If you are thinking about adding a pet to your family or you have recently done so, one thing you need to get right is nutrition. After all, a healthy diet is important for all of us! However, the trouble is that there is a lot of misinformation out there today regarding what you should feed a dog. So, with that being said, in this blog post, we decided to put some of the most common myths to bed. Let’s take a look at these myths in further detail…
A dog’s age doesn't matter when choosing a diet - Feeding your dog a diet that is designed for a certain stage in their life is the preferred option. This will ensure that nutrition-related health risks that are unique to a particular breed or lifestyle are minimized. Life-stage nutrition is the term used to describe the process of feeding your dog a diet that is designed to meet its nutritional needs based on the dog’s physiologic state or specific age. This will ensure your dog has optimal nutritional benefits.
Dogs can only be healthy if fed a raw diet - This is another myth that a lot of people tend to believe today. However, there has been no scientific evidence to prove that raw diets are superior in a nutritional sense for dogs when compared to commercial diets and homemade food. An animal is only healthy if it consumes all of the essential nutrients it needs in the correct proportion.
Dogs should not be fed table scraps - Last but not least, there are lots of different articles online that state you should never feed your dog table scraps. However, table scraps don’t always mean unhealthy food. Of course, you shouldn’t simply throw your last slice of pizza into your dog’s bowl. However, some food scraps are healthy, for example, lightly steamed vegetables, rice, and pasta.
There are a number of foods that can be given alongside nutritious veterinary supplies. Nevertheless, you do need to educate yourself, as there are also a number of vegetables and fruits that should never be given to dogs because they can cause a range of medical problems. This includes the likes of tomatoes and lemons, as well as other highly acidic fruits, and garlic, onions, avocados, grapes, and raisins.
As you can see, there are a number of myths about dog nutrition, and those mentioned in this blog post are only a mere handful. Hopefully, though, they have helped to give you a better understanding regarding what you should and should not feed your dog. If you are unsure, it is always best to talk to your vet. After all, your dog’s diet will be impacted by a number of different factors, including breed.
As you can see, there are a number of myths about dog nutrition, and those mentioned in this blog post are only a mere handful. Hopefully, though, they have helped to give you a better understanding regarding what you should and should not feed your dog. If you are unsure, it is always best to talk to your vet. After all, your dog’s diet will be impacted by a number of different factors, including breed.
