adp_description_block34
Feeding Tips for Your Teething Puppy

Puppies grow quickly and have special nutritional needs to keep their bodies strong. The most noticeable time is known as the rapid growth stage, which occurs between 2 and 6 months of age. From about 3 to 6 months, most pups will lose their puppy teeth (you might find a tooth near his dish or on the floor; this is normal).

During this phase, his mouth and gums may be very sensitive, which could cause him to be a bit picky when it comes to eating. There's nothing you can do except to wait it out, even if his appetite is low for a couple of days.

Helpful Hints

Don't switch to a new formula to stimulate your puppy's appetite. Changing food at this time can cause additional stress and intestinal upset. The tips below could help your puppy make the change:

Mix his regular, premium dry food with a premium canned puppy food to soften the dry food and make mealtime even more appealing. Or, try some moist food to help him through this sensitive period.
Soak dry food in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Feeding a dry food and biscuits loosens the teeth, so pups can get through the teething process quicker. If his appetite loss persists, see your veterinarian before you switch food.

adp_related_article_block131 268 YOUR --spice-- MAY ALSO LIKE …

adp_related_article_block131
Why DHA Is Good for Puppies

Is Your Puppy Ready for Adult Dog Food?mob

adp_related_article_block131
Is Your Puppy Ready for Adult Dog Food?

adp_related_article_block131
Puppy Basics: Expert Training Tips

adp_description_block306
How Wheat is Used in Our Dog Foods
Share
Why Use Wheat in Dog Food?
Wheat is a grain used as a high-quality carbohydrate source in dry dog foods and biscuits. It provides energy for daily activity, as well as processing characteristics for the food. IAMS™ research has shown that including wheat in a complete and balanced diet results in a moderate glycemic response in dogs, which is lower, in general, than the response observed when a rice-based diet was fed. ^1,2

Misconception About Food Allergies
A common misconception is that feeding wheat causes food allergies. The facts are:
The pet must have a hypersensitivity to the food or ingredient. An allergy is an adverse reaction of an individual animal to proteins in the diet.
Food allergies are rare in animals and account for a very low percentage of allergic reactions in dogs.
If your pet has a food allergy, he is most likely allergic to one ingredient or a combination of ingredients in his diet. In a U.S. study of food-allergic dogs, the two common pet-food ingredients that most often caused an allergic reaction were beef and soy.³

Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy
Gluten (a protein found in wheat) is responsible for wheat-sensitive enteropathy, occasionally found in Irish Setters from the United Kingdom. Gluten enteropathy of Irish Setters is a malabsorption syndrome, which responds to the removal of wheat (gluten) from the diet. This condition is very rare, and the reason some dogs develop it is not yet clear.

¹ Sunvold GD. “The role of novel nutrients in managing obesity.” In: Recent Advances in Canine and Feline Nutrition, Vol II: 1998 IAMS Nutrition Symposium Proceedings. Carey DP, Norton SA, Bolser SM, eds. Wilmington, OH: Orange Frazer Press, 1998; 123–133.

² Bouchard GF. “Effect of dietary carbohydrate source on posprandial plasma glucose and insulin concentration in cats.” In: Recent Advances in Canine and Feline Nutrition, Vol III: 2000 IAMS Nutrition Symposium Proceedings. Reinhart GA, Carey DP eds. Wilmington, OH: Orange Frazer Press, 2000; 91–101.

³ Jeffers JG. “Responses of dogs with food allergies to a single-ingredient dietary provocation.” J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1996, vol 209(3): 608–611.
adp_related_article_block293 236 YOUR --spice-- MAY ALSO LIKE …

adp_related_article_block293
What Kind of Dog Food Does Your Dog Need?
Read More

adp_related_article_block293
Understanding Common Dog Food Ingredients
Read More

adp_related_article_block293
Why Ethoxyquin Is Important to Your Dog’s Health
Read More