How to Know if Your Dog Needs a Diet Change

Notice if your dog appears lethargic or tired., Look for any signs of illness, such as vomiting or nausea., Pay attention to your dog’s bathroom habits., Watch for changes in your dog's eating habits., Notice if your dog’s demeanor changes as they...

6 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Notice if your dog appears lethargic or tired.

    Maybe you notice your dog appears more tired or worn out than usual.

    They may not be as excited about going for walks or seem less enthusiastic about playing with you than they usually are.

    You may also notice your dog spends a lot of time sleeping or lying down.

    These may all be behavioral signs that your dog may be due for a change in diet.If your dog appears very low energy, they may have a medical issue that needs to be addressed.

    Lethargy is a symptom of many diseases and conditions, including parvovirus, ticks, and hypothyroidism.Take your dog to the vet for an exam immediately if they are not able to perk up.
  2. Step 2: Look for any signs of illness

    You should also check your dog for any signs of illness, such as vomiting, nausea, or irritability.

    These may be signs that your dog is having an allergic reaction to their diet or that they may be suffering from other medical issues.If your dog is vomiting, take them to the vet immediately.

    They will be able to tell you if your dog's diet is causing the problem or if there is another underlying medical issue, such as a viral infection.

    It can be hard to tell if a dog is nauseous or not.

    If you notice that the dog is drooling excessively or if they start chewing and licking obsessively, they may be feeling queasy., Notice if your dog is urinating too often or not enough.

    You should also watch your dog for any difficulties defecating or if they have instances of diarrhea.

    These could all be signs that your dog is not responding well to their food or is experiencing another medical issue, such as a urinary tract infection or a kidney problem.If your dog does go to the bathroom, you may notice that their feces smell foul or very strong.

    This could be a sign that your dog has a disease such as pancreatic insufficiency or intestinal parasites like giardia.

    Take your dog to the vet immediately. , You should also take notice if your dog's interest in or consumption of food have changed.

    Maybe they do not eat as much of their food as they usually do or you notice your dog is leaving a lot of food left over in their bowl.

    Perhaps you observe your dog eating less and less of their food over time.

    You may also notice that your dog seems disinterested in their food when you take it out and put it in their food bowl.

    Both weight loss and gain can be a sign that you need to change your dog's diet.

    Your dog may not enjoy the taste of their food, leading them to eat less of it, or they may be gaining too much weight from a high-caloric dog food. , Dogs seven years and older are often more prone to digestive issues as well as other health issues.

    If you notice your older dog moves much slower than they used to and appears less energetic, you should take them in for a checkup with your vet.

    Your senior dog may need a change in diet to ensure they can digest their food properly and get the nutrients they need.Many vets will recommend putting senior dogs on a particular diet to ensure they stay healthy.

    Your vet may also recommend that you give your senior dog anti-aging nutrients to keep them active and healthy.

    Some common supplements given to older dogs include essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6, glucosamine with chondroitin sulfate, and probiotics.
  3. Step 3: such as vomiting or nausea.

  4. Step 4: Pay attention to your dog’s bathroom habits.

  5. Step 5: Watch for changes in your dog's eating habits.

  6. Step 6: Notice if your dog’s demeanor changes as they get older.

Detailed Guide

Maybe you notice your dog appears more tired or worn out than usual.

They may not be as excited about going for walks or seem less enthusiastic about playing with you than they usually are.

You may also notice your dog spends a lot of time sleeping or lying down.

These may all be behavioral signs that your dog may be due for a change in diet.If your dog appears very low energy, they may have a medical issue that needs to be addressed.

Lethargy is a symptom of many diseases and conditions, including parvovirus, ticks, and hypothyroidism.Take your dog to the vet for an exam immediately if they are not able to perk up.

You should also check your dog for any signs of illness, such as vomiting, nausea, or irritability.

These may be signs that your dog is having an allergic reaction to their diet or that they may be suffering from other medical issues.If your dog is vomiting, take them to the vet immediately.

They will be able to tell you if your dog's diet is causing the problem or if there is another underlying medical issue, such as a viral infection.

It can be hard to tell if a dog is nauseous or not.

If you notice that the dog is drooling excessively or if they start chewing and licking obsessively, they may be feeling queasy., Notice if your dog is urinating too often or not enough.

You should also watch your dog for any difficulties defecating or if they have instances of diarrhea.

These could all be signs that your dog is not responding well to their food or is experiencing another medical issue, such as a urinary tract infection or a kidney problem.If your dog does go to the bathroom, you may notice that their feces smell foul or very strong.

This could be a sign that your dog has a disease such as pancreatic insufficiency or intestinal parasites like giardia.

Take your dog to the vet immediately. , You should also take notice if your dog's interest in or consumption of food have changed.

Maybe they do not eat as much of their food as they usually do or you notice your dog is leaving a lot of food left over in their bowl.

Perhaps you observe your dog eating less and less of their food over time.

You may also notice that your dog seems disinterested in their food when you take it out and put it in their food bowl.

Both weight loss and gain can be a sign that you need to change your dog's diet.

Your dog may not enjoy the taste of their food, leading them to eat less of it, or they may be gaining too much weight from a high-caloric dog food. , Dogs seven years and older are often more prone to digestive issues as well as other health issues.

If you notice your older dog moves much slower than they used to and appears less energetic, you should take them in for a checkup with your vet.

Your senior dog may need a change in diet to ensure they can digest their food properly and get the nutrients they need.Many vets will recommend putting senior dogs on a particular diet to ensure they stay healthy.

Your vet may also recommend that you give your senior dog anti-aging nutrients to keep them active and healthy.

Some common supplements given to older dogs include essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6, glucosamine with chondroitin sulfate, and probiotics.

About the Author

J

Jeffrey Powell

Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.

109 articles
View all articles

Rate This Guide

--
Loading...
5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: