloved canine friend is protected while changing food brands or types, it is important that you know the correct steps on doing it. Aside from many things that you have to consider, you will still have to hear the expert's advice as it remains to be a necessity especially for those who only want the best for their babies.

Choosing a New Dog Food

In searching for the best food for your baby dog, it is not wise for a pet parent to just listen on different advertisements. Commercials can be pleasant to our sight and hearing but it doesn't mean that the product being endorsed guarantees the best for your buddy. To make sure that you are giving only the best for your baby, there are a lot of things that you should contemplate upon. One of the first things that you might want to ask yourself is if you will be giving dry or canned food. Checking first on your dog's breed can help you answer this question but if you are the busy type of parent who is just leaving some food on your puppy's bowl, you must go for the dry ones. Older dogs do not need a change of brand and type of food. However it doesn't have to be the same with puppies as changes on food are sometimes needed to ensure that they are getting the right amount of nutrients that are essential for their growth.

Nutrition is the most important factor in selecting the kind of food for your dog. To make sure that the food is safe and tested, it should pass the requirements of AAFCO or Association of American Feed Control Officials. The amount of carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients that your dog needs will depend on their size, age and daily activities. If you have spotted the perfect meal for your buddy, see first if the dog food can easily be obtained. It is difficult if you would have to place your dog on another transition if you ran out of stock and you can't find the same brand on the market. Also, some dog foods can be totally cheap but it doesn't guarantee complete nutrition.

New Food Introduction

Now that you have a pick, the next challenge that you have to go through is how you can introduce and help your dog to get used to it. The new dog food must be given in small amounts and it should be mixed together with the old brand. Gradually increase the amount until it completely replaced the old brand. Before you go ahead with this, you can check the dog food's pack for more accurate instructions and measurements. While doing this, observe your dog and check for signs of vomiting, loss of appetite and diarrhea.

In cases that your dog does develop problems while under transition, give them the right does of Pepto-Bismol or Imodium. You can temporarily mix the food with rice and boneless chicken breast until the new food completely phased it out. Monitor your dog for days and check for signs of improvement. If there is no progress with the condition, contact your veterinarian to have your canine friend checked. On the first time that you saw blood in vomit and stool of your dog, even though the transition is only happening for a day, call your vet immediately.




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