Necessary Dog Nutrition

Dogs need good nutrition just like humans do. Use a high quality food for your pet. If you do so, there will be no need for additional vitamin supplements. As a matter of fact, an excess of certain vitamins, such as vitamin A or D, can be harmful to your pets health. To ensure your dog's nutrition, check the ingredients of your pet's food and make sure it consists of the necessary vitamins and minerals for its daily consumption. Consult your veterinarian for pets that require special diets.

Do not keep your dog completely on a meat diet. Like humans, they also need the roughage or fiber in their diet. There are some good quality dog foods that combine meat with vegetables or chicken with vegetables. If your dog is out in the cold weather a lot, it will need a considerable amount of protein. In the hot or warm weather, however, a lighter diet is warranted.

Following is a list of the most important nutrients your pet must have:

● Water, is the most important nutrient. As in humans, it

is essential for life. Always have fresh, good quality

water available for your pet at all times.

● Proteins, necessary for growth, maintenance,

reproduction and cell repair, are the basic building

materials for all cells and organs. Amino acids are the

building blocks of proteins and are divided into two

groups, essentials and non-essentials. Essential amino

acids cannot be synthesized by the animal in sufficient

quantities and MUST be supplied in the diet. They

include arginine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine,

isoleucine, threonine, leucine, tryptophan, lysine, and

valine. Non-essential amino acids are produced by the

animal and not needed in the diet.

          ● Fats, provide your pet with more than twice the energy
             of proteins or carbohydrates and are the most
             concentrated form of food energy. Fats also help your
             pet utilize certain vitamins and insulate and protect
              under the skin and around the internal organs. Since
             pets cannot synthesize essential fatty acids in sufficient
             amounts, they must be provided in their diet, otherwise,
             their growth could be stunted and skin problems
             could occur.

          ● Linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid for pets.


          ● Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, aid in healing
              inflammation. Replacing some omega-6s (found in
             vegetable oils) with omega-3s (found in fish oils, for
             example) can lessen an inflammatory reaction--
              whether it is in the skin (from allergies), the joints (from
             arthritis), the intestines (from inflammatory bowel
             disease), or in the kidneys (from progressive renal
              failure).

          ● Carbohydrates and fiber, may be necessary for the
              health of the intestine and may be important for
              reproduction, according to recent studies.

          ● Vitamins, in small amounts only, are essential for a
             healthy metabolism. Too much vitamin A could cause
             bone and joint pain, brittle bones and dry skin, while
              too much vitamin D could cause stiff joints and kidney
             problems.

          ● Minerals, are inorganic compounds and necessary for
             maintaining a healthy fluid balance and metabolism and
             important as structural constituents of bones and teeth.
            Minerals must be provided in the diet as they cannot be
             synthesized by animals.

                                          Pet Snacks

All pets love treats, just make sure that the caloric intake from these treats is less than 5-10% of the pet's daily caloric requirement. Some healthy treats may include lean meats, whole grain breads, carrot sticks, apple slices (without seeds), green beans and cantaloupe.

                                     Dietary Changes

If changing from one quality of pet food to another, remember that most pets are very sensitive to these changes. It is best to feed them consistently with the same food and nothing else added. If you must change brands of food, do so by mixing both the old and the new brand together and gradually decreasing the old brand. By doing this, the pets digestive system takes a gradual change also rather than a drastic change.

                                      Foods to Avoid

Avoid giving your pet the following foods, as they have been know to cause illness or toxicity in some pets.

                    Alcoholic beverages
                    Avocado
                    Bones
                    Chocolate
                    Coffee
                    Fatty foods
                    Garlic, garlic powder
                    Grapes
                    Hops
                    Macadamia nuts
                    Milk
                    Moldy or spoiled foods
                    Onions, onion powder
                    Raisins
                    Raw Eggs
                    Raw or undercooked meat
                    Salt

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