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If you’ve ever tried to switch your dog’s or cat’s food on them and they just outright refuse to try this new stuff, then you and your pet may benefit from doing a food transition. Some pet’s, especially cats, can be… particular … about the food they eat and get set into a routine! So how can you transition your dog food or cat food, and why?

What are the reasons and benefits?

Some reasons for the food switch might be:

1. Food allergies,
2. Other health reasons like weight management,
3. Going into a new life stage,
4. Or you may want to try a new formula because you found out the ingredients are better.

Whatever the reason, a transition period will help make this switch go more smoothly.

The benefit of switching your dog’s or cat’s food up every once in a while is different types of proteins and different brands offer different nutritional value, creating a more well-rounded overall diet for your furry friend. For example, if you only feed your dog a chicken- based diet, then they would be missing out on the benefits and nutrients of a red meat- or fish-based diet. Imagine if you only ate one type of protein from one type of brand for the rest of your life– you would be missing out on a lot of nutrients and your doctor wouldn’t be too happy!

What should I expect during a food transition? 

Make sure to closely monitor how your pet is reacting to the new food during this transition – some pets may vomit, have abnormal bowel movements, or just refuse the new food. If that’s the case, go even slower during the transition. If it still persists, consult a veterinarian. 

Food Transition Guide: 

Over the course of 7 days, you will need to mix in the new food while slowly fading out the old food:

What if my pet is too anxious for the traditional food transition method? 

In some cases, your pet may not like the food being mixed due to having an overly sensitive stomach or they are extremely anxious about changes in their environment– and that’s okay! 

Another food transition method is to have the new food and the old food in separate bowls and give them both to your pet. They will probably only eat the old food for a few days only sniffing the new food. But once the new food smell starts to become familiar, they may try and eat it. And once they start eating the new food, slowly phase out the old food in the other bowl by 25% increments. Learning how to transition dog food or cat food can be difficult, but trying these tips and products will help ease the transition!

Products that can help:

Weruva Pumpkin Patch for Cats and Dogs: Pumpkin naturally supports your pet’s digestion and is a great source of vitamins and fiber.Answers Frozen Raw Goat’s Milk: Raw milk is fermented, and that fermentation provides ease of digestion and live enzymes for maximum nutrient absorption. Do not mix with other food; serve in separate bowl. Safe for dogs and cats!

The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosts: Instant Goat’s Milk with Probiotics: Made from highly-digestible dehydrated goat’s milk plus 5 billion active probiotics and digestive enzymes, goat’s milk is especially great for puppies and kittens and helps support their digestion, immune systems, and wellbeing!

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