Pet Nutrition

ASK-THE-VET: DOG WON’T EAT VEGGIES

August 23rd, 2010 by Dr. Donna Spector

beagleQuestion: I just bought Halo after doing online research of dog foods. I chose Halo for my 2.5 year old Beagle who will eat anything I put in front of him and my 1.5 year old basenji who is a picky eater. She won’t touch the dried peas, carrots, and cranberries so she only eats the kibble.

How much nutrition is she lacking from the food if she won’t eat the veggies? Are there other dogs like her in which ways have been found for the dogs to eat everything? Luckily, they both enjoy frozen pea pods and carrots so I use those for snacks instead. But still…any helpful information is appreciated! BTW, it is the wild salmon dry dog food I feed them.
basenji
Answer: Hopefully this will set your mind at ease…the kibble (without the additional dried veggies) meets—and in fact, far exceeds—the nutritional requirements of your dogs every day! It is great that they enjoy frozen pea pods and carrots and these make excellent non-fattening snacks. So, no worries!

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

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ASK-THE-VET: DOG FOOD CAN FLAVORS

August 16th, 2010 by Dr. Donna Spector

img-3010-small2Question: We have been feeding him the chicken flavor, but they store was out of it! So we had to buy the Salmon flavor. My dog has been getting sick every day since. Could it be because of the flavor switch? Thanks for your help!

Answer: Some dogs are very sensitive to changes even amongst flavors as there are different primary protein sources and digestive upset can result.

Although this can happen with either dry or canned formulations it is particularly true when switching between the canned formuations as the salmon has quite a bit more fat and protein than the canned chicken formula.

I would obviously recommend getting him back on the chicken and call your store ahead of time to make sure they keep the chicken stocked for you.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

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ASK-THE-VET: CAT KIDNEY DISEASE

August 9th, 2010 by Dr. Donna Spector

oldCat-Rescue2Question: Hello, not sure if anyone reads these, but I thought I would give it a try. My 16 year old cat, Max, is developing early kidney disease. I was wondering if you could tell me what would be your most appropriate formula of canned food for his condition. Thank you very much for your time.

Answer: Thanks for writing in. I want to be clear that Halo does not make medical or prescription diets and you should ask your veterinarian about our diets as every cat with kidney disease is slightly different in their dietary requirements or restrictions. Cats with kidney disease often benefit from additional water for hydration and lower protein levels to decrease the work-load of the kidneys.

Our canned formulations are very high in moisture and can be quite good at maintaining adequate hydration. Our lowest protein cat foods are the canned lamb formula followed by the canned turkey formula and can be used successfully in some cats with kidney problems.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

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ASK-THE-VET: MY CAT PREFERS DOG FOOD

August 2nd, 2010 by Dr. Donna Spector

do-cats-refuse-dog-food-21101969Question: What do you recommend if our cat does not want to eat his own food? I tried to change his flavor (using the blue bag now) but he still seems to like the dogs food better?

Answer: Although your cat getting a nibble of Halo dog food from time to time isn’t bad (our dog foods are supplemented with taurine), I definitely don’t recommend routinely feeding them food formulated for dogs.

Cats (as strict carnivores) require higher levels of protein and fat than dogs and Halo foods are designed accordingly. Halo dog food just doesn’t have the right balance for cats to reach their optimal health level.

You can try adding our fatty acid supplement (Dream Coat) or some of the Halo Dinner Party protein sprinkle on top of his food to spark his interest. Also adding a small amount of warmed canned food on top of the dry can entice even the pickiest eater.

Good Luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

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ASK-THE-VET: MY DOG LIKES TO EAT GRASS

July 26th, 2010 by Dr. Donna Spector

dogeatinggrassQuestion: My dog likes to eat grass. Is this okay for him to do?

Answer: Pets that eat potted plants or grass may not be getting enough greens in their diet. In the wild, animals would consume fresh prey that could have eaten herbs, plants or berries.

Your dog is a good candidate for VitaGlo Daily Greens. This product provides him with healthy phytonutrients which should satisfy his green food nutritional needs.

Hope this helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

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