Healthy Pets Need a Combination of Wet and Dry Food

A healthy diet means a healthy life – even for the furry members of the family. Yet many pet owners are not giving their animals the optimal diet.

According to a recent Nielsen survey, 40% of cat owners and 66% of dog owners feed their pet a diet that consists exclusively of dry food since many of those respondents believe that wet food is a high-calorie treat. While both types of food are nutritionally complete and balanced, a regular diet of dry and wet food for dogs and cats is the best way to keep them healthy. Each offers unique complementary health benefits.

Dry food is a concentrated energy source with a crunchy texture that helps maintain your pet’s oral health. Wet food, on the other hand, has a high moisture content that helps support a healthy urinary tract and proper organ function. This is especially important for smaller animals that are more prone to urinary tract infections. Despite popular belief, some wet food is lower in calories than dry food on a gram for gram basis, and regular consumption can help maintain a healthy body weight by offering optimal protein and lower carbohydrates.

“Feeding your pet a diet of both wet and dry foods is best for both dogs and cats — this also applies to pets of all ages and sizes,” says Dr. Jeff Werber, a celebrity veterinarian. “Dry food’s crunch helps improve their oral health, while wet food’s moisture supports internal organ function and urinary tract health. Plus, animals love the taste.”

There is no wrong way to mix feed. To determine the ideal ratio of dry food to wet food consult your veterinarian. Owners can easily introduce a new type of food by mixing the two foods in the same bowl, starting with a low ratio of the new food to the accustomed food, or by feeding their pet small handfuls of the new food throughout the day.

Flavour is an important part of mealtime for both dogs and cats. Not only is mixed feeding great for pets’ physical health, owners love watching their excitement at meal time.

More information can be found at www.petmixedfeeding.ca.

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