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Your dog needs antioxidants to help promote a healthy immune system. This is why every IAMS™ dog formula contains optimal levels of these nutrients.
Antioxidants are important naturally occurring nutrients that help maintain your dog’s health by slowing the destructive oxidative process of cellular molecules. IAMS research is advancing antioxidant nutrients for senior dogs — and the benefit is improved immune function.
Discover how the antioxidants in IAMS products can benefit your dog’s health in a number of ways.
Antioxidants are found naturally in the body and in plants such as fruits and vegetables. Common antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and certain compounds called carotenoids (like lutein and beta-carotene). When antioxidants are part of a dog’s complete diet, they can provide the following benefits:
As cells function normally in the body, they produce damaged molecules called free radicals. These free radicals are highly unstable and steal components from other cellular molecules, such as fat, protein or DNA, thereby spreading the damage.
This damage continues in a chain reaction, and entire cells soon become damaged and die. This process is called peroxidation. Peroxidation is useful because it helps the body destroy cells that have outlived their usefulness, and it kills germs and parasites. However, when left unchecked, peroxidation also destroys or damages healthy cells.
Antioxidants help prevent widespread cellular destruction by willingly donating components to stabilize free radicals. More importantly, antioxidants return to the surface of the cell to stabilize rather than damage other cellular components.
When there are not enough antioxidants to hold peroxidation in check, free radicals begin damaging healthy cells, which can lead to problems. For example, free radical damage to immune cells can lead to an increased risk of infections.
Recent research has examined the benefits of certain antioxidants on the immune response of dogs, and the results of these studies indicated that antioxidants are important in helping dogs maintain a healthy immune system.
IAMS adult and puppy formulas contain optimal levels of antioxidants such as:
| Antioxidant | Source | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin E | Plant oil extract and tocopherols | Optimizes immune system’s T-cell activation |
| Beta-carotene | Vitamin premix, corn meal, chicken by-product meal and chicken fat | Optimizes types of cell present in the blood, increases antibody levels in the blood |
Small-breed dogs tend to have higher metabolism rates than their larger counterparts, which means they need a puppy feeding diet specifically designed for them. 'Small-breed dog food formulas are created to give your dog the right balance of nutrients,' says Debra Eldredge, DVM, a veterinarian in upstate New York and coauthor of The Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook (Howell House). Here's what you need to know to feed your small-breed pooch.
The guidelines on the package are a great starting point, Eldredge says, but 'you have to customize [them] for your dog.' For instance, her family has three dogs who all weigh almost the same. But, one is getting twice as much food as the other two, and she's thin. 'She just burns it up,' Eldredge says. Your dog's breed and activity levels will affect how much food she needs.
Small-breed puppies, especially toy breeds, can be prone to hypoglycemia. To keep your dog’s blood sugar levels up, you might have to feed her more frequently and up the calories, Eldredge says.
Small-breed puppies grow quickly, so during the first six months, they need to eat more food and eat more frequently, generally three to four times a day. After six months, feeding two meals a day is usually sufficient. As your dog gets older and less active, her nutritional needs change, and she may need a formula for mature dogs. Her new food will generally have more protein and fewer calories.
Smaller dogs have smaller mouths and teeth, so their food is usually made in a smaller bite size, which is easier for them to chew and swallow.
Don't leave your dog's food out all day. Instead, pick it up after 10 or 20 minutes, Eldredge says. If food is available all day, she may eat out of boredom.
With dog food, your pet is on a balanced diet. Feeding her human food may throw off that balance. The occasional taste of chicken or eggs is okay, but don't make it a daily habit.
