What is the difference between pet food for small and medium dog breeds and large dog breeds?
The first difference between these products is that the size of the chunks is adapted to the size of the animal's muzzle. A chunk that is too small may be swallowed whole, which may cause digestive problems. On the other hand, your pet may choke on a chunk that is too large, or even refuse to eat the food.
The growth of larger dog breeds must be controlled to prevent skeletal anomalies. This involves reducing the amount of fat in the food and ensuring the animals get enough minerals (calcium and phosphorus) in their diets. Food for large breeds is often enriched with glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin. These substances, naturally present in a dog's body, help prevent joint damage and pain.
Very small dog breeds have small stomachs, so they eat less and their food must have a higher energy and nutrient density to ensure they get all everything they need –including protein, carbs and fats- to meet all their requirements.
Pronature Premium recommends -from its dog line- the Small and Medium Breeds-Maintenance-Chicken formula and the Large Breed-Maintenance-Chicken formula according to the specific needs of your pet, and the All Breeds-Maintenance- Formulated with Lamb and Rice for dogs with specific food allergies.
What are the effects of giving my 6-month-old puppy adult dog food?
Adult dog food does not meet a puppy's dietary needs. Maintenance formulas for adult dogs are not designed for growing animals because the amount of nutrients they contain is not adequately balanced in relation to their calorie content. A growing puppy needs up to twice as much energy as an adult dog of the same weight. Since a puppy would have to eat a greater quantity of adult dog food to meet its energy needs, it would be unable to eat enough of the adult food to get the energy and nutrients it requires.
Giving your puppy adult dog food may result in your puppy eating too much of certain nutrients, such as calcium. Excess calcium can lead to bone anomalies that slow growth, resulting in smaller adult size.
Overeating may cause digestive problems, stomach pains and diarrhea. We recommend you give your puppy food that is specially formulated for growing animals.
A dog's growth rate is very rapid for the first 12 months of life. After this time, the growth rate slows, so we recommend you give your dog a maintenance formula. For small and large breed dogs, this period may be shorter or longer, respectively. This means you may start to give your pet adult dog food earlier or later according to its breed requirements.
Does Pronature Premium have any specific food for the correct nutrition of my puppy?
Pronature Premium has developed different puppy formulas to suit your puppy’s specific needs: Small and Medium Breeds-Growth- Chicken formula, Large Breed- Growth-Chicken formula and All Breeds-Growth- No Corn, No Wheat, No Soy- Chicken formula.
Pronature Premium puppy foods contain protein primarily from superior quality chicken meal. Their fat content has been adjusted to promote healthy brain and nervous system growth while contributing to the development of good eyesight and healthy skin. The essential omega-3 fatty acids contained in flaxseed help strengthen your puppy’s immune system. The prebiotics in Pronature Premium Puppy formulas promote the growth of beneficial intestinal flora to improve digestion. They also contain lecithin for a shiny, healthier coat.
My pet has a tendency to gain weight. Does Pronature Premium have a formula to help him maintain a healthy weight?
Yes. Pronature Premium has designed special formulas adapted to the needs of less active and senior cats and dogs that have a tendency to put on extra pounds. These formulas will help your pet achieve and maintain its ideal weight and their higher fibre content make your cat feel full, thus reducing his appetite.
For cats, Pronature Premium offers Adult, Less Active and Senior, Chicken formula.
For dogs, Pronature Premium recommends Adult, Less active and Senior, All Breeds, Chicken formula, which contains glucosamine and chondroitin, two natural supplements to help reduce joint pain caused by excess weight or aging deterioration.
How do light, fat-reduced and calorie-reduced formulas differ from one another?
1. Light Formula
According to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), a light adult dog food may not contain more than 3100 kcal of metabolizable energy per kg of food. A light adult cat food must not contain more than 3250 kcal / per kg of food.
2. Fat-reduced Formula
According to the CVMA, a fat-reduced formula for adult dogs may not contain more than 9% gross fat. A similar food for adult cats may not contain more than 10% gross fat.
