The Proper Way to Switching and Maintaining Your Dogs Diet

By Amanda Maseko | November 21, 2007

Over the course of your dog’s lifetime, there may be several occasions when you need to switch your dog’s diet. If is important to know the proper method to change your dog’s diet to ease your pet through the transition.

Switching your dog’s diet too quickly can result in your dog having an upset stomach. Diarrhea is likely to result.

Your vet can best educate you on when and why to switch your dog’s diet. Unless otherwise directed, proper method for changing your dog’s diet takes time. The gradual change will reduce the stress and change to your dog’s system and digestive tract. Whenever a diet is working well for your dog, it is best to leave your dog’s diet alone. Consistency is helpful to maintain your dog’s ultimate health potential.

On protein and kidney failure from your dog’s diet

Studies that showed a relationship to high protein levels and kidney failure that sparked concerns about protein levels in dog’s diets were not sound. The research was performed on rats, not dogs. Rats primarily eat plants as their natural diet. Naturally, rats biological makeup would indicate trouble digesting diets containing high levels of protein. The rats have difficulty excreting protein due to their specific dietary needs, not because the high protein diet causes kidney failure.

Ten amino acids must be provided in your dog’s diet through protein. Only twelve of 22 amino acids can be manufactured in your dog’s liver. For this reason, meat such as heart, spleen, and meat by-products all have a place in your dog’s diet.

Senior dogs should not be automatically placed on lower protein diets exclusively based on age. In fact, some older pets require a dog’s diet higher in protein than during their younger adult stage. Unless medically indicated, provide your pet the benefit of quality protein in your dog’s diet.

The vegetarian dog diet

Taking a look at your pet’s teeth, you may notice that grinding and tearing surfaces are present. This is one indication that dogs are omnivorous. This means that dogs are biological meat and plant eaters. Straying from nature can be a difficult task, but may not be impossible.

Your dog’s body requires high amounts of protein. Protein is frequently provided through animal tissue and bones in the wild, as well as, in most varieties of manufactured dog diets.

Amino acids are also a key to your dog’s health. Only 12 of the 22 essential amino acids can be produced by your dog’s body. The other 10 amino acids must be provided to your pet through your dog’s diet. A vegetarian dog diet has trouble meeting the requirements to allow your dog to thrive under these circumstances.

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