CANINE NUTRITION
Proper nutrition allows the body to perform at optimum levels and promotes longer life. In human nutritional circles there is a saying “junk in, junk out”. This simple ideal holds true for your dog. It is important to recognize that nutritional needs change with time.
Nutrition for the puppy
- Access to first milk or colostrum is critical – it contains valuable nutrients and immune system boosters
- Adequate nursing will ensure proper growth and development during the first 4 to 6 weeks until weaning
- Puppies should then begin to eat good quality solid food after weaning
- Setting regular meal times establishes structure which most dogs will need and allows you to know how much food they are eating
- Clean fresh water should be available at all times and changed as often as needed
- Treats and snacks should be limited to rewarding good behavior as they may contain excessive calories
- The number one nutritional disorder in dogs is obesity and it can be prevented when your dog is still a puppy
Nutrition for the adult dog
- Lifestyle dictates what and how much you should feed your dog: working dog versus lap dog
- Set meal times are desirable so that you know how much your dog is eating
- Providing a high quality, balanced diet is essential
- Treats, snacks and table scraps add calories
- Prevention of obesity is very important in the adult dog
Nutrition for the senior dog
- As your dog ages, his stomach may be more sensitive and his diet should be easy to digest
- Providing a high quality, balanced senior diet is crucial
- Set meal times become increasingly important so that you can detect decreases in appetite, often an early sign of illness
- Remember that the metabolism slows down with age and obesity can quickly develop
A word on table scraps and treats
A high quality, balanced diet is all your dog needs to maintain his health. Table scraps, treats and snacks add unneccesary calories and may contain substances harmful to your dog. Please feel free to discuss your dog’s nutrition with one of our veterinarians.
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