Feeding the elderly dog

Continued from last week

I had promised last week to continue the discussion on the different types of commercial dog food on the market.

 Dry food

Mostly this type of food comes as dried kibble in a pelleted form.  Also, instead of dried pellets, the dried food can be in the form of a biscuit.  The ease of feeding dried dog (cat) food is perhaps what makes it so popular and appealing to pet owners.  Moreover, one does not need to refrigerate it.  Of course, here in the tropics where the environment is warm and where the moisture in the air is high, it is not surprising that the pelleted food – once the bag has been opened – is susceptible to fungus attack.  This means that whenever you open the bag of dry food, either seal it well after use or move the dry feed from its original bag into another air-tight container.  Also, check the expiry date.

Dry foods contain about 90 per cent dry matter and about 10 per cent water.  They are made by mixing together grains, meat and some butchery by-products. The end product of the cooking is then mixed with fat to increase palatability.  Afterwards, the entire mixture gets vitamins and minerals added.  During the cooking process, starch is converted into a more easily digested substance.  On top of that, the cooking kills bacteria and could destroy health threatening toxins.  The product is sterilized.  Dry food, besides having a lower relative cost to, say, canned (soft-moist) food, provides beneficial massage of the teeth and gums, thus helping to keep a healthy mouth and decrease periodontal disease.  I should remind you, though, that the dogs don’t chew too much; instead, they