It is intimidating to walk up and down the long, overwhelming dog food isle at your local pet store. It almost seems like there are more types of dog food than there are breeds of dogs. The big secret here is: most dogs can eat any of these foods. Dog food which has been labeled as nutritionally complete and balanced by the Association of American Feed Control Officials will be perfectly fine for a healthy dog. However, dogs with specific health concerns may need special prescription dog food. These foods are only available through veterinarians.
Kidney Diets
Dogs suffering from chronic kidney failure need to eat food that has low amounts of protein. However, the protein that is present in prescription kidney food must be of the highest quality. A prescription kidney diet will also be low in phosphorous and sodium. While prescription kidney diets cannot reverse kidney damage,they are excellent at managing the symptoms of kidney failure. Some studies have shown that a kidney diets can appreciably extend the lifespan of a dog with kidney failure.
Joint Health Diets
Join health is very important. Even more so as dogs begin to age and they may develop joint conditions such as arthritis. Studies have shown that diets high glucosamine and chondroitin can help relieve joint pain and improve mobility in dogs suffering from such conditions. Foods containing these supplements should be available at your local dog store. If your dog is suffering from joint pain, it is best to consult with a vet. A veterinarian can prescribe specialized food designed to promote joint health which contains Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, antioxidants, and carnitine in addition to the supplements glucosamine and chondroitin. Such diets will not prevent jointpain. However, they are effective at addressing the symptoms.
