It can feel like a minefield out there when it comes to choosing an appropriate way to feed our pets. “Do this.” “Avoid that.” This usually leaves pet owners confused about what and how to feed their furry friends, especially now that the information from the internet can be a little overwhelming.
Most pet parents offer their pets dry food simply because it’s more convenient. Wet food works best for pets who love enticing aromas. So, how about mixing the dry food and wet food? Combining wet and dry diets for your pet is generally okay. This mixed feeding approach means your pet can enjoy the benefits of both dry and wet food.
The key is quality, and pets should have the proper nutrients. Therefore, it’s good to know a little bit more about mixing wet and dry food to make an informed choice. Let’s have a look at why you should consider mixed feeding.
Mixing wet and dry food for your pet comes with many benefits. The following are some of the reasons you should consider the mixed feeding approach.
The mixed feeding approach enables our pets to get more nutrients due to the range of benefits that wet and dry diets boast. Combining wet and dry food gives your pet some variety since they get exposed to different textures that they are tempted to try. You only need to ensure that both foods are well balanced to meet your pet’s nutritional requirements.
Combining dry and wet foods is one way of increasing palatability. It may be a good option for pets who don’t like eating dry foods because many prefer wet food to dry. The palatability of pet foods will also be influenced by the quality of dry and wet food.
Every pet must intake clean and fresh water daily. However, keeping track of your pet’s water intake may be pretty challenging sometimes. Dry foods contain less than 11% moisture content, while wet food has about 68-78% water. Mixing the two can help pets maintain hydration. This is good for pets that don’t drink water, especially during periods of hot weather.
Mixing wet and dry foods can make the meals special and appealing to the eyes. Pets love more taste, aromas, and textures, which they can only find in mixed food. When you offer a picky pet a meal that combines both, you’ll find that they’ll be drawn to the taste, aromas, and texture of this mixed food in a way that they weren’t in an exclusive diet.
The extra water and the appropriate balance of carbohydrates and other nutrients in the mixed feeding approach also help with weight loss. Pets tend to feel more satisfied after meals. Dry food is more nutrient-dense; for example, it has between 30-70% carbs per serving. This is high because pets require more proteins and fats to maintain their health. So, combining wet and dry pet food is a good idea.
Here are some things you should consider when mixing wet and dry food for your pet.
It’s always good to have a conversation with your vet or retailer before introducing the mixed feeding approach to ensure that your pet is getting the right food that is suitable for his health profile and age stage. Many pet foods are now formulated explicitly for particular health conditions and life stages. Check out our vet centre, perrovets.
The food packets should give you some guidelines on portion control, but you can ask the particular pet company or retailer if you’re not sure. You’ll need appropriate feeding guidelines that will maintain your pet at healthy body weight.
Make the changes gradual. Your pet may seem like they can eat anything, but their stomachs can be quite sensitive sometimes. Mix a small amount of the new food on the first day, and then slowly alter the balance over 7-10 days until your pet finally adjusts.
It’s not necessary to mix wet and dry food in one bowl. You don’t need to offer them the food at the same time either. You may leave dry food for your pet to snack on throughout the day, then provide wet food in the evening.
Wet food keeps pets hydrated, but you still need to ensure that your pet always gets a constant supply of cool, fresh water. Keep the water out of the sun, so it doesn’t get hot. Offer your pet more than one bowl of water as a backup just in case the other gets tipped over.
The following are some of the best wet and dry foods you can mix for your pet. No matter which type you choose, the most critical factor in your decision should be finding a portion of food that meets all your pet’s nutritional requirements.