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Some food for thought when changing pet's diet

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Nothing sparks an upset stomach in a pet faster than a change in diet. We see it when animals come into the shelter and we hear about when animals get into their new homes. Unlike people, our pets aren't looking for a variety in their meals; they need consistency or risk becoming ill from the sudden change. There are, however, many times when change may be necessary. Your pet may be moving from puppy or kitten food to adult food, changing to a special diet because of allergies or health issues, or maybe you're just switching to a new brand.

When changing a pet's food, the key thing to remember is that it will take time. Simply switching out your pet's food altogether at their next meal can easily leading to issues like diarrhea as your pet tries to adjust to the sudden change. Additionally, some pets will respond negatively to new food if it is added in too quickly. Pets are very sensitive to new smells and change, so they might become picky eaters and opt not to eat their new food at all.

If you need to change your pet's food for any reason, plan for the process to take anywhere from a week to 10 days. Start the switch by offering your dog a mix of 75% old food and 25% new for a couple days before switching to a 50/50 mix. If your pet has adjusted well to the 50/50 mix, after a day or two switch to a mix of 75% new food and 25% old food before completely transitioning to 100% new food. This gradual process will give your pet's stomach a chance to adjust to the change.

During the transition process, be sure to watch for signs that your pet is not adjusting well to the new food. A pet that is ill throughout the entire transition process may have an allergy to something in the new pet food. Remember that diarrhea can lead to dehydration, so make sure your pet is getting lots of fluids. If you have any concerns, talk to you vet.

Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with two parrots, a cockatoo, two cats, a bearded dragon, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org. To learn more about Cocheco Valley Humane Society, go to www.cvhsonline.org or call 603-749-5322.

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