Spot On Canine Nutrition

10/07/2025

🔍 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 & 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝗪𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝗨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

💧 Urinary support diets are something I work on often. By the time clients reach out, many have already tried commercial “urinary health” foods. Some dogs still have recurring issues, and others won’t touch them. ❌ Adding extras without a plan can backfire — and that’s when a custom diet becomes essential.

🧬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞. Metabolism, genetics, and even lifestyle all affect how a dog responds to a diet.

📉 For dogs with a history of 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐱𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬, we focus on 𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐨𝐱𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 — but that’s not the whole story. How your dog responds to the specific ingredients and quantities is highly individual.

👀 You could feed the same recipe to five dogs of the same breed with the same history — and get five different results.

🧪 That’s why we use 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (before food) to track how their body is responding. For calcium oxalate support, we aim for a 𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐇 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝟔.𝟓–𝟕.𝟎. A lower pH can make stone formation more likely. Each stone type has its own pH target — which generic diets don’t address.

🥩 We begin with a few base ingredients that provide most of the calories and build slowly — watching urine pH along the way.

🥚🥩 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 & 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 → 𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞
🥦🍠 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 & 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 → 𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞

🎯 The key is finding the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for a consistent, safe pH. In more complex cases, I check in with clients 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 over the 8-week support period.

💡 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 between a 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 and a 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞.

✔️ Yes, a custom plan costs more upfront — but the 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 is high.
✔️ Your dog will likely 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 their food again.
✔️ Many clients report improvements in 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐭, 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲.
❗️And most importantly — it can help 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 down the road. ❗️

09/07/2025

🫖 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬: 𝐀 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐄𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Got a pup who turns their nose up at veggies? 🥦🙅‍♂️
If it’s tough to get enough antioxidants and phytonutrients into your dog through food alone, decaffeinated green tea might be a gentle and effective way to help. 💚

🍵 Naturally rich in polyphenols like EGCG, decaf green tea may help support:

• 🛡️ 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
• 🧠 𝐂𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠
• 💪 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
• 🧬 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐱
• 🐶 𝐀 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞-𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬

✨ 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐬 — 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝! 🌿

—

🫖 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐈𝐭:
✔️ Use 𝟐 𝐭𝐨 𝟑 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝟏 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝟒¼ 𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐬) 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫
✔️ Steep for 𝟏𝟓 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬, remove tea bags
✔️ Store 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 for up to 3 days
✔️ Always serve 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐝 — never hot

🧊 Pour over food, serve in a bowl, or freeze into enrichment cubes!

—

📏 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝:
👉 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐱. 𝟏 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲
Start with less and increase gradually if tolerated well.

—

⚠️ 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
• Must be 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 — caffeine is toxic to dogs
• Use only 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚
• Always serve 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 — not on an empty stomach
• Monitor for digestive upset when introducing
• 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐭 if your dog has health issