[BLOG] Nutrition in animal shelters: digestive health, a priority.
Gastro-intestinal issues are among the most common disorders encountered in shelters.
That is why digestibility (=the percentage of a foodstuff taken into the digestive tract that is absorbed into the body) of the diet you pick is paramount.
#1: Follow the consistency principle (see here). Any frequent / drastic change in the diet can indeed upset the dog’s and cat’s digestive tract.
#2: Feed your animals with the most digestible nutritional solution you can afford. Specific nutrients are used to improve this matter (LIP, beet pulp, psyllium, FOS, MOS, zeolithe,…). However remember that in the end, it is always a matter of balance. When it comes to digestibility, it is NOT the more the merrier, beware of the wrong use of supplements.
#3: In dogs, size does impact digestive abilities. When possible, try to feed the most adapted diet to the animal. This is especially important at intake.
#4: When feasible, always do a 5-7 day dietary transition to switch an animal over the food you carry in your structure (more info on how to conduct a dietary transition in this blog post).
If you have tips and tricks you use in your structure to this effect, feel free to share them below in the comment section !
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