How to Feed Pets on a Restricted Diet

AGAWAM, Mass. - Sept. 10, 2015 - PRLog -- Purchasing pet food is something that millions of households do on regular basis across the nation. A portion of those making the purchase, however, are in need of food that will meet the needs of a pet that is on a restricted diet. Many pets suffer from a variety of conditions that prompt pet parents to seek out food to help with their symptoms. When it comes to feeding pets on a restricted diet, however, there is more to it than just switching food overnight and leaving it at that. Doing that will not help you determine if you made the right call and if it’s helping your pet.

“Feeding a pet that needs a restricted diet can be tricky, and most people are not sure where to begin with it,” explains Dave Ratner, owner of Dave’s Pet Foods. “While it may seem like a scary task to try and feed such pets, it’s not nearly as complicated as it may seem, especially if you follow a few guidelines with doing so.”

Here are some tips for feeding pets on a restricted diet:

·      Talk to Your Vet. The first step before making any major change in your pet’s diet should always be talking with your veterinarian. List the symptoms that your dog or cat is experiencing, such as itching or diarrhea. The vet can determine whether your pet is suffering from a kidney problem or food allergy and steer you to the right type of food for your pet.

·      Determine restriction. The first step is to determine what type of restriction your pet may need when it comes to their food. This may be something you learn from the vet, or it could come from your own conclusions from knowing and observing your pet. Some pets may experience digestive problems, diabetes, allergies, or weight problems.

·      Locate ideal food. Once you know what the dietary restriction is for your pet, you want to select a high quality option. Look for pet foods that are all-natural and are free of fillers and dyes. By keeping the diet more natural and wholesome, you will be eliminating some of the more common ingredients that may bring pets discomfort.

·      Try it out. Ideally, you want to try the food out for around eight weeks to see how your pet does on it. This will give you a long enough run with it to see if they are benefiting from the food selection.

·      Observe your pet. During the eight weeks that you are giving your pet the new restricted diet, watch to see how they react to it. If you see beneficial signs, great, but if there are any negative signs it’s time to call the vet. At the end of the eight weeks determine if your pet did better on that new food so you can determine if you will continue with it or if you should try another option. Sometimes it may take trying a couple of foods before you find one that works best for your pet.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the food when you go select what to purchase,” added Ratner. “With some patience and understanding of labels you will be able to do it. You just have to hang in there and find the one that works for your pet. It’s important to buy food that matches where your pet is at during each stage of life.”

Dave’s Pet Foods offers a line of cat and dog foods that are all natural, healthy, and focus on providing affordable options for the consumer. In addition to the regular line, there are also restricted diet varieties. The line also features 95 premium meat options for cats. The product line contains both dry and canned food. The products are all made in the USA and are all grain free. Dave’s Pet Foods is also a small business advocate, helping to fight for sales tax fairness and data security. For more information, visit the site at: www.davespetfood.com.