Unlike cats, dogs are often unfussy eaters but they still need a nutritious diet.
Why is choosing what to feed your pet harder than choosing what to feed yourself?
Anyone who has spent time in the pet food aisle of the supermarket will know that feeding dogs and cats is a tricky business. Shoppers peruse the shelves, picking up, putting down, reading labels and looking confused.
Sadly, most of us don't know the half of it.
Some cats can be notoriously fussy, so it's hard to change their diets, and easy to make mistakes.
Research shows obesity is the most common nutritional disease in cats, so probably the most common mistake is over-feeding them.
Linda Case, author of The Cat: Its Behavior, Nutrition, and Health, says that because our cats are little couch potatoes these days, their nutrition needs are lower. She recommends 28 to 77 calories a day per kilo to maintain a healthy weight.
Lisa Pierson, nutritional vet and creator of CatInfo.org, cites our biggest feline feeding mistake as feeding only dried food. She says cats have a low thirst drive and because they naturally produce highly concentrated urine, we set them up for urinary tract problems when their diet is low in liquids.
Wet food goes a long way towards meeting a cat's water needs, but it's also important to have sources of fresh water available.
Another big mistake is trying to make cats vegetarians or vegans. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they must eat mainly meat and animal organs to thrive. The amino acid taurine, for example, is found only in animal tissue, and lack of it can lead to heart problems, blindness, and death.
Pet lovers are becoming increasingly interested in preparing homemade food, but the professionals warn that homemade is not always healthy. Homemade food must be balanced with the right amounts of meat and calcium, bearing in mind that cats would usually eat the bones of their prey.
A cat diet too heavy in tuna, liver or liver oil such as cod liver oil, could lead to vitamin A toxicosis, while a diet too rich in raw fish can destroy vitamin B1. It's important to follow a carefully balanced recipe. There are plenty on the internet, in books and magazines, but opinions vary so it would pay to check with your own veterinarian first.
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Unlike cats, dogs are often unfussy eaters but they still need a nutritious diet.
Wellington veterinarian Dr Viv Harris believes that the old adage 'you are what you eat' is a brilliant truism for our modern lifestyle. She offers a few tips on how making the most of your dog's nutritional needs could be the difference between chronic ill health and a happy, healthy dog.
1. Feeding the right kind of food to suit your dog's age, breed, metabolic rate, amount of exercise and state of health is a good starting point. For example, older dogs often require less protein and energy in their diets than young, rapidly growing dogs. Dogs prone to being overweight require fewer kilojoules than an active working dog. If you want to improve your dog's diet, start by getting your vet to assess the dog's health, and ask for diet recommendations and possible types of feed. There are many commercial, super-premium foods available for every kind of breed, age and size so find the one that works for your dog and run with it.
2. Buy the best quality foods you can and try to balance this with some fresh, whole foods. You can prepare fresh, homemade foods with fresh meats, vegetables and some cooked grains, but often people don't have the time for this and they may skip important nutrients which can make the diet deficient. Dogs require the full complement of nutrients over several days to remain healthy and high quality commercial foods - especially super-premium diets - take the guesswork out. It may be expensive in the short term but in the long term they'll help reduce the likelihood of disease.
3. Organically grown foods have been shown to contain more nutritional value, assuming the farming practices are environmentally and ethically sound and the foods don't contain toxic components from pesticides and herbicides. If you'd like to feed this way, look for recipes in the dog food diet books. Dr Pitcairns' Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard Pitcairn and Susan Hubble Pitcairn is a good place to start.
4. Chewing raw meaty bones is a great way for a dog to keep its teeth and gums healthy as well as providing a bit of entertainment. Some dogs will spend hours gnawing and chewing a fresh raw brisket bone. But not all dogs can tolerate bones and may get a stomach or intestinal upset if they swallow bone chips. If there are problems, stick to pig's ears or rubber chew bones.
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And then there's the issue of portion control. Portion-controlled feeding - set amounts at set times - is the best way to keep control of the amount your dog is eating. Offering him free-choice feeding can be an invitation to over-eat. Experts are divided on how many times a day a dog should be fed, but whatever you choose, make sure the food is measured to meet the dog's daily energy and nutrient needs.
Cats are often fed using the same method but interestingly, if they have food available all the time they will usually eat small, frequent meals throughout a 24-hour period. They're better at self-regulating than dogs, but there is still potential to over or under-eat using this method, so keep an eye on weight if you're feeding this way.
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