Dog diets

Doggy diets and dental hygiene

A nutritional diet and clean teeth and gums are important if you want your dog to be happy and healthy. There’s a long list of positives, such as: 

• A shiny, healthy coat
• Maintain a healthy weight and muscle tone
• Build and repair muscle 
• Easily digestible. 

Make sure your dog has a shiny smile

Quality dog food should also improve dental health. You can get special foods which tackle plaque, and you should brush your dog’s teeth daily. If in doubt, ask your vet – and get them checked over by your vet from time to time. 

Do your research before you give your dog a toy or treat. Sadly, there’s countless toys and treats out there which are not safe or healthy and could fragment and pose a choking hazard or even risk breaking your dog’s teeth if they are very hard. 

Feeding your dog

Like humans, each individual dog has its own specific dietary needs. Dogs can be fed dry or raw food. What works for one dog might not work for another. 

The amount of food your dog should get will vary depending on the breed and the brand. You’ll normally get lots of information on the food on the side of the bag. 

There’s a whole host of different types of dog foods out there to meet your pooch’s needs. There are foods for dogs at a particular point in life, such as puppy, adult or older. There’s also specially formulated foods to help with specific health needs, such as hypoallergenic food. 

Changes to a dog's diet should only be made in consultation with a registered vet.

Diet dangers

Did you know there’s a variety of foods and snacks humans eat which are unsafe for dog consumption? There’s food out there which humans eat every day that can be toxic or even deadly to a dog. 

These include:

• Chocolate, which contains a stimulant that’s poisonous to dogs. 
• Onions, garlic and chives, all of which can damage a dog’s guts and stomach. 
• Grapes and raisins, which can cause kidney failure. Just one can be deadly. 
• Corn on the cob, which may seem like a healthy snack but is a nightmare for a dog to digest. Serious cases can cause intestinal blockage and abdominal pain. 
• Macadamia nuts, which contain a toxin that can harm your dog’s muscles and nervous system. 
• Avocados, which contain a toxin that can cause sickness and diarrhoea. 
• Alcohol, obviously! 

If your dog consumes anything which is poisonous or harmful to it, take it to the vet immediately. If your dog displays symptoms consistent with having eaten something which is toxic to it, you should also get them straight to the vet.