Why do dogs like to fetch sticks?

Both vitamins and minerals are essential for the correct functioning of the body, but they are needed only in relatively small amounts. The term minerals refers to certain inorganic chemical elements and the term vitamins denotes certain vital organic compounds.

A balanced commercial diet will, by definition, contain adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals and no supplementation of the diet is advisable. However, in respect of home-prepared diets this may not be the case. Meat and offal are deficient in vitamins A, D and E and in calcium, and consequently many brands of biscuit meal come ready supplemented with these by the manufacturer, so that when the combined meat plus biscuit diet is fed it will be nutritionally adequate.

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If my dog had a serious illness would he need a different diet?

Yes, the successful control of a number of illnesses involves important dietary changes. It is particularly important in chronic renal failure where the kidneys’ inability to excrete substances derived from the breakdown of proteins results in their accumulation in the blood. High levels of these products are toxic, causing loss of appetite, vomiting and ulceration of the mouth. Feeding a diet containing minimal protein of high biological value plus more calories, vitamin B and salt than usual is an essential part of managing the disorder, and the dog should be encouraged to eat those foods usually regarded as unsuitable for pets (chocolate, ice cream, cake, chips, jam and honey) rather than meat products.

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Can crash dieting be practiced?

Total caloric restriction (complete starvation) is sometimes employed in cases where it is imperative to reduce weight quickly, e. g. in severe cardiac or joint diseases, where exercise is inadvisable or impossible.

Because the majority of owners would be unable to harden their hearts sufficiently this procedure almost always requires the dog to be hospitalized. It is a quick and effective method (the dog being provided only with water) and is not complicated, as it is in humans on ‘crash diets’, by the onset of acidosis. Dogs on this regimen remain in good health.

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The vet has said that my dog is overweight and should be slimmed. How should I do this and how will I know when she is slim enough?

Obesity, the most common nutritional disorder, is defined as the condition in which the body weight is 10% or more above normal. It almost always arises because an animal consumes more food than is needed to supply it with energy, and the surplus food is then stored as fat, especially just beneath the skin. In general, if you cannot feel a dog’s ribs it is overweight. At times hormonal and neurological disturbances will give rise to obesity but these are relatively uncommon.

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How can I stop my dog from being a finicky eater?

Quite healthy dogs may have a poor appetite for a number of reasons:

1. They may have been fed so many highly palatable ‘treats’ and titbits that their appetite is jaded.

2. They may relish the attention that an anxious owner bestows on them if they refuse to eat immediately.

3. They may have learned that their owners will bring out the highly prized, more appetizing (and more expensive) foods if they fail to eat their ‘regular’ diet.

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Are ‘treats’ or chocolate drops harmful to dogs?

No, not if given in moderation in training, or as a reward for good behavior. Too many chocolate drops, being rich in fat, and sweets (candies) rich in sugar, may contribute to obesity, to tooth decay and to the dog not eating sufficient of its normal meals. If the animal begins to reduce its protein or vitamin intake as a result, other problems could follow.

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Are dogs ever allergic to certain foods?

True allergic responses to foods are uncommon in dogs, although they are often suspected. Many reactions to foods are caused not by an allergy but by an inability to digest or absorb a particular food, so that in large amounts the food produces diarrhoea or sickness. However, in the case of a true allergy, even small amounts of that particular food will be sufficient to trigger the allergy, provided that a minimum of ten to fourteen days has elapsed from the time that type of food was first consumed by the dog. This is necessary for the dog’s body to produce sufficient antibody to give a reaction. Food allergies are not present at birth, although they may develop as early as puppyhood.

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