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Dry dog food became really popular shortly after it was introduced in the 60’s. The AAFCO standards state that both dry and wet pet foods meet the minimum nutritional requirements.
That being said, this is what sets them apart and why you should feed both:
A common presenting complaint for animals brought to veterinary hospitals is that they are not eating. This lack of appetite is always a very strong concern for owners. An easy assessment of the severity of the condition is to offer wet food to the patient. Mildly ill animals invariably scarf the food. The owners are always surprised. My standard response is: “If you were mildly nauseous and someone offered you Shredded Wheat with no milk, would you eat it?”Dogs readily eat wet food or a combination of wet and dry. By controlling the calories of each meal, preferably two meals per day, owners can avoid free choice feeding. Giving pets access to a constant source of food to graze on is a major contributor to the pet obesity problem that presently exists. Although many dogs will not overeat if fed free choice, they are definitely not in the majority.
Adding canned food has proven to be particularly useful for animals on weight loss diets. The additional water distends the stomach and helps trigger the satiety — the “I’m full” — center of the brain, reducing begging behavior and other “sad” behaviors that cause owners to abandon weight loss in their pets. Research on dieting cats has confirmed this effect.
Many dogs, and even more cats, habitually produce crystals in their urine that can result in chronic bladder irritation or even stone formation that requires surgical removal. Management of this condition is generally dietary, and, you guessed it, the most popular foods with owners are the dry foods. But research confirms that adding more water to the diet is a much better management strategy.
Additional dietary water creates diluted urine. Crystals and stone formation require concentrated urine. “The solution to pollution is dilution!”
Like everything else related to your precious pooch, always consult a Vet if you are not 100% sure about a change in diet or in your pets behavior. It is also good to monitor them more closely after making any of these changes to make sure they were not done too fast and are not causing too much stress.
What is your opinion on what types of pet foods are the best to serve?
Image Source: cheriejoyful on Flickr
Mine get mostly kibble with a little wet food.