PET TIPS BY
Dr. G. VetNaturally
ADD MOISTURE TO YOUR PET’S DIET The absolute most important health decision you will ever make for your pet is the diet you choose to feed him every day. And here’s a spoiler alert… dry food is the worst choice! If you pour 2 cups of water into your pet’s dry food what happens? It expands, right? Well, your dog doesn’t have the luxury of you pouring water into his body every time he eats the dry food you provide. Once your pet eats the dry, hard, round sad balls of kibble, he will have to use his own body moisture to rehydrate that food. And he can’t drink enough water to do it. Kibble fed dogs typically drink A LOT of water trying to stay hydrated. They sadly live each day dehydrated and inflamed. If a pediatrician told you to feed your human child round, dry balls of dehydrated kibble for every meal, every day…you would rethink your choice of pediatrician. Yet, for some reason, this makes perfect sense for our pets? It doesn’t. So your dog is eating kibble and now you are freaked out… what’s the fix? You have several options: OPTION 1: Whatever dry kibble you are feeding, there is usually a canned version of the diet. Start by swapping out a tablespoon of dry for a tablespoon of wet. Do this swap slowly and work up to 50% canned and 50% dry. ALWAYS monitor weight weekly to make sure you pet isn’t gaining or losing.
March - April 2022
OPTION 2: Order a cooked food diet from a company that delivers it frozen to your door. I like Nom Nom Now for my own pets. They have nutritionally sound recipes that are balanced and safe long term. OPTION 3: Under the guidance of a veterinarian, you can learn how to safely transition to a raw diet. SNACKS: I recommend cooked string beans, cooked cubes of sweet potato or frozen blueberries. Also, cooked, whole pieces of any lean meat is a good snack. As a Certified Veterinary Food Therapist, I know that even a 30% increase in the moisture of a diet can lead to an over 50% health benefit. If all you can do is add the moist snacks, it will still have a health benefit. Disclaimer: It’s best to transition your pet’s diet under the guidance of a veterinarian trained in nutrition, especially if your pet is prone to pancreatitis or any gastrointestinal disease. Prepare for dinner time to be exciting. Please tag us @vetnaturally in any pictures or videos of your pet enjoying his new diet!
When you know better, you do better.
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