Changing your dog’s food – here’s how!

Dog owners know that their four-legged friend's diet is perhaps the most important factor in their well-being. Food must meet the highest standards (both human and canine). However, over the course of a dog's (hopefully long) life, it may be necessary to make a change in diet.  

The reasons for this can be manifold:

• New life phase, such as puppy > adult 
• Diet food due to obesity 
• Less calories 
• From dry to wet food or vice versa 
• Development of a food allergy 
• and much more.  

Veterinarian and molecular biologist Natasa Xenophontos, DVM , explains how important a proper change of diet is for dogs and, above all, its major role in maintaining a healthy microbiome.

"The gut microbiome responds metabolically to the nutrient composition of the diet. The content of fiber, protein, and carbohydrates has a strong impact on the composition of the microbiome. Changes in these nutrient profiles can cause rapid changes in health. The gut microbiome contributes to the animal's metabolism, protects against pathogens, develops the immune system, and through these fundamental functions, directly or indirectly influences most of the animal's physiological functions."  

Rapid microbiome changes can lead to dysbiosis. This is an imbalance in the composition of bacteria in the digestive tract, which contributes to the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. In the case of intestinal dysbiosis, symptoms in animals can include:  

• Diarrhoea 
• bloating 
• abdominal cramps in the upper abdomen 
• vomiting and  
• Itching may occur.   

In this respect, it makes sense to change the feed over a longer period of time. 

A change in food is often a challenge for both dog and owner, regardless of the reason. To avoid discomfort during or after the new food, we have developed some

Tips for the optimal transition:

1. Tip: Plan for time and patience! A food change should take at least 7 days, preferably 14 days. For highly sensitive dogs, the process can take up to 3 weeks. 
2. Tip: Keep an eye on your dog's behavior and its stool. If the dog's well-being deteriorates or the stool consistency changes, it's better to take a step back. 
3. Tip: If you switch to dry food only, it may be necessary to provide your dog with more water than before. 

Feed change, the process: 
The old food is replaced step by step with the new one (e.g. entoVITAL hypoallergenic) is replaced. In the first step, only small portions of the food are replaced. Depending on the animal's acceptance, you can replace about 1/4 of the usual food with the new food. After about 2 days with this mixture, another quarter is replaced, and after another 2 days, another quarter. Thus, the ratio of the food mixture after about 6 days is: 1/4 previous food and 3/4 new food. In the best case scenario, the transition process is completed after about 7 days. However, this process can take up to 3 weeks for particularly sensitive animals.