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Dogs need a well-balanced meal for their adequate growth and development. Different breeds and sizes of dogs require a different amount of nutrients. Puppies are at their growing stage, and hence they require more energy for overall development. Nutrients like fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water help the puppy nourish into a healthy dog. Choosing a puppy food is a crucial decision to make as the type of puppy food you choose directly affects your fur baby’s development in the initial years.
IAMS™ is one of the leading puppy food brands that is known for offering food packed with energy and nutrients to support a puppy’s growing age.
Pet parents often face the dilemma of how to choose puppy food for their fur baby. Puppies often need twice the amount of nutrients compared to an adult dog. While choosing a puppy food, you must look for meal options that are highly digestive and nutrient dense. The food should be packed with vitamins, proteins, fat, and carbohydrates for your puppy’s healthy growth. Some benefits of selecting the right puppy food are:
While home food can be nutritious, it can sometimes not be sufficient for a puppy’s growing body. Hence, pet parents need to depend on formulated puppy food that is packed with the goodness of protein and other essential nutrients to support their fur baby’s growth and development stage. However, how to choose the right puppy food brand amongst so many available options? Read the following to know more.
Moreover, you must also consider your puppy’s breed, size, and weight when confused about how to choose food for the puppy. Smaller breeds of dogs mature faster than larger breeds, this means your puppy’s breed decides how much nutrients it will need for how long. While most puppies can start consuming solid food once they turn 4-weeks old, their transition from puppy food to adult dog food varies depending on their breed, size, and weight. Please consult a vegetarian doctor if you are unsure about your pet’s breed and the amount of nutrients required for its adequate growth.
Different breeds of dogs require a different amount of nutrition for their proper growth and development. Feeding the puppy as per its breed’s requirement ensures that it gets the right amount of nutrients for its physical and psychological growth. Hence, to help you choose the best for your fur baby, we have curated some insights on how much nutrition is required for which breed size.
The physical growth and development of a puppy are at stake during its initial years. Therefore, choosing a diet that meets all its nutritional requirements and provides appropriate nourishment is essential. Caregivers should be mindful of their puppy’s allergies, breed size, and age before selecting a puppy food brand. IAMS offers a wide range of puppy food varieties for different breed sizes based on their nutritional requirements. However, you should consult a vet if you are unsure about your puppy’s nutritional needs and breed.
At IAMS™, we focus on preparing highest-quality food for dogs of all ages and breeds. Our puppy food – IAMS™ Proactive Health™ Starter Mother and Baby Dog – is the ideal pick for your little pooch’s optimal growth and development. Along with being loaded with proteins, vitamins, and minerals, it also contains DHA and colostrum. While DHA ensures healthy cognition for better trainability, colostrum provides essential nutrients that’s only found in the mother dog’s milk. Enriched with best-quality proteins, fiber, and FOS natural prebiotics, IAMS™ Proactive Health™ Starter Mother and Baby Dog ensures healthy muscles as well as digestive system.
Puppies ideally prefer animal-based meals. You can select the best food formula by choosing a puppy food brand that caters to your puppy’s breed size as different breed sizes require a different amount of nutrients for overall development and healthy growth.
Yes, puppies need more energy compared to adult dogs. Hence, they do require special food that can offer twice the amount of nutrients in smaller quantities. Besides, puppies also need to be fed more frequently to support the nutritional requirements for growth and development.
This is subjective to the puppy’s nutritional requirements and allergies. Most puppies rely on animal-based food for their nutritional needs. Nutrient-packed formulas offered by puppy food brands like IAMS are also suggested for providing a well-balanced and nourishing food to your puppy.
Bloat can affect any dog; however, it is observed in deep-chested, larger breeds more frequently than in others. Unfortunately, you will find that many dog owners are completely unaware of this ailment until it starts to endanger their pet’s life. Therefore, all pet owners should be aware of bloat and how to spot and respond to symptoms of bloat in dogs. So, here is all you need to know about dog bloat.
