What I should do if my pet is selective in its diet?
The management of picky eating in pets is very important for several reasons. Diets are the key to the lives of our companions, impacting their activity level, coat quality, and healthy skin, as well as the immune system. Puppies and other animals have a way of ignoring certain food groups; thus, if your dog picky eater keeps avoiding a particular food group, he or she is likely to starve and catch serious diseases.
It is important to note that a pet’s choice in food is usually very different from what is considered to be healthy. Therefore, through flavoring, consistency variation, and establishing favorable perceptions toward meals, your dog picky eater’s eating habits can be regulated to accommodate healthier diets. One must always observe whether your pet has signs of the diseases that result in selective eating and visit a vet if the case persists.
Strategies to Get a Dog Picky Eater to Accept New Forms of Food
If you possibly have a fussy eater among your pets, here are some tips that may help to make your dog picky eater try out new foods. Here’s a detailed approach:
1.Gradual Introduction
This is because; the process should be eased through the gradual addition of the new food to the existing diet of the pet. It is recommended that they add a little of the new food to their known food and gradually change the proportions from time to time. This makes your pet to erase with the new change in the taste and texture of the pet food.
2.Enhance the Flavor
In rare cases, a kid becomes a choosy eater and is more curious with food in terms of smell or taste. A little something your pet loves will go a long way in making the new food more palatable, add a little warm broth, Parmesan cheese, or wet food. Reheating the food can also make it smell even more and look appetizing.
3.Create a Positive Association
Turn the mealtimes into a pleasant procedure for your child. Bribe the pet with a cuddle, a pat or a food reward every time the animal behaves in a manner that suggests that they are interested in the new food. Do not force them to take the food as this can make the child develop a wrong perception about the food.
4.Routine and Consistency
Dogs and cats in particular, are creatures of habit, meaning they prefer a fixed schedule of activities throughout the day. Offer food in fixed sittings and at the same time of the day and in a single location where everybody can eat from. Food calls may make them come to eat; consistency could help build some sense of security and may make them come to eat if food is provided. You should not free-feed because a regular feeding schedule makes your pet more willing to eat during the set meals.
5.Limit Treats and Snacks
If your pet indulges in Treats or snacks during the day, chances are, they will not be very hungry when it is time to eat the actual meals. Reduce the servings of the treats and give them only after your companion has eaten some of the food usually fed on. This restates what has been said that they require to take their main food first.
6.Change the Ingredient’s Texture and Taste
Just as pets might have certain preferences of the food they eat, so too can they be picky about the feel of the food on their pallets. Cat’s personalities may vary, and this includes their eating; while some may only like wet food and not dry or vice versa. Another option is to switch between the protein sources, for instance, while they sometimes might not be interested in what’s being served, change the chicken with fish or lamb and see if a new taste will attract their attention.
But if using the above strategies, you can patiently try them out, this definitely will help the picky eater to be more willing to try other foods other than the ones they like.
Selective Eating in Pets and When to Consult a Veterinarian
Such illnesses as high anxiety, age, depression and the following health disorders may lead to a pet being picky with the food it eats. Sometimes it is also necessary to pay attention to the existing problems and understand when you should address the vet.
1.Dental Problems
Predominantly, one main reason why a pet becomes selective with the food it consumes is due to pain in the mouth. Some of the indications that your pet may be having a dental problem such as sore gums, broken teeth, or other related complications may have the tendency of avoiding hard or crunchy foods. Lump or swelling in and around the jaws, excessive salivation, foul smell from the mouth, and rubbing the face with paw are some of the signs related to dental troubles. This is why if any of these signs are observed, the teeth and gums of a pet must be examined by a vet.
2.Gastrointestinal Issues
This is true especially if your pet is suffering from a condition such as an upset stomach or acid reflux, food allergies and so on, it will refuse to eat. Some animals may have felt some level of discomfort when consuming certain foods, and therefore refuse to take such foods. Thomas et al (2001) states that abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, and gas or bloating suggest GI problems. Such symptoms require a visit to the vet to ascertain the cause of the illness and get your pet appropriate treatment.
3.Parasites
Internal parasites including worms affect the reduction of appetite. They can also attach themselves to parts of the digestive tract, and hinder digestion and absorption of nutrients which results to loss of appetite and consequently weight loss. A routine physical examination by a vet and fecal examination can aid in identifying and addressing parasites before they endanger your pet’s health.
4.Kidney or Liver Disease
Kidney and liver disease are likewise possible causes of reduced appetite in pets with chronic diseases. Since nausea is a side effect caused by kidney diseases, pets may not be able to eat as a result of this. Likewise, loss of appetite happens if liver disease has reached a stage where toxins are beginning to build up in the body. Signs such as drinking too much water, frequenting the bathroom, listlessness or jaundice in the eyes and the gums warrant an appointment with the vet.
5.Stress or Anxiety
Stress or any form of anxiety can also make you a picky eater. Illness, modifications to the household, new pets or any other stress factors are likely to make a pet lose appetite. This is even so if your pet has developed the habit of refusing food at certain times of the day or as soon as his/her routine has changed, you should take him or her to the vet or a pet behavior specialist.
At what stage to turn to a vet. However, if the selective eating is coupled with other signs of discomfort for instance; weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, change in behavior or fatigue then one should see a vet without waiting to be told.
Ensuring Nutritional Needs Are Met for Selective Eaters
It can be a problem to make sure your pet, a picky eater or a choosy dog or cat, consumes all these nutrients but with the right techniques, the pet can be forced to have a balanced diet.
1.Select a Premium High quality well – Balanced pet food
Begin with feeding your pet with high-quality pet food because it’s developed to fulfill your pet’s nutritional requirement. Choose products that are marked as ‘complete and balanced’ by the authorities such as the AAFCO. These come formulated to contain in equal proportions all the nutrients that the pet needs and this makes feeding difficult pets easy because it is unlikely to choose not to eat due to the variety.
2.Supplement Wisely
Supplementing the diet may be necessary to the extent that, if your pet does not eat vegetables or certain kinds of proteins, consistently, they will need them. For instance, if they decline fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, one can incorporate a fish oil supplement to the meals. However, you need to first speak to the vet especially when you decide to add supplements and you do not want to either supplement or lack some nutrients in the diet.
3.Incorporate Variety Slowly
Feed your pet samples of a large number of foods from the group at different periods to ensure that they get most of the nutrients in the group. Exchange the sources of protein daily or even in consecutive meals for example chicken, beef or fish, and kinds of vegetables. This may assist in complementing any areas of the foods your pet may exclude from its diet. The use of new foods should be cautious, especially when the child is being introduced to new foods to avoid an allergic reaction.
4.Regular cooked diets should be replaced with home-cooked diets or diets prepared without heating to preserve more nutrients.
All these things are related if your pet is overly selective with foods or if you wish to switch to home-cooked or raw meals. Nevertheless, these diets have to be well-planned to meet proper nutritional needs of the human body. When choosing to feed your pet homemade food it is important to consult a veterinarian or a pet nutritionist to ensure all necessary nutrients are incorporated. They can assist when deciding on the proportionate meal plan in order to cater the specific needs of a pet.
5.Use Food Toppers
Meals can be made appealing through food toppers and this makes your pet willing to eat. These are palate wetting, nutrient densely packed supplements that are used in decorating their routine meals. Some toppers are formulated to contain additional vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients, this would be of great benefit if your pet is deprived of specific meals.