WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY CAT OR DOG?

Puppies and kittens should be fed a puppy or kitten food respectively for the first year of life. When puppies and kittens are young, meals should be fed frequently in small amounts. When you are weaning puppies, feed them wet food. Dry dog food soaked in water can also be given to pets. Do not mix the food with or give your pet milk. When pets become around 6-7 weeks of age, pets commonly become lactose intolerant. The reason for feeding them these foods are to ensure their caloric and nutritional requirements are met.

There are now foods on the market designed for large breed dogs, (ex. golden retrievers). These foods will not decrease the size your dog will be when grown, but will slow the rate at which they achieve their full body size. This has been a huge milestone in veterinary medicine, because it helps to prevent the incidence of developmental problems. It is important to establish good dietary habits during this time frame.

Dogs don't need PEOPLE food. This is the number one cause of dietary gastroenteritis and pancreatitis. Some people say their dogs want hamburgers—but guess what, they don't need it. They need it like I need a one-pound hamburger. Many food companies have developed complete diets that need no supplements. They have spent large amounts of time, energy, and money to develop these foods so follow their advice. Dogs and cats develop eating habits at a young age, so help them develop the correct eating habits.

Adult dogs should be on a balanced diet which comes in a variety of age related choices. These companies once again have developed these foods based on lifestyle needs.

IF I COULD GIVE YOU ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, REMEMBER NO PEOPLE FOOD! Also do not allow pets to get overweight, because this can result in a large number of health problems in itself. I only say this, because I care about your pet’s health.

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