Bloat can affect any dog; however, it is observed in deep-chested, larger breeds more frequently than in others. Unfortunately, you will find that many dog owners are completely unaware of this ailment until it starts to endanger their pet’s life. Therefore, all pet owners should be aware of bloat and how to spot and respond to symptoms of bloat in dogs. So, here’s all you need to know about bloating in dogs.
Bloat is a life-threatening condition that acts rapidly and can lead to death within hours if not recognized and treated immediately. Unfortunately, the cause of bloat remains unknown at this time.
The scientific term for bloat is gastric dilatation-volvulus or GDV. Bloat is characterized by rapid and abnormal expansion of the stomach with gas (dilatation). This can be followed by rotation of the stomach (volvulus). This rotation closes both the entry to and exit from the stomach. The blood vessels also are closed, and the blood flow is restricted.
What follows is an increase in pressure inside the stomach and compression of the surrounding organs. Eventually, shock will occur as a result of the restricted blood flow. Here are a few key facts about bloat:
Bloat is a true medical emergency, and early identification and treatment is critical for survival.
In the early stages of bloat, the dog will be very uncomfortable. You might see it pacing and whining or trying unsuccessfully to get into a comfortable position. It might seem anxious, might lick, or keep staring at its stomach, and might attempt to vomit, without success.
Other indications of bloat can include weakness, swollen abdomen, and even signs of shock. Signs of shock are increased heart rate and abnormally rapid breathing.
If you notice these signs of bloat in dogs, call your veterinarian immediately!
This occurs due to gas getting trapped in the stomach region.
Gastrointestinal problems in dogs can cause excessive salivation, including esophageal diseases like megaesophagus.
Pacing and restlessness are typical signs of bloating. Your dog may even groan or whine when you press on their belly.
An abnormal swelling due to gas in your dog’s stomach can also cause respiratory distress along with a twisted belly.
Bloating can put strain on the diaphragm, a delicate muscle that divides the chest from the abdomen. This ends up making heartbeats shorter and breathing difficult.
Although veterinarians don't know what causes bloat in dogs, there are numerous factors that increase a dog's risk for this condition. These include:
These suggestions could help in preventing bloat in dogs. However, they are based on suspected risk factors and are not guaranteed to prevent the onset of bloat.
All cases of bloat in dogs require prompt medical intervention. The condition can be treated if it gets addressed quickly. In case of a simple bloat, where the dog's stomach has not twisted, the pet may be treated without any medication. They may be given fluids and certain therapies. If discovered in its early stages, other types of bloats such as GDV, may also be treatable. Surgical intervention may also be used for treatment in certain cases.
Releasing the trapped air and gas will relieve pressure on the surrounding organs and prevent the stomach's tissue from degenerating. A tube and stomach pump can be used for this; however, surgery may be required on occasion. This can aid in stomach unwinding or curing GDV in dogs.
Additionally, electrolyte-fortified intravenous fluids are also administered to improve blood flow to vital organs. In many cases, this necessitates the use of potent painkillers, antibiotics, and medications to treat the decreased blood supply to the heart due to bloating.
As soon as the dog is steady, surgery is carried out. Your veterinarian may need to untwist the dog's stomach and remove any stomach wall tissue that might have died from a lack of blood supply. The veterinarian will also perform a treatment known as a gastropexy to suture the stomach to the body wall. As a result, the likelihood of the stomach rotating in the future decreases significantly; thus, preventing bloat in dogs.
Another way you might help prevent bloat is by feed a high-quality, easily digestible food with normal fiber levels.
Feeding management offers the best method available for reducing risk until the exact cause of bloat can be identified. Although not 100% effective, these measures can reduce the number of dogs that face this serious, life-threatening condition.
IAMS™ dog food stands out as a superior and highly digestible choice for your furry companion.
If you're looking for the perfect dog for you, try our Dog Breed Selector today and enjoy a lifetime of tail-wagging joy.
