Pet Nutrition Questions Answered

Perhaps now more than ever, pet parents are concerned about the diets and overall well-being of their beloved pets. In a time where information of all sorts is available, it’s difficult to know what to believe. Taking questions from our readers, we sat down with IAMS leading nutritionist and scientific relations manager Dr. Marcie Campion to clarify some issues. We talked about healthy snacks, food allergies, and everything in between.

What are some healthy snacks for dogs and cats? Are single-serve rice cakes OK?

Dr. Marcie Campion: Rice cakes, while healthy, aren’t truly complete and balanced in terms of the nutritional aspects that a dog needs. As a rule of thumb, I generally recommend that snacks for dogs be less than 10% of their daily calories. As such, a good snack might be to pull a little of the food you feed your pet aside and keep that as a treat. In regard to treats, it’s the human interaction more than the actual food that they crave.

Is wet food better than dry food for dogs and cats?

Dr. Campion: Wet food isn’t necessarily better for dogs and cats, and choosing whether you serve wet or dry food to your pet should be an informed decision come to between you and your veterinarian. Sometimes, cats have urinary issues which require choosing between wet and dry, but dogs don’t have these issues. Remember, it’s always important that no matter what food you choose your pet’s diet is complete and balanced.

Do senior pets have different nutrition needs?

Dr. Campion: Senior pets do have different nutrition needs, just like older humans have different needs than younger ones. You wouldn’t feed the same thing to an infant that you would to an 80-year-old, and animals are the same way. It’s important to pick the appropriate food for the corresponding life stage that your pet is in.

Food allergies seem to be common in a lot of dogs. What are some of the more common ingredients that dogs have allergies to?

Dr. Campion: Today we have a heightened perception of food allergies—if you look at the statistics, the total amount of dogs that have food allergies isn’t as high as you might think. With that said, typical ingredients that dogs have shown allergies to would include beef, wheat, and dairy. Even though we might think it, ingredients such as corn aren’t nearly as high on that list.

Even if the number of dogs with food allergies isn’t as high as we think, people are still highly concerned about it. With that said, how would I know if my dog has a food allergy?

Dr. Campion: It’s important to look for signs revolving around your pet’s skin and coat. Your pet might have a specific sensitivity if you see them constantly itching and scratching themselves, or if they’re playing with their ears constantly with their hind paws. You might want to look at different stool characteristics—if your pet’s stool is constantly soft, even to the point of diarrhea, they may have a food allergy.

Be sure to check back here at Petside next Friday July 8th for a special announcement from IAMS!