What is the best dog food? Most dog owners keep posing this question whenever they visit veterinarians. The truth of the matter is that the answer to the question depends on the health status of the dog, budget costs, nutritional requirements as well as preferences of the dog owner. For example, some pets such as young puppies are better fed with moist pet foods while older and healthy dogs can nurture better with dry foods.
As with the factors stated above, it is evident that any food that offers required nutritional requirements at reasonable costs is likely to emerge a top choice. In this case, dry dog foods emerges the top choice for healthy and adult dogs.
Here are reasons why most veterinarians recommend dry dog feeds;
1.Dry foods are more-energy dense
Unlike canned foods, dry feeds are more energy dense. This means that a dog can eat to satiation more easily with a small amount of dry food. Fundamentally, dry foods are processed via food extrusion, which lowers the moisture content to approximately 10%. On the other hand, moist foods contain a high moisture content of 75% or more. Consequently, it takes a much larger volume of moist feeds to supply the required nutrients to a dog.
2.Dental Benefits
Various studies have shown that dogs which are constantly fed on wet foods are more likely to suffer from tooth decay and other tooth problems such as plaque. With moist feeds, a regular tooth brushing is required to reduce tooth decay and plaque build-up. Whereas dry foods may leave remains of small amounts of goosey residues after feeding, some studies have shown that dry foods can promote teeth cleansing during chewing hence reduced tooth decay.
However, it is important to note that dry foods are unhealthy for dogs with established dental problems such as dental bleeding and other related problems.
In any case, a dog`s dental hygiene boils down to an appropriate routine dental care along with a healthy diet as well as routine treatments by a qualified veterinarian.
3.Lower Costs
When it comes to costs, dry dog pets beat moist foods (canned foods) in many ways. Unlike canned foods, dry foods are less expensive. In addition, dry foods are easy to measure and can stay all day without going bad. More importantly, dry feeds have a higher energy density which easily satisfies most dogs unlike moist foods which have to be eaten in bigger amounts to attain satiation.
For larger dogs, dry foods offers a better alternative to keep the dog healthy while at the same time keeping the dogs healthy and happy.
4.Better storage and feeding
Unlike other types of feeds (moist and semi-moist dog foods), dry foods have a longer keeping quality, thanks to their lowered moisture content. Reduced moisture content discourages the growth of food spoilage bacteria. Provided dry foods are stored appropriately, they can last for a period of one year or more. This means a dog owner can store as much food in his/her store as possible without worrying about food spoilage.
On the other hand, canned foods tend to expire easily. Due to high amounts of protein and fats contained in canned products, rancidity (fat spoilage) is often common when these foods are exposed to the environment. In addition, such high amounts of fats and proteins can lead to cause stomach upsets to some dogs.
Ultimately, it is important to note that everything has its advantages and disadvantages. While dry foods are good for the nourishment of mature dogs, it may require supplementation with some meat and protein sources especially for active dogs. The bottom line is that every healthy dog must have some form of dry foods in its diet.
