Dog owners need to get careful about pet nutrition! It’s because dogs are exactly like humans in matters of body weight. They can become underweight or overweight if you don’t manage the nutrition adequately. There are other health conditions and situations where your dog might have to gain a few extra calories. Today, you have access to a broad range of dog food and supplements to help your furry friend gain weight.
You must consult your veterinarian before you choose on the dog food to gain mass. It will help you to make the correct choice and stay away from any harmful side effects. Do you want to know about the best weight gaining foods for your dog? If yes, you can check out Dog Lovers Pup. But before that, make sure that your dog is underweight.
Signs that your pet is underweight
A few signs that your pet dog is underweight are:
- Drastically less energy level.
- Visible shoulders, hips, or ribs.
- Isolation and depression.
- Reduced shine and poor coat condition.
- Very poor eating habits.
The type of dog food that helps in weight gain
The apt food which will help your dog gain weight needs to have a few traits. Other than being nutritious and healthy, it is also appealing for your dog. The foods that qualify are:
-
Palatability
Dogs tend to eat food that has good taste. Wet meals usually are tasty as compared to the dry ones. Homemade foods are generally tastier than other food options. However, if you want to cook dog food, make sure to consult a veterinary nutritionist who can suggest you on the ingredients that you should add to make the platter nutritionally balanced and complete.
-
Easy to digest
If a dog food is easily digestible, it measures the nutrient that the dog has absorbed. If you give your good, highly edible food, it indicates that the dog doesn’t have to eat in excess to gain nutritional value. It saves your dog from overeating. There’s no way to evaluate a food’s digestibility simply by reading through the label. But you need to take care of fiber, as its indigestible. It means you need to avert the high-fiber foods. The other way to check the digestibility is by checking the dog’s stool frequency. If the food gets easily digested, then there will be no fluctuations in the bowel movement.
-
Dense in calories
Dog food, which is dense in calories, usually have a high energy level condensed in a small food portion. Hence, your dog can eat a lesser amount and feel full and energetic. Fortunately, you can get all the details about the dog’s food in the food label. You can decipher the kcal/kg, kcal/can, and kcal/cup and choose the one that’s best for you. Usually, fat offers more calories every gram as compared to carbohydrates or protein. Hence, high-fat foods are generally denser in terms of calories as compared to low-fat foods. Your dog requires higher protein levels when it needs to gain weight.
You can choose from the dog food and supplements available online and in-store, dedicated to weight gain.