General Pet is your source for advice and information for a happy and healthy pet.
Author: Monne Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.
Taking care of your dog's health is not something everyone thinks about on a regular basis, but it is vitally important to ensure a long, happy life for your Dog. All our pets ask of us is to be well-fed and well-cared-for.
We owe them at least that for the love, companionship and protection they give us freely every day. Here are some useful Tips about dog food, when deciding the best way to care for your dog.
Daily Food:
There's dog food, and then there's dog food. There is a big difference in a low-grade, cheap dog food and a high-quality, healthy food. High-quality food can do a lot of good things for your dog. These is some obvious benefits of High-quality food:
- It can help keep your dog's weight at a safe level.
- It keeps your dogs heart healthy.
- It keeps your dogs lifespan longer.
- It keeps your dogs breath in better shape, and will usually cause your dog to have smaller, firmer, and less odorous stools.
High-quality food will also contribute to a shinier, healthy coat and all-around energy levels. There are numerous comparison charts available, so you can see for yourself what the differences are in regards to by-products, fillers, and main ingredients in multiple types of foods. Investigate supermarket-brand foods versus premium-brand foods available at Pet supply stores.
It is important to understand that a typical dog's diet consists of 40% protein, 30% fiber and 30% starch. Choose pet food with this ingredient ratio. Read the guaranteed analysis to be certain. If you really want to know what's in your dog's food, try making your own dog food. There are plenty of recipes and meal plans available online.
Consult with your veterinarian to make sure the diet is well-balanced.
A good way to see if your dog's diet is suitable is to check how it comes out the other end. You don't have to get too close to it, but as you pick it up in your poop scoop or baggie, check it for consistency and general appearance. A healthy dog's output should be firm and without any traces of blood or mucus.
Chocolate:
We all know never to feed chocolate to any type of animal. Chocolate contains bromine, which is very toxic to both dogs and cats. Unsweet chocolate is by far the worst to feed to your dog, as it contains a large amount of bromine. Bromine is a very harmful chemical, one that normally leads to death of your animal should he be fed any type of chocolate.
This acts in the canine about the same way caffeine acts in the human. A little will make the doggie hyperactive, but a huge dose may be fatal. If your dog has gotten into chocolate, you need to look for vomiting, shallow breathing, and irregular heartbeat. A visit to the emergency vet unusually results.
Bones:
It seems that it is the right of every dog to be able to crunch on a real bone from time to time. Dogs love bones of all types. However, some bones can be dangerous. Both chicken and turkey bones are especially dangerous because they are brittle. When your dog chews on the, they can easily splinter and cause choking. Some pork and beef bones can also cause the same problem.
Veterinarians agree that the one of the safest bones you can give your dog is a shinbone. If you must give your dog a bone, make sure you supervise your pooch and if he or she shows signs of bleeding, then you should call your vet immediately for some advice.
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As long as you feed your dog with a proper diet and let your dog get plenty of exercise, he will stay strong and healthy. Dogs that grow to be strong and healthy make great pets, as they can join you in exercise and provide plenty of fun for your entire family.
About the Author
Morten Hansen has been focused on the Dog area for several years and is mainly writing about subjects, that make it easier for people to understand the different issues about Dogs. For more details about Dogs visit our website www.DogTips4you.com
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