3. Calorie-reduced Formula
According to the CVMA, a calorie-reduced formula must contain 25% fewer calories per equal feeding than a comparable product from the same product line (often the maintenance formula). These products may not contain more than 2750 kcal of metabolizable energy per kg of food if formulated for dogs. Or no more than 2860 kcal per kg of food in the case of cat food. The percentage of the reduced number of calories and the name of the product to which the calorie-reduced formula is being compared must be indicated on the label.
What is FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease)?
FLUTD refers to all conditions that affect a cat's lower urinary system (bladder, urethra), including infections, malformations and/or the presence of crystals . In all cases, symptoms range from more frequent or uncomfortable urination, to the presence of blood in the urine to a complete blockage of the urethra with non-existent urination if crystals are present.
To decrease the formation of struvite crystals, our cat food formulas are designed to reduce the amount of minerals (mainly magnesium) in your pet's diet. We also ensure that your cat's urinary pH is slightly acidic to help dissolve any crystals that may form in the urinary system.
You must ensure your cat has a constant source of fresh, clean drinking water served in a clean dish (cats are finicky!) since decreased water intake may be a predisposing factor.
Your cat must also have an easily accessible litter box with clean litter.
Ask your vet about the available diets on the market that help prevent struvite crystal formation and seek veterinarian care if you suspect your cat is suffering from a urinary condition.
Is the urinary pH adjusted in all your cat foods?
All PLB cat food formulas are designed to maintain a slightly acidic urinary pH to reduce the formation of struvite crystals in the urinary tract.
How does a "hairball control" formula work?
Some animals, like rabbits and cats, swallow a lot of hair when they groom themselves. This hair can accumulate and form balls in their digestive tracts. As a result, the animals may have digestive problems or vomit regularly in order to eliminate the hairballs from their systems.
A hairball control formula allows your pet to eliminate hairballs, thanks to the effect of fibre in the digestive tract. Food with a high-fibre content helps your pet continually eliminate hairballs from its system and prevents them from forming. The chunks of food in this formula are the perfect size for your pet's mouth, which means your cat will chew its food properly. Food with chunks that are too large may cause nausea or vomiting.
If your cat has a hairball problem, Pronature Premium recommends its Adult Cat- Hairball Control- Maintenance- Chicken formula, specially designed to help it deal with this unpleasant situation.
What factors and foods contribute to the build up of intestinal gas in dogs?
Intestinal gas can build up 4 ways:
- Swallowed air;
- Gas being transferred from the blood into the intestines;
- Acid-base neutralization reactions that produce carbon dioxide;
- Bacterial fermentation of nutrients in the digestive tract, which produces hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide.
How to treat flatulence
- Control aerophagia by feeding your dog at least twice a day or by ensuring there is always food in your dog's dish so that he may eat whenever he feels hungry. This prevents your dog from swallowing too much air and gets your pet used to eating a smaller quantity of food at a time. Place your dog's food in a quiet area, where your pet will not feel he is competing with other animals when eating. Doing so will also allow your dog to enjoy the health benefits of eating more slowly.
- Avoid foods rich in fibre and those containing soy or wheat germ. Do not give your dog vegetables with lots of seasonings, vitamin or mineral supplements, milk, foods with a high sulphur content or protein-rich foods.
- Give your dog easily digested food.
Does Pronature Premium have a specific product that may help my pet produce less gas?
With both puppies and adult dogs in mind, Pronature Premium developed the “No-Corn, No Wheat, No-Soy” formulas. Some puppies and adult dogs may develop adverse reactions, such as excessive gas production, to specific food ingredients. That’s why Pronature Premium has replaced the wheat, corn and soy with oats, brewer’s rice and barley. These three grains are easily digested and are a good source of energy. They also allow better absorption of nutrients and contain adequate fibre levels, noticeably reducing stool volume.
As these products are very tasty, some dogs may have a tendency to bolt their food, thus swallowing too much air when they eat. To remedy this, we recommend modifying your animal's behaviour to get it to eat more slowly.
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