Health & Wellness

Dietary changes of any type can cause temporary digestive distress to your dog, even when you’re switching to a healthier option. The good news is that with an appropriate transition and some patience, your dog will be over the hump in no time.

Every dog has different nutritional needs, and senior dogs are no exception. Once your beloved pup reaches his golden years, it can be even tougher to understand his shifting dietary requirements. This can often leave pet parents with a lot of questions: Is "senior dog food" necessary?

Grain-free dog food is just that: any dog diet that is completely free of grains, including wheat, corn, rice, etc. It has become a popular choice for modern pet parents who want to feed their pups well, but is it really a better option for every dog? Are grains always the enemy, or is this a case of another fad diet? Further, is there any difference between good grains and bad grains?

We share a significant portion of our lives with pets: sloppy kisses, food scraps, exercise, and sleeping space. Humans and pets have a closer relationship than we initially thought, especially when it comes to the bacteria that live in their gut.

All animals, including humans, pets, domesticates (cows, sheep, etc.), and wild animals support an incredible number of microbes in their guts. Without these microbes, animals would be unable to digest food or develop a fully functional immune system.

The first thing you'll want to look at is the guaranteed analysis at the top of the nutrition label. This tells you the minimum amount of certain nutrients (by weight) within the food.

Determining a dog's healthy weight is not as easy as looking at a chart of average age and breed weights (though that can give you a place to start). As a rule of thumb, a dog at a healthy weight should have a visible waist when you look at them from the side and from above, though we encourage you to talk to your veterinarian when determining an exact number.

If your dog is still having loose stools after the first week on Nom Nom, but otherwise acting fine, you may consider adding a probiotic to your dog's diet. Probiotics are strains of live bacteria that assist in normal digestive function and help the overall immune system within the gastrointestinal tract. 

Your dog may be temporarily placed on a bland diet by your veterinarian. How does this factor into your typical NomNomNow feeding routine? After a fasting period of about 12 to 24 hours, you can reintroduce NomNomNow by mixing half of a meal with equal portions rice (or another gentle carbohydrate).

If your dog is intermittently vomiting or has persistent diarrhea greater than three days, you should talk to your veterinarian about their recommendations. If they're comfortable based upon your dog otherwise acting fine, one strategy would be to skip a meal or two.