This is a collaborative post.
Proper nutrition is vital for everyone, including animals. The quality and amount of food consumed by animals affect their health and behavior significantly. Moreover, animals have different digestive systems, so they need to have special diets for receiving the proper amount of nutrients and vitamins.
Food that animals consume is a source of calories and energy. Also, it provides building materials for gaining muscles. Therefore, if you like treating your buddy with cookies, you may harm your animal’s health. Even if your pet consumes premium meals only, it’s vital to control the amount of provided food. Excessive meal consumption can lead to obesity and heart issues.
Down below, you will be able to read about how nutrition affects a pet’s health. Also, you will discover some helpful recommendations on feeding your furry friends.
Weight
The primary sign of the amount of food that animals consume is their weight. If an animal does not consume enough food, it loses weight and looks anorexic. In most cases, animals refuse to eat food when they have health issues and cannot eat or digest it. However, in some cases, they may lose weight due to improper nutrition.
For instance, cats are carnivores, so they need to be fed with high protein meals, which are the primary source of energy and nutrients for gaining muscles. Due to this, it’s forbidden to feed felines with meals for dogs or human food. Also, it’s not recommended to provide poor-quality meals that contain a lot of cheap fillers like grains. They won’t provide a cat with the required energy to have an active lifestyle and maintain a proper weight.
Vice versa, excessive feeding can lead to obesity. In most cases, pets consume more food than they need, having limitless access to a bowl. As a consequence, animals gain weight which harms their health. Excessive weight leads to problems with the heart, orthopedic issues, and even diabetes.
Note, never feed dogs with cat food and vice versa. Dogs and cats have different digestive systems and need to consume different meals. According to the Triumph cat food review, good-quality cat food is high in protein. Consequently, it attracts dogs more than food for canines. If you have felines and canines in your house, put a cat bowl on a higher surface so that a dog won’t be able to raid it.
Allergies
Allergic reactions to food are quite widespread among pets. Therefore, it’s vital to monitor your animal, especially when you provide new food. Allergy is a natural reaction of an organism to food. A pet’s intolerance may cause allergic reactions to different ingredients.
The common allergens in food for pets can be meat, fish, corn, vegetables, eggs, etc. Besides, an allergic reaction can be caused by a vitamin overdose. Some animals can get the required vitamins from food, so you need to be very selective in the food that you provide to your animal. All extra supplements in the form of pills always have to be approved by a vet.
The main signs of allergic reactions are itchy, irritated, flaky, or dry skin. Noticing any of these signs in your pet, you have to review your animal’s diet. Also, you should bring your furry friend to a vet clinic.
Mouth Health
Dental health depends on the type of food that a pet consumes. There are two types of meals used for feeding animals, wet and dry. There is no best or worst type of food for our furry friends. Pet owners choose the type of meals for pets depending on their lifestyle, vet’s recommendations, and animal preferences.
However, dried food helps maintain mouth health in animals. Since dried meals are hard, they provide a mechanical abrasion effect on teeth. Dried food helps remove plaque and prevent gum diseases. Therefore, it’s recommended to alternate dried and wet food for cats and dogs. The Purina dog chow reviews can help find some well-dried foods for your canine. Nevertheless, if you feed your pet with wet food only, you need to regularly brush your furry friend’s teeth. Alternatively, you need to purchase dental sticks for your animal.
Overall Condition
The immune system helps fight diseases and keeps a body healthy. The number of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals received from food affects a pet’s immune system’s strength. If you want your animal to be healthy and full of energy, you should develop a well-thought-out diet for your furry friend and follow it strictly.
The improper ratio of carbs and proteins in a pet’s diet can cause hyperactivity or aggression. For instance, if an animal consumes too many carbohydrates, it will get blood sugar spikes that will cause short-term hyperactivity sessions. However, when the level of blood sugar falls, animals experience fatigue. If pets consume too much protein, they may be very aggressive and anxious. It happens because serotonin production falls due to the excessive amount of protein in an organism.
