Should I add water to Royal Canin

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 18, 2024

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Mixed feeding your dog

Is it better to use wet dog food or dry food? Or maybe prepare your dog food yourself? These are very often asked questions new pet owners ask their vets. Proper nutrition for dogs is the key to their healthy development. So it can be a daunting task to decide whats best to feed them.

Types of dog food

The most important ingredient that differentiates wet and dry dog food is the water content. In dry foods, the moisture content is around 8%, while in wet foods, this is usually around 75%. This means that the content of nutrients, and hence metabolic energy, is definitely higher in dry foods than in wet foods.

100 grams of dry dog food contains about 370 kcal. The same amount of wet food contains "only" 100 kcal. The differences are therefore significant. This also adds to the amount of food your dog eats. To cover your daily energy needs by feeding your dog only with dry food, you need to feed it about 3-4 times less than if we fed your dog only with wet food.

Wet dog food may have more stimuli affecting your dog's sense of taste. Dry dog food is more difficult to chew, which can be a problem for some animals. There are dogs that are particularly picky, so will only play with dry food instead of actually eating it. This may be due to the difficulty in chewing on hard kibbles. The dog can then treat them as a toy, not food.

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

Both types of feed have their pros and cons, which is why pet owners are increasingly choosing to combine them. This is a good solution that can bring many benefits.

Combining wet and dry food brings a number of benefits. When it is necessary to switch a pet to a wet diet, the body will be prepared for such a change. This change can be carried out efficiently, quickly, and most importantly, without any unpleasant consequences.

There is no need to mix the dry food and the wet food in the one bowl when you feed your dog. In fact, you don't even need to serve them at the same time. One of the benefits of dry food is it doesn't spoil easily or leave a strong smell, which makes it perfect to leave out during the day if your dog likes to snack rather than gobble their food down. Then you can serve them their wet food in the evenings.

There are, however, two important points to keep in mind.

Mixed feeding your dog

Types of dog food

Wet dog food will definitely have more values and stimuli affecting your dogs sense of taste. Dry dog food is more difficult to chew, which can be a problem for some animals. There are dogs that are particularly picky, so will only play with dry food instead of actually eating it. This may be due to the difficulty in chewing on hard kibbles. The dog can then treat them as a toy, not food.

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

Both types of feed have their pros and cons, which is why pet owners are increasingly choosing to combine them. This is a good solution that can bring many benefits.

There are, however, two important points to keep in mind.

Mixed feeding your dog

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

As we have discussed above, both types of diets, dry and wet, have their unique benefits. So what about using both together? Combining wet and dry food can be a good solution bringing many benefits to your pet. So how can you start doing this with your dog?

A lot of how to feed your dog will come down to your dogs personal preference. Some dogs will prefer their wet food separate from the kibbles as they each have their own unique aromatic profiles to encourage your pet to eat them. Others might enjoy them mixed together, but in this case it is best to be served fresh at the same time each day. There is no requirement to mix the dry food and the wet food in the one bowl when you feed your dog; In fact, you don't even need to serve them at the same time. One of the benefits of dry food is it doesn't spoil easily, which makes it perfect to leave out during the day if your dog likes to snack rather than gobble their food down. Then you can serve them their wet food in one to two set mealtimes during the day to best fit into your schedules.

Some additional tips for mixed feeding include:

1. Gently heating the wet food. This helps to release some of the great aromas in the wet food to encourage them to eat it. Important that this is only done in 5 second bursts, and to make sure you check the centre of the food with your finger to make sure it isnt too warm to touch and give it a good stir before serving it to your dog.

2. Make sure you clean the bowl used for the wet food after every meal. Even though your dog will lick the bowl clean, some of the oils and fats in the wet food will stick behind. These can convert to a rancid smell quickly. Remember your dog has a very sensitive nose, so this might discourage them from eating the fresh food you have put in the bowl.

3. For fussy eaters, a small amount of warm water mixed with the wet food can turn into a gravy to mix into the dry food.

4. Remember that any change in diet, including the introduction of wet food if they have not been mixed fed previously, should be done slowly and with care. Just like us, our dogs have a unique set of bacteria in their intestines that responds to the food your dog is fed. Therefore, a change in diet will result in a shift of this bacteria population that needs to be done slowly to prevent things like diarrhoea from a quick transition.

Is Your Cat Dehydrated?

Why water intake is key for your cats urinary health

A cat needs water to survive, just like you do. Water lubricates joints, enables digestion, helps maintain body temperature, and facilitates circulation. In fact, almost every bodily function relies on water.

Water is especially vital to your cats urinary system, which uses water to flush waste products from the body. Without sufficient water, toxic materials accumulate, which can lead to cat health issues like kidney disease, bladder stones, and FLUTD.

What is dehydration?

Your cat constantly loses fluids throughout the day as it breathes, sweats, and urinates. Usually, a cat will replace these fluids by drinking fresh water and eating food. When this balance is disrupted, and the cat loses more fluids than it takes in, it becomes dehydrated.

Dehydration is a serious problem because it can lead to imbalances in electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which are needed for proper organ function.

Without enough electrolytes, the organs shut down. This, combined with water loss and a build-up of bodily toxins, can quickly lead to major health problems. Dehydration can also result in circulatory problems.

Even cats with mild dehydration risk developing health issues, as insufficient fluid leads to more concentrated urine, which increases the likelihood of crystals and urinary stones forming.

Causes of dehydration in cats

Dehydration occurs when a cat loses fluids faster than it can replace them.

This can happen because a cat isnt drinking enough water, but often its because theyre losing fluids at an increased rate due to hot weather or an illness. Common causes of dehydration include:

Diabetes
Kidney disease
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Fever
Trauma
Heatstroke
Decreased urine production

If your cat is unwell, they may experience a loss of appetite and avoid drinking. This can trigger or worsen their dehydration.

Are some cats prone to dehydration?

Any cat can become dehydrated, but senior cats, kittens, and those with an existing illness like diabetes or kidney disease, have a higher chance of developing dehydration.

How to tell if a cat is dehydrated

The clinical signs of dehydration vary depending upon whats causing the fluid loss and how severe the cats dehydration is. Common signs include:

Loss of energy
Weakness
Tacky or dry gums
Lack of appetite
Sunken eyes
Panting

Cats suffering from dehydration because of an illness may show other signs connected with the condition, like vomiting, diarrhea, or drooling. If your cat is drinking a lot more than usual but still showing signs of dehydration, it may also indicate a problem.

If you suspect your cat has dehydration, try to check their gums. Normally, a cats gums feel wet and slimy to the touch. If your cat is dehydrated, the gums may feel tacky and dry.

Another test is to pinch or lift the skin on your cats shoulder blades. Usually, the skin will snap back into position in the same way the skin on the back of your hand does when its pinched. If the skin is slow to settle, it could be a sign of dehydration.

These tests arent conclusive, so if you think your cat is dehydrated or is showing any of the signs weve highlighted here, you should contact your vet immediately.

What to do if your cat is dehydrated

There are things you can do around your home to encourage your cat to drink more and stay hydrated. However, if your cat is dehydrated, they need to see a vet.

While some dehydrated cats will continue to drink and eat, they may not be able to consume enough water to compensate for the fluid theyre losing.

Your vet will be able to conduct tests to identify the cause and severity of your cats dehydration and recommend the appropriate management options. For milder cases, a vet may recommend subcutaneous fluids (giving fluids into the space under the skin), while cats with severe dehydration may require hospitalization to allow fluids to be delivered directly into their bloodstream through an IV.

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madmum

Date

28.08.03 14:11 UTC

I have a 5 month german shepherd and a 10 week old bull mastiff they have royal canin and have just been reading on here about soaking dried food but royal canin says it should be fed dry so now Im completely confused any help as I want to do whats best thanks sam

slmiddleton

Date

28.08.03 18:00 UTC

My 6 month old Golden Retriver has Royal Canin. On the breeder's advice, I add a couple of spoons of water to moisten it a bit. I wouldn't soak it, just a little water seems to make it more appealing. If it's fairly dry, it does help with keeping the teeth clean. Don't worry to much about what it says on the bag. For example, it states that an adult Golden Retriever's weight is between 25 and 32kg. Dylan is already 30kg at 6 months, and I think he will be close to 40kgs by the time he has finished!Sarah

Do whatever your dogs prefer. I add a little cold water to it, just so I know she is getting enough water as she is not one to drink a lot.

By John

Date

28.08.03 20:29 UTC

Hi Sam.If you think back to the days when everyone fed tinned food, a large percentage of that was water. Water is (Obviously) essential to a dog so when feeding a dry complete food the amount of water given to the same dog needs to be increased by the amount which was originally in the tin (if you can follow my logic!!!) Really it matters no whether you give some water mixed with the food or whether you give it separately although with a young dog I do prefer to feed it moist rather than dry. It often makes the food more palatable to the dog and rather more important; its my guarantee that they really have had some moisture. To not take on some moisture one way or the other when feeding can cause the dog problems by absorbing all the moisture in the stomach. We have all seen the puppy that has just eaten as a visitor arrives; the pup gets excited and completely forgets to drink!Regards, John

corso girl

Date

28.08.03 21:17 UTC

The 5 month old is okay with it being dry but the 10 weekold Bullmastiff needs it soaked with hot water and then left to cool as at 10 weeks it cant cope to well with hard food.