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Feeding Your Dog or Cat:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which food should I feed my new puppy of kitten?
A: There is probably no single “best” food for normal healthy
puppies and kittens. Instead there are a number of good
puppy and kitten foods available and a given pet may do
better on one or another of these, depending on the pet’s
individual genetics and environmental circumstances. We
at the Chastain Veterinary Medical Group prefer premium
pet foods such as those from Iam’s, Eukanuba, Science Diet,
and Purina.
We are especially fond of the Wellcare Diets from Waltham.
Here’s why:
- These pet foods contain antioxidants to neutralize free
radicals, preventing them from damaging the DNA in your
pet’s cells.
- These same antioxidants also help strengthen a pet’s
immune system and have been proven to enhance a
pet’s immune response
to vaccination. This could be especially important
as we move increasingly to 3-year vaccine intervals.
- The Waltham Wellcare Diets also contain a unique
combination of B-vitamins, zinc, and linoleic acid
which significantly
improve coat softness, gloss and feel.
These pet foods also contain a blend of soluble
and insoluble fiber and pre-biotics to promote
a healthy
digestive tract
and normal stool quality.
Please note that there are important differences between
puppy and kitten foods, and foods formulated for adult dogs
and cats. In general, puppies and kittens should be fed a
food specifically labeled as a puppy food or kitten food
for the first 12-18 months of there lives.
Q: What is the best food for my adult pet?
A: As in the case of puppies and kittens, there is probably
no single “best” food for normal healthy adult dogs and
cats. Instead there are a number of good dog and cat foods
available and a given pet may do better on one or another
of these, depending on the pet’s individual genetics and
environmental circumstances. We at the Chastain Veterinary
Medical Group prefer premium pet foods from manufacturers
such Iam’s, Eukanuba, Science Diet, and Purina.
As we mentioned above, we
are especially fond of the Wellcare Diets from Waltham.
Here’s
why:
- These pet foods contain antioxidants to neutralize
free radicals, preventing them from damaging the
DNA in your pet’s
cells.
- These same antioxidants also help strengthen a pet’s
immune system and have been proven to enhance a pet’s
immune response
to vaccination. This could be especially important
as we move increasingly to 3-year vaccine intervals.
- The Waltham Wellcare Diets also contain a unique
combination of B-vitamins, zinc, and linoleic acid
which significantly
improve coat softness, gloss and feel.
These pet foods also contain a blend of soluble
and insoluble fiber and pre-biotics to promote
a healthy
digestive tract
and normal stool quality.
Q: How often does my pet need to be fed?
A: Weaned puppies and kittens, six weeks of age and older,
should be fed three or four times a day, however much they
can eat in a 15 minute period. This should be continued until
the pet is about 16 weeks of age. After that, the feeding
frequency can be reduced to twice a day. Most adult dogs
and cats should be fed twice daily for the rest of their
lives. However, many adult dogs will do well on once-a-day
feeding. Some dogs and many cats will do well on a free choice
feeding program which leaves food available to the pet at
all times.
Q: How much food should I give my pet?
A: The amount of food to feed a dog or cat depends on the
pet’s age, size, activity level, and general health status.
In general dogs and cats should be fed just enough to achieve
an ideal body size. This requires periodic objective weight
measurements as well as subjective and critical evaluation
of the pet’s body condition score.
Begin with the recommended daily portion as specified by
the food manufacturer. Then adjust the amount fed, up or
down, as needed, to achieve an ideal body condition as determined
by objective weight measurements and subjective body condition
assessments. Remember, the recommended daily food portion
should be divided if the pet is fed more than once a day.
Q: How do I introduce a new food to my pet?
A: The key to success here is to introduce the new food slowly.
Abrupt diet changes can cause diarrhea. So, start with
a daily portion consisting of 25% new food and 75% old
food. Then, over the next four days, gradually decrease
the amount of the old food in the daily ration, and increase
the amount of new food in the daily ration until it reaches
100%.
Q: What is better for my pet: canned food, dry food, or
both?
A: The crunchy texture of dry kibble promotes healthy teeth
and gums. In addition, certain dry foods contains contain
special ingredients or formulations designed to reduced plaque
and tartar build up. Canned food can be fed alone, used as
an occasional treat, or mixed with dry food. The more canned
food in your pet’s diet, the greater the risk that he or
she will develop increased amounts of dental plaque and tartar.
