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Often times a common component of weight gain is overfeeding. Since there is no correlation with canned food versus dry food and the development of dental tartar, there are some advantages with canned food. Typically, canned food is less calorically dense and contains more water than dry foods. Therefore, decreasing dry food and supplementing with canned food may be beneficial for several reasons. It can decrease overall calories per day and help maintain hydration, which can be especially beneficial for older pets. However, every diet is different, so the kilocalorie (or kcal) for your pet’s diet should be determined for better feeding accuracy. It is usually labeled as kcal/cup or kcal/can. This information can usually be found on the packaging or the company’s website. The website BalanceIt.com can also be very helpful for pet owners.
Increasing exercise is another way to prevent weight gain. Great news in this area, Rocky Mount has a brand-new dog park located by Sunset Park. There are different areas for different sized dogs and an agility course for the eager pups. If you can’t make it to the park an easy stroll around the block is still beneficial.
Thanks again.
Dr. Michael Hicks
Hicks Animal Clinic
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