Dog Food and Your Dog's Heart: Tips on Maintaining Your Pet’s Health

The most common types of heart disease (accounting for around 95%) are the result of wear and tear throughout the course of a dog's life. These include myocardial disease (enlarged heart), pericardial disease (fluid on the heart) and chronic valvular disease (weakened heart), otherwise known as acquired heart diseases. Heart disease in dogs that is acquired may be the result of old age, a bad diet or injury. As a responsible pet owner, there are a few things you can do to help keep your dog healthy and avoid such issues in the future.

Maintaining the Ideal Body Weight For Your Dog

There are many ways you can help to maintain your dog's ideal weight, in addition to going on regular walks. You could also make your dog complete activities to receive treats, which will not only help it lose weight but also teach obedience. In terms of diet, only feeding your dog at certain times of the day will make it easier to track calorie intake, while regular weighing at home is great for spotting weight gain and adjusting diet accordingly.

Dogs are omnivorous, so they eat both meat and plant-based foods. A balanced diet (a raw food diet is best) consisting of both types of food is essential, as too much protein can mean an intake of too many calories, which can eventually lead to a greater strain on the heart. A balanced diet is key to keeping your pet healthy but the right supplements can help fill in the gaps.

Addressing Nutrient Deficiencies With Omega 3

Omega 3 for dogs is recommended for use in preventing disease due to the fact that canines are unable to produce this important nutrient themselves. It's best to give your dog this nutrient in supplement form as natural sources of these fatty acids in things like vegetable oil can't be converted well enough to make use of their beneficial properties.