If you are a dog lover, we are sure you might have a huge group of dogs in your backyard. So do I. But, I once came across a strange situation. Both my adult dog and puppy were having their dinner. All of a sudden, my adult dog decided to taste the food from the bowl of the puppy dog.
That brought a huge question in my mind. Can adult dog eat puppy food? Or should it be given only adult dog food?
Before we can answer this question, it is important to to understand how adult dogs and puppy dogs are different and how they have different food requirements.
The Difference between Puppy, Adult and Senior Dog Food
Puppy food is specifically create and formulated for growth and development. In essence, dogs need different nutrition requirements at different stages of life. That is exactly why we have adult food, puppy food and the food for senior dogs.
The Puppy Food
The body of the puppies go through a huge change. That is why they need a good quantity of specific nutrients as opposed to the food given to the adult dogs.
The puppy food needs to have the following constituents –
- Calories – The puppy needs to have a huge amount of calories so that the puppies can indulge in the activities that they always indulge in. They would need more calories frequently in small portions.
- Fatty acids – Omega fatty acids help in cognitive development and optimum health.
- Animal proteins – These will provide your puppy with a decent amount of amino acids and minerals.
The Adult Dog Food
As the dog gets old, it needs to switch to a well-balanced and complete adult food. Your dog will need properly balanced food to maintain an overall body condition.
The proper adult food will also help the adult dog to stay healthy during the adult years.
Can Adult Dogs Eat Puppy Food?
No, it is typically a bad idea to feed puppy food to the adult dog. However, eating the puppy food every now and then may not be bad. But, it should always be avoided feeding puppy food regularly to adult dogs as it can result in unwanted health issues.
Obesity is a huge issue in dogs and veterinarians suggest puppy food may result in weight gain in your dog. In fact, the puppy food will exceed the nutritional needs of the dog.
However, you can feed puppy food to an adult dog in the following situations –
- Pregnant and weaning Mom dogs – Mom dogs will benefit from the puppy food as it needs nutrients while feeding.
- Underweight dogs – If your dog is underweight or is recovering from an illness, your vet may suggest feeding puppy food to adult dog. It can also be a good option to feed your skinny dog to help it gain a healthy weight.
- Need for high energy – If your dog needs high energy for specific purposes, feeding adult dog with puppy food may be a good choice.
Except for these specific reasons, veterinarians consider puppy food bad for adult dogs. Different dogs have different nutritional needs and, thus, should always be given the right type of food.
Can a Puppy eat Adult Dog Food?
No, There are different nutritional requirements that a puppy and adult dog will have. Puppy dogs will have a specific puppy formula and only growing puppies will find the adult food quite a risky affair.
That is primarily because adult dog food does not have enough nutrients that a new puppy needs.
Why is Feeding Puppy food to Adult Dog is Not recommended?
The food formulated for puppies has a huge lot of nutrient and vitamins. Feeding adult dogs puppy food can affect its health severely.
Obesity
The puppy food is very dense when it comes to thee calories and nutrients. It should not come as a surprise that puppy food fed to the adult dogs will make it gain weight.
It may be important to notice that over 30% of the dogs are considered to be overweight. It may be noticed that obesity in dogs can lead to issues like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and urinary issues.
Joint diseases
More than 20% of the dogs in the United States are reported to have arthritis and other joint related issues. In fact, arthritis and obesity go hand in hand.
Kidney issues
Puppy food does not directly result in kidney disease. However, if your dog already has any minor kidney issues, the high protein content in puppy food can aggravate the issue.
Can Puppy Food Cause Diarrhoea in Adult Dogs?
Yes, puppy food can cause diarrhoea in some adult dogs. However, it may not be common across all adult dogs. For that matter, an abrupt change in the food can cause digestive issues in almost all dogs, whether puppies or adults.
It may be a good idea to ensure that you are feeding your dog with the all-stage dog food. That way, you need not worry about any health issues with your dog and its health.
The Concluding Thoughts
Proper and nutritional food for your dog may be a very complicated affair. It is always important to feed your dog the right food that is in tune with its nutritional requirements.
In any case, feeding puppy food to your adult dog is never recommended. Once in a while may be fine, but avoid getting your adult dog eating puppy food.
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