Do you need to buy food for your dog at Walmart? What food would be best for your dog? To answer these questions, let’s talk about commercial dog food, the characteristics and classification of this type of dog food.
Best dog food for chihuahua at Walmart
Walmart is a chain of hypermarkets that not only sell clothing, but also food, electronics, and other products like pet’s stuffs. Among these products are industrial foods. But what would be the best food to buy for dogs? There is no right answer to this question. Because the best food will depend on the dog’s needs.
In general, it is recommended to purchase industrial foods of the super-premium type, specific to the breed or size of dogs. In addition, there are foods for the specific dog’s age whether they are puppies, adults or even the elderly. If the animal has any pathology, there are specific foods to prevent the animal from worsening its clinical condition, such as hypoallergenic, dermatological, liver, kidney, and neutered dogs’ foods.
How to know the best food for your dog
The best way to find out the best type of food for your dog is to consult a veterinary nutritionist. During the consultation, the veterinarian will do a general examination of the animal; some laboratory tests may be requested.
According to the routine, health status and availability of tutors, the veterinary nutritionist will prescribe a balanced diet for the dog. In addition, he will prescribe the appropriate amount of food that the dog should eat daily to avoid diseases or predispose the animal to the appearance of various pathologies.
As for treats, nutritionists can prescribe the frequency, amount, and the best way to offer this extra food to dogs. There are several types of snacks on the market, and it is important never to overdo the amount of this type of food.
About the Industrial foods for dogs
Dogs can feed on industrial foods that are manufactured to meet all the dog’s dietary needs when provided in adequate amounts. Each manufacturer has a feed formula and therefore the amounts of food to be offered to dogs also change according to the animal’s weight.
Industrial food can be divided into regular, premium, and super-premium.
- Regular foods are industrial foods made to supply the basic dogs diet. It is usually made from grains and may contain dyes. Dogs need to eat more food to meet their nutritional needs.
- Premium foods are foods that reduce the amount of grain and increase the amount of meat, including vegetables, fruits, and even natural probiotics. They are better foods and tend to always maintain their composition. Dogs tend to need less food when compared to regular food.
- Super-premium tends to be the best foods on the market today, in addition to meeting the dog’s nutritional needs, they are foods without artificial flavors and colors and cuts synthetic preservatives. A small amount of food is sufficient to meet the food needs of dogs.
Along with industrial food, snacks can be offered, and foods such as fruits, vegetables and even meats. However, there is no need to add these types of foods. That’s why they should be done periodically to avoid the dog’s diet being unbalanced.
Industrial food for dogs also can be for specific breeds, small, medium, and large dogs, in addition to dry and pasty foods. These foods can also be specific foods for dogs with:
- kidney disease;
- Liver;
- Cardiac;
- Allergic;
- Calorie reduction;
- others.
These foods are balanced for each different type of dog. Administration is indicated according to what is indicated on the label of each industrial food.
kidney disease
Dogs with kidney disease should be fed foods that reduce the stimulation and kidneys overwork. Thus, industrialized diets for dogs with kidney disease have less protein and phosphorus.
In addition, industrial foods for dogs with kidney problems are rich in EPA and DHA, Omega 3 fatty acids known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help keep the kidney functioning.
Liver
Industrial foods for dogs with liver problems can prevent further damage to liver cells. They are foods produced with less copper content, preventing its accumulation and cell damage to liver cells. In addition to being a food made with vegetable protein, better tolerated by dogs with liver damage.
Heart
Industrial foods for dogs with heart problems have adequate levels of magnesium, sodium and potassium, these supplements can help in the proper functioning of the heart muscles, contributing to a regular beat.
Allergic
Allergies in dogs can occur for a variety of reasons but are usually associated with the consumption of poultry, beef, wheat, and dairy products. Industrial food for allergic dogs is the use of meats such as lamb and rabbit.
In addition, processed foods for allergic dogs contain smaller proteins called hydrolyzed proteins, which go unnoticed by the immune system, preventing the allergic reaction from being triggered.
Calorie reduction
There are special industrial foods for obese dogs. These foods typically have a lower fat and energy content but retain a higher amount of protein and fiber. Supplying the nutritional needs of dogs without extrapolating the caloric gain.
Others
There are other industrial foods for different types of pathologies or even different production and quality. To provide the best type of food for a dog a veterinarian should be consulted.
Conclusion
Walmart is a very large supermarket company that can offer several products for dog food. The best food to buy in these stores will be the diet prescribed by a veterinary nutritionist. These commercial diets will generally be super-premium for the age and breed/size of the dogs. Thus, meeting all the dogs nutritional needs generates health and quality of life for these animals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Best dog food for chihuahua at Walmart
What are the types of industrial food for dogs?
Industrial food can be divided into regular, premium, and super-premium. And these foods can still be divided into different breeds and sizes, in addition to being classified as:
- Vegan;
- Hypoallergenic;
- Gastrointestinal;
- Heart;
- Renal;
- Liver;
- Neutered dogs;
- Moist;
- Organic;
- Others.
What foods are toxic for dogs?
Common foods that are highly toxic to dogs are:
- Grapes and Raisins;
- Xylitol;
- Chocolate;
- Tea;
- Coffee;
- Onions;
- Garlic;
- Alcohol.
Can you put salt in dog food?
Yes, but salt should be offered to dogs in small amounts. The sodium present in salt is a very important mineral for the proper functioning of the dog’s organism. If in doubt, consult a veterinarian.
References
Araújo, I. C. S., Furtado, A. P., Araújo, G. C. P., & Rocha, C. G. (2018). Effect of the diet of healthy dogs on clinical analysis and behavioral aspects. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, 70, 689-698.
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