Also, to avoid inadvertently creating a finicky eater, avoid
switching back and forth between canned food and dry food.
Q: How do I get my pet to eat commercial pet food if he/she
is accustomed to table scraps?
A: Both dogs and cats are creatures of habit. Therefore,
it should come as no surprise if they initially resist your
efforts to change their food. If your pet is accustomed to
table scraps, you will need to completely stop this practice.
No table food at all. Also, to avoid annoying begging, it
will probably be necessary to completely remove the pet from
the kitchen or dining room during meal times. Next, offer,
the preferred diet and then match wits with your pet. Be
persistent – your pet may refuse to eat for several meals
before giving the new food a chance*. You can try gently
heating the food, or moistening dry food, or both, to improve
the initial tastiness. You can also mix canned food and dry
food together as an additional incentive.
* Caution: don’t push cats too hard on a diet change. Cats
have a unique metabolic quirk that can lead to serious liver
disease if they go more than a couple of days without consuming
any protein at all. With stubborn cats it is probably better
to make several one-day attempts to change their diet, rather
than one multi-day push.
Q: Will it hurt my dog or cat if they eat each other’s food?
A: Dogs and cats have significantly different nutritional
needs. In general they should not eat each other’s food
on a regular basis. However, an occasional taste from each
other’s bowl shouldn’t be too much of a problem. The biggest
problem would occur if a cat were to consume a significant
amount of dog food on a regular basis. Since the dog food
may not contain enough of the amino acid taurine for a
cat, the cat could develop eye and heart problems.
Q: What treats can you suggest for my pet?
A: There are a number of good products available and different
pets seem to prefer different sorts of treats. For dogs,
some tasty treat possibilities include the following: Iam’s
Original Formula biscuits, Iam’s Weight Control biscuits,
Waltham Veterinary Tab Wraps, Stewart Fiber Formula Dog
Biscuits, and Stewart Rice Formula Dog Biscuits. For Cats,
we suggest Stewart Fiber Formula® Cat Treats or Waltham
Veterinary Tab Wraps.
Q: How many treats can I give my pet each day?
A: In general, pets should receive no more than 10% of their
daily calories from treats. Here’s a simple rule of thumb:
For dogs – give no more than two small dog treats or biscuits
per cup of food eaten each day. For cats - give no more
than two small cat treats per half cup of food eaten each
day. Remember, for many pets simply receiving a treat from
a family member seems to be much more gratifying than eating
that treat. So, keep the treats small and put most of the
emphasis on the pet-owner interaction.
Q: If commercial pet treats are out for my pet, what else
can I use as a treat?
A: For dogs, you might want to consider the following: a
slice of apple, one or two canned green beans, or an old
fashioned shredded wheat cube.
Q: What’s up with this BARF diet I’ve heard about?
A: BARF in this context refers to a pet diet composed of
Bones And Raw Food (BARF) and which totally excludes all
commercial dog food. This alternative feeding strategy,
which may have originated in Australia, has found support
among many dog breeders and is highly touted on the internet.
Despite the substantial anecdotal evidence offered on the
internet in support of this feeding strategy, at the present
time, there are no clearly proven benefits to this dietary
approach. Furthermore, there are no significant nutrients
lost during cooking that would make a “complete and balanced”
diet deficient. Most raw-food homemade diets are not “complete
and balanced” when left to the average pet owners’ discretion
or when formulated according to current recommendations in
the lay press. Finally, commercially produced raw food diets
are inconsistently “complete and balanced”.
Worse yet, there are significant potential health risks
to feeding raw diets:
- Nutritional imbalance
is likely – Cases of calcium deficiency have been reported
among pets on BARF type diets. Apparently,
calcium absorption form whole bones is inadequate, or
perhaps pet owners are not feeding any, or enough, whole
bones due
to concerns over potential obstructive GI issues (see
next).
- GI problems from feeding
whole bones (cooked or raw) - Any large foreign body
caught in the esophagus, stomach,
or intestine can be fatal.
- Food poisoning and parasites
– Food safety should be a serious concern when feeding
raw meat and eggs, and preparing
homemade foods, particularly if the pet, owner or another
family member is immunosuppressed. The U. S. FDA is getting
involved in this issue and makes some very good points:
see http://www.fda.gov/cvm/guidance/dguide122.pdf
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