Facts About Feeding Dogs

Robin Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:13 am

Facts about Feeding Dogs

Milk is a food and not a substitute for water. As a food, milk is incomplete and does not provide a balanced diet. It can be useful as a treat for some dogs, however, large quantities of milk may not be well tolerated. Milk contains lactose, which requires the enzyme lactase for breakdown in the intestinal tract. If the intestinal tract does not contain sufficient lactase, consumption of a high level of lactose can cause diarrhoea in some pets.

Repeatedly adding raw eggs to a dog's diet can cause a deficiency of the vitamin biotin. Raw egg whites contain avidin; an enzyme which ties up biotin (makes it unavailable for absorption into the body). Symptoms of biotin deficiency include dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), loss of hair, and poor growth.

Some raw fish can cause a deficiency of the vitamin thiamine. Symptoms of a thiamine deficiency include anorexia (complete loss of appetite), abnormal posture, weakness, seizures, and even death. Repeatedly adding raw fish to the diet of a cat is not recommended.

Table scraps will not provide the balanced diet which dogs require. Ideally, table scraps should not be fed. Owners who do offer them should never feed more than 10 percent of the animal's daily food intake.

Although dogs may enjoy meat, it is not a balanced diet. Raw meats may contain parasites, and cooked meats can be high in fat and do not contain a proper balance of nutrients.

Raw liver, fed daily in large quantities, can cause vitamin A Toxicity in dogs. This is particularly true if it is fed along with a complete and balanced diet already containing ample vitamin A.

Small soft bones (such as pork chop or chicken bones) should never be given to dogs, as they may splinter and lodge in its mouth or throat.