Showing posts with label high protein for overweight dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high protein for overweight dogs. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 19, 2019

How Much Protein Should Be In My Pet’s Diet?



When choosing a pet food for your cat or dog, it’s important to look on the label. Pet food manufacturers will include a breakdown of protein, carbohydrates, fat and fiber as well as a list of ingredients.  Cats are carnivores and need a substantive source of protein from meat, fish or poultry.  Most active,  young dogs fare better with a low carbohydrate diet with animal-based protein.  Unfortunately most pet foods are high in carbohydrates to keep the costs down. This is especially true of dry food which is made with starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, peas or legumes (e.g chickpeas).  Not only are these diets harder for pets to digest, but high carbohydrate diets spike insulin levels faster, making pets hungrier contributing to obesity.

To help your cat or dog maintain a healthy weight and optimal health, choose higher protein diets with a minimum of starchy carbohydrates.  Even if your pet has pancreatitis, you can select a food with low fat protein sources that are lean such as fish or venison.  The only time to choose a higher carbohydrate diet is if your pet is suffering from liver or kidney disease and protein levels must be restricted.  Even then you can choose healthier low-glycemic carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes over  pro-inflammatory grains such as oats and wheat.

To learn more about how pet nutrition and choosing the right diet for your pet, please see our library of Pet Health articles.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Tips To Help Your Dog Lose Weight


Dennis Before

Dennis Now
Pet nutrition is very important to us at Askariel.com, That is why this story caught our attention.   Brooke Burton, rescued her miniature dachshund Dennis at a weight of 56 pounds!   He now weighs a trim 12 pounds.  The message that diet and exercise can work to improve your pet’s health is undeniable.  See the Today article to learn about Dennis’ journey. Burton has also joined forces with Ohio State University to form Dennis’ Legacy, which is a nonprofit venture whose mission is to “support nutritional education and care of obese animals”

Pet obesity can lead to many health concerns including: joint pain, digestive system issues, and undue stress to their heart and lungs. Unfortunately the majority of pets are overweight.  Some factors contribute to their pet's obesity---feeding too many carbohydrates in food, not getting enough exercise, free feeding and "overtreating" our pets.  When a pet has too many carbohydrates in the diet, just like with people, they feel overly hungry.  Their insulin spikes from the carbs.  To help your pet feel less hungry, you can add more fiber (e.g. vegetables such as green beans and pumpkin) and be sure you are feeding a high protein diet.  Dry kibble is very high in carbohydrates so choosing a canned or raw frozen diet and mixing with plenty of vegetables will help.  If possible, try to feed your pet a mid-day meal as it is easy to feel famished by the end of the day.  Avoid free feeding.  Feed pets regular meals to prevent overfeeding.  Finally, we all love to spoil our pets, but the best way to keep your pet fit and trim is to use the treats after exercising and keep a designated amount per day in a little bag so that you know when you reach the limit.  Food isn't the only way to spoil your pet.  A big hug, a nice walk and a little extra attention seem to work quite well too!

Visit www.AskAriel.comhttp://www.askariel.com/dog-health-questions-s/1924.htm for more information about the best diets to feed your pet!