Today I wanted to talk to you about nutrition as an effective factor in improving the quality of life and survival of our little four-legged friends.
To this end, I report the extract of my interview on the Lifegate portal in an interesting and exhaustive article, written by the journalist Brunella Paciello.
The importance of nutrition for a long-lived dog
The dog's longevity can also be influenced by its diet. Dogs fed a healthy and balanced diet tend to live longer than those who eat incorrectly. If we have chosen a home-made or Barf diet for our four-legged friend, the advice is to have him followed by a veterinary nutritionist from the first months, accompanying the various phases of life with the adjustment of the rations and, perhaps, with the addition of specific supplements. And, even if we choose industrial food - whether dry or wet - the rules to follow become almost the same and contribute to determining the future development of a healthy and long-lived dog. Let's see them together with the help of Dr. Gianandrea Guidetti, pharmacist, phytotherapy expert, R&D manager of Sanypet, a company in the Nasta pet food group.
“Nutrition is always an essential factor for the health and well-being of our four-legged friends. A balanced diet, adapted to the dog's age, size and lifestyle needs, can prevent many diseases and promote a long and happy life. But how to choose the best food for our pet? What are the elements to consider? First of all, it is important to rely on nutritionists and companies with consolidated experience in pet food, who use high quality ingredients and innovative technologies, who know how to guarantee the quality and safety of the ingredients, the correct formulation of the recipes and compliance with current regulations. These experts are able to offer products suitable for the different stages of the dog's life, from kibble for puppies to specific diets for elderly dogs, through to solutions for those with weight, digestion, allergies or intolerance problems. So here are the basic rules:
read the nutritional label carefully: the label must indicate the quantity of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals present in the product;
choose a food formulated for your dog's size, age and activity level;
avoid foods with artificial ingredients, preservatives and colorings;
The use of mix feeding is always useful, i.e. the administration of both dry and wet food.