Q&A

Q. What is the best dog food for my dog?

A. This is the question we get asked quite a lot and the answer isn’t always an easy one. Many dogs can have a food intolerance but the difficulty can be finding which ingredient that is. The best dog food for one dog doesn’t mean that it is the best dog food for the next. Luckily we have a range of hypo-allergenic foods and also a range of grain free foods to suit nearly all. We offer expert friendly advice so if you do need any further in depth advice please don’t hesitate to call our freephone number 0800 1958 606

Q. My dog doesn’t seem themselves, what should I do?

A. Even if you have the slightest worry about your animals health, you should always consult your vet. No matter how little or big of a problem you might think it is, your vet will always be happy to take a look at your animal. It is never a waste of time!

Q. Is there anything that I shouldn’t give to my dog?

A. There are few things that you should stay well away from. Caffeine, chocolate, grapes, raisons, alcohol as these can result in poorly animals or even worse death in some cases, not only will it be a trip to the vet but it can also have a lasting effect on your animals health. However even things that are good for our dogs if given too much can also be bad for their health. I think the most important thing here is everything should be given in moderation.

Q. My dog is very thin on the back end, no matter how much I feed the dog they are still hungry?

A. This could be worms. Go to your local vet and worm the dog, it is recommended to worm your dog every 3- 6 month.

Q. I have been told by my vet to get a hypoallergenic food, what does that mean?

A. It comes from the Greek prefix hypo, which translates to below or less, so the word translates to “less allergens” which means if a food is hypoallergenic it means it’s a reduced risk of food allergy or intolerance. So Healthy Option we avoid using many of the ingredients renowned for causing food intolerances. We do not use beef, pork, wheat, dairy, eggs or soya in any of our foods.

Q. How much do I feed?

A. There is a guide on how much you should feed but it is only a GUIDE. It all depends on the individual requirements of the dog, depending on how active the dog is, how old the dog is etc. You should be feeding around 10 grams per kilo of body weight. If you have a very active dog i.e. a working dog or nursing bitch that could be 15 grams per kilo of body weight. An older dog 10+ will need less. Keep checking the stools, if a dog has loose stools that can be a sign that you’re over feeding.

Q. My dogs seems fine, why should I change?

A. Is your dog just fine? Look at the condition of your dog and compare him to other dogs. Could his coat have more shine? Are the eyes clear and bright? Does he have that doggy smell? What are the stools like, soft or hard, going 4-5 times a day? There are a lot of common health problems with dogs and cats today that people seem to now be convinced it just what dogs/cats do. People have accepted that dogs moult all year round, that the stools are sloppy and they itch and scratch all day long. It is said that 7 out of 10 dogs that go to see the vet are there with a food related problem. (See common health problems for more in-depth information on each matter).

Q. Your protein is low will this be enough for my dog?

A. There is a popular misconception that dogs are carnivores when they are not, they are omnivores. High meat inevitably also means high fat and high protein. Dogs are able to healthily digest a variety of foods including vegetables, and in fact dogs can consume a large proportion of these in their diet. Wild canines not only eat available plants to obtain essential amino acids, but also obtain nutrients from vegetable matter from the stomach and intestinal contents of their herbivorous prey. Healthy Option has been made to be low in fat and protein but high in complex carbohydrates. If you have a very active dog i.e. a working dog, all you have to do is feed more healthy option and not an extra meat, and we’d do this by feeding an extra 25-50% to the diet.

Q. My dog/cat is fussy will they eat Healthy Option?

A. First things first, we must set this straight. “There is no such thing as a fussy eater, it is only us that create the fussy eater” Dogs and cats do not eat for pleasure, they only eat to survive. If you put food down and the animal doesn’t eat, then they are NOT hungry that is all. What has started to happen is that when their animal won’t eat one meal and people change the diet, then once the dog/cat skips a meal again people panic and change the diet again. They keep changing the diet until they run out of foods. Then they get fed off the table and then they stop eating that. You now have yourself a fussy animal, and it’s difficult to get them to eat anything but they WILL eat when they are hungry. Place the food down for 10/15 minutes and then take it away, next meal time place the food down again for 10/15 minutes and then take away. Even if the dog hasn’t eaten for 4-5 days, it’s not a problem. Eventually you’ll put the food down and it will all be eaten. Dogs do not need to eat everyday and a starve day once in a while will actually do your animal good.

Q. Why does my dog eat grass, he sometimes sick after?

A. Eating grass is a natural way that dogs eliminate toxins that have built up in the body. It is nothing to worry about but if the dogs in constantly doing this, it is a sign of an excess amount of toxins in the body which can be cause by over feeding of Healthy Option or the feeding of a poor quality food.