Dog Food

Hello everyone! I have a Bichon Frise that is rather small, and his vet recommends food balls that I feel are too large for him. When I expressed my concern to the vet, he simply told me to trust his opinion. I can see my dog having issues chewing his food though (i.e. chews with his mouth open and has to move the food around a lot in this mouth to be able to eat it properly). Should I continue to trust in my vet, seek another opinion or just switch his food myself?

 

I also have a really small dog. His regular food is in rather small pieces but his treats are quite big and it's not a problem for him at all. He always chews everything with his mouth open, I think it's normal.

 

I would say switch his food.

Even if your dog CAN manage to chew it and eat it properly, doesn't mean he should HAVE to struggle while eating like that. It doesn't sound comfortable at all, and what if he chokes?

Where's the harm in simply changing to a smaller food? If you really like this one, you could also add water to soften it before giving it to him.

 

My dog also has big treats and I don't see him struggle with those, which is one of the main reasons his struggle with this regular food concerns me. When I give him a treat, he breaks it down and eats it in parts, but I'm not sure if he can't or won't do that with his regular food. I feel like he might not be able to even break them properly! But it's really good to hear that other dogs eat with their mouth open

 

Yes, choking is a rather large concern at my house. I feel like I have to watch him every time he wants to eat. I didn't think there was a harm in just switching his food but his vet has told me that I shouldn't because this food is supposed to help his teeth a lot more than the regular ones. I've tried adding water and he rejects it. I think he understands that it's not supposed to be like that, lol. Plus, he isn't one for wet food, it typically hurts his stomach.

 

I'd switch his food too. I have only really met a couple of really good vets in my time, and some of them are completely clueless when it comes to food. Ours is sponsored to sell Royal Canin food and is always plugging it, except it's grossly overpriced crap that doesn't give as much nutrition as some food half the price. If you want to give smaller food, give smaller food. There's no need for a dog to have to fight to eat like that.

 

So then you find another way to help his teeth. If he chokes to death, it doesn't matter what condition his teeth are in, ya know? I feel like this is a case of safety first and you can work around the other things. You shouldn't have to use only one kind of food.

 

Couldn't agree with you more. I took him to get a new tooth paste that's supposed to help his teeth be stronger and I've purchased some smaller-sized food to see how he feels about it. So far, he seems to enjoy them more - although he's eating a lot more than he usually does, but that might just be from excitement .

 

Probably, lol. He can actually eat and enjoy it now instead of risking choking and struggling every time. Just be sure to measure it out and only give him a certain amount if he seems to want to eat more than he should.

 

Our dog was eating food at first that was too much for her. Choking was a real concern. We eventually switched to a different food designed for smaller dogs.

 

Does she seem more comfortable with her smaller food? Has she shown any changes in her health due to the change? I'm kind of worried that this food change will affect the dog in ways that I'm not expecting. I don't want him to become fatter/skinnier, nor do I want a health risk. Switching food without the vet's input is definitely not comforting, lol.

 

She does seem more comfortable with it. She doesn't eat with her mouth open anymore, at least not to the point where the food is too big to eat. We free feed our dog and she is about a normal size. If you are worried about your dog getting bigger, try feeding them at certain times.

 

Good question bellahpereira.

I would certainly switch to a smaller food, if nothing else, a peace of mind your doggy will not choke. I have a 14# ChiWeenie & I also give her "greenies" for her teeth as there's not much chewing in the smaller bites of food.
If you feel your vet is highly qualified in the normal check ups to any possible procedures your dog may have experienced, by all means trust him.

I feel it's most important to find the right vet for your dog & you, & how well they interact, & then try & stay with him or her, to develop a lifelong bond between your dogs & their doctors.

Best wishes to you & your dog !

 

If it does not bother you at all (means you have budget and time for it) to seek another vet, you can do so to get other expert's advise. If the food that does not seems to give comfort and the right nutrition to your dog, I think it will not be a good idea to continue giving it to your dog.

 

So....Chicken By Products. Is this all in all a terrible thing or can it be over looked? I see it on just about every brand of commercial dog food I buy.

 

Heh. So do you really want to discuss this? Anyone who doesn't, please stop reading my post now.

If you're still reading, then....

Chicken by products are basically all of the chicken carcass bits, dried and ground up. That means the head, feet, lungs, kidneys, blood, intestines, etc. Basically anything that a company may deem that's not fit for consumption for humans. This means it may not just be bones, but also from animals that we wouldn't eat....if it doesn't specifically say chicken, that could also include dying livestock, zoo animals, and even dogs and cats, heh. There are laws in place for the last bit of that now, but it's only in some countries, so if you're not getting it from some made in the US or Canada, then don't hold your breath (or maybe hold it, heh). Also, keep in mind that because some of those animals may have been euthanized, the chemicals from that process can also end up in the food. I could go on, but I think you get the idea....

That being said, at the same time, you're not really going to find many foods that don't contain meat meal or byproduct of some sort. It's one of the things that helps keep it cheap. And they *do* process and render the foods, so it's not like you're simply slopping that stuff in their dish....it's been cleaned and cooked, etc. And as humans, we sometimes eat things that sound just as disgusting, so it may not be so bad...

 

I did some more digging and you may find this interesting (and gross?):

http://www.naturalnews.com/012647_pet_food_dog.html

Keep in mind that articles like this tend to be a bit sensationalized, too, so take it with a grain of salt if you decide to read it. There are a bunch of sources at the end, though, so it's not just a single person making this stuff up.

 

Sensationalized yes. But I'm betting there are many grains of truth to this. It grosses me out to think that my dog is eating another dog. I guess I should try to feed him Dog Food produced in the U.S.

 

This is awful. I heard that sometimes dog food is made of dead dogs . This is why I'm so careful when I'm buying foo for Homer and I was talking to vet about this - he recommend me a 'safe' food. It's quite expensive though