The Canine Cleanse Transitioning to Organic Dog Food

How to Switch & Transition Dog Foods

Maybe your veterinarian has recommended a prescription diet, or perhaps youve simply decided to try a new brand. Whatever the reason for the switch, changing your dogs diet is more complex than simply pouring the new food into a bowl. In order to avoid upsetting your dogs stomach, you will need to transition to the new food the right way. Heres the best way to switch dog foods.

How to Change Your Dogs Food

Switching your dogs food abruptly can cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite. Any time you decide to change your dogs food, you should transition to the new diet gradually in order to give your dogs system time to adjust to the change. Ideally, these transitions should happen over 5-7 days. During this transition, you will gradually incorporate more and more of the new food by mixing it with your dogs current diet. For most dogs, a good diet transition will look like this:

• Day 1: 25% new diet and 75% old diet.
• Day 3: 50% new diet and 50% old diet.
• Day 5: 75% new diet and 25% old diet.
• Day 7: 100% new diet.

Some dogs with sensitive stomachs, food allergies, or other gastrointestinal diseases may need an even longer transition period. The key to a good diet transition is monitoring your dogs individual response. If, at any point during the diet transition, your dog displays concerning signs such as changes in appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea, you should proceed more slowly. And if you have transitioned gradually and your dog is still experiencing stomach upset, it is best to consult with your veterinarian. In some cases, it may be necessary to choose a different diet.

Adverse Food Reactions in Dogs

An adverse food reaction is a blanket term used to describe a number of different food-related illnesses in dogs such as food allergies, food intolerance, and other gastrointestinal diseases. Many people will describe their dogs as having food allergies but this is not always accurate. True allergies involve a very specific response from the dogs immune system and this is not definitively diagnosed in many cases. Thus, it is more accurate to refer to these events as adverse food reactions.

Adverse food reactions can present with gastrointestinal symptoms, cutaneous symptoms, or a combination of the two. Gastrointestinal signs of an adverse food reaction include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and changes in appetite. Cutaneous symptoms include a wide range of signs such as itching, skin inflammation, hair loss, and many different types of rashes. There are many other illnesses that can cause similar symptoms, so it is important to have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian if these symptoms occur.

If your veterinarian suspects your dog is having an adverse food reaction, they may recommend performing an elimination diet trial. This means your dog will eat only a prescription hypoallergenic diet and no other food sources for at least eight weeks. If your dogs symptoms resolve during the diet trial, this can be a sign that food was the culprit. At the end of the eight-week trial, your veterinarian may also perform a challenge trial by reintroducing certain foods into your dogs diet to see if they provoke another reaction. The challenge trial can help you and your veterinarian determine exactly which foods are problematic for your dog, so you can avoid them in the future.

The Proof is in the Poop!

The best way to monitor your dogs digestive health is to pay attention to the quality of the stool. While minor variations in stool color and consistency are normal, any major changes can indicate a problem that needs to be addressed. A great way to evaluate your dogs stool is to use aFecal Scoring Chart. An ideal fecal score is 34. Lower numbers may indicate dehydration or constipation, while higher numbers are indicative ofgastrointestinal upset, which can be due to a variety of factors. If your dogs stool is consistently outside of the normal range, it is recommended that you consult your veterinarian regarding your dogs digestive health.

How to Choose a Dog Food

Choosing an appropriate dietfor your dog is a complicated process. The sheer number of dog food options available is overwhelming. Unfortunately, there is no one diet that is best for every dog. Just like humans, dogs are individuals and their dietary needs vary depending on factors such as age, health, and personal preferences.

To make the process even more complicated, there are also a lot ofmyths about dog foodon the internet. Many people fall victim to advertising campaigns or scare tactics warning them away from commercial dog foods. Fortunately, theWorld Small Animal Veterinary Associationhas published a guide entitled The Savvy Dog Owners Guide: Nutrition on the Internet to help pet owners decipher fact from fiction when doing their own research about dog food.

Learninghow to read a pet food labelcan also help demystify the process of choosing a dog food. The information on a pet food label is guided by theAssociation of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). AAFCO is responsible for establishing definitions for many of the terms you will find on a bag of dog food. Understanding theselabeling requirementscan make it easier to identify which products are best for your dog. Look for the words complete and balanced diet on the label.

Findingthe best food for your dogcan be a lengthy process, but with the right tools and a gradual transition, you can ensure the switch is successful. During the transition, be sure to monitor your dogs appetite, behavior, and stool quality to help determine whether the new diet is the right choice for your dog. As always, your veterinarian is your best resource for information regarding your dogs health and nutrition.

5 Best Organic Dog Foods (2024)

How to Choose the Best Organic Food for Dogs

When it come to the best organic dog foods, it is important to know that not all diets are created equally. The word organic itself has become somewhat of a buzzword as companies realize pet owners interests in feeding their dogs food that they believe to be the best for them.

Organic and natural dog foods typically are the best for dogs to consume since great care is taken to source ingredients that have been raised in the ideal conditions and that are free from pesticides and other harmful agents. However, there is a difference between what is defined as an organic food and a natural food, and it is important for families to understand this to make the best selection for their dog.

Under the regulations established by the Association of American Feed Control Offices (AAFCO), natural is defined as a feed or feed ingredient derived solely from plant, animal, or mined sourcesnot having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic.

What this typically means in terms of dog foods which are often filled with items that would seemingly defy this description is that a natural food must be free from corn, wheat, soy, and artificial colors to be designated as natural. It is also important to note that currently there are no specific rules that companies must adhere to to market their diets as natural dog foods.

Organic foods are bound by a far more stringent set of guidelines. For a dog food to receive the designation of certified organic, all plants included in the food must have been cultivated without the use of any pesticides, artificial fertilizers, genetic modification, irradiation, or sewer sludge.

Any proteins included in organic diets are also required to be taken from animals which were fed organic materials, provided with the opportunity to roam outdoors, and to have never been subjected to treatment by antibiotics or hormones.

Receiving certification as an organic dog food is a lengthy process with many hoops to be jumped through to accomplish. Regulations surrounding the privilege of labeling a dog food as organic are very strict. As a result, sourcing ingredients of this quality as well as achieving certification is an extremely lengthy and expensive task, meaning the dog food itself is more costly for the consumer as a whole.

Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Organic Dog Foods

Organic dog foods are made from the best available ingredients thus meaning their quality is exceptional. Ingredients are most often included in their whole form, and as a result, the food is nutritionally dense. This means that though a food may come with a higher price tag less of it will need to be fed on a daily basis to achieve the same results as a lesser quality food. So though the initial financial output may be high, savings are realized through fewer health issues and a food that lasts longer.

The amount of the best organic food for dogs each dog will need will depend on a number of factors. Among the biggest considerations are age, weight, activity level, breed, and the type of food itself. As a general guideline, it is a good idea to follow the suggested serving sizes printed on the bag of food. These can be adjusted until the correct portion size is determined.

As with all foods, a dogs weight and appetite can help families to assess whether meal sizes should be increased or decreased.

Dietary Requirements for Organic Dog Foods

Even within organic dog foods, some differences do exist. It is important for owners to take the time to understand what is in any food they are considering purchasing for their dog.

One of the key distinctions in organic dog foods today is labeling. Some organic foods will be marketed as containing organic ingredients while others declare themselves to be all-organic. When a food is labeled USDA Organic, this means that the food was certified to contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients as defined by the USDA. Foods that are simply made with some organic ingredients have a lower requirement imposed on them with only 70 percent of their ingredients required to be certified as organic.

It is also important to select a food that specifically labels its proteins. If an organic food simply lists things such as meats or animal fats, these diets are best avoided.

Within the United States, the FDA is responsible for ensuring a food is suitable for animal consumption. This authority is also regulated by the Department of Agriculture in each individual state. It is important to note that though inspections of food manufacturing plants do occur regularly, notices to comply are not always adhered to, and regulations are not always enforced. This means that not all dog foods that proclaim themselves to be organic truly are.

Always look for the title certified organic on any food that proclaims to be an organic diet. Many companies try to avoid this by stating they include certain ingredients that have received the designation of being a USDA organic product. These may contain one item that has been certified as USDA organic while the food as whole is not certified.

As with all dog foods, it is important that the first ingredient in any organic dog food be a meat with whole meats preferable. Carbohydrates may be from whole grains or fruits and vegetables with their main goal being providing excellent amounts of dietary fiber and antioxidants. Lastly, healthy fats provide dogs with the energy they need and are also a vital help in maintaining good skin and coat quality and promoting healthy joints.

Any food suited for the need of an adult dog should contain a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. Use this criteria as a basic rule of thumb when considering which diet is the best organic dog food.

Things to Look for in the Best Organic Food for Dogs

Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in an organic dog food:

• Whole meat or meat meal proteins heading up the ingredients list
• Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
• Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
• Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
• Has been certified organic and bears this designation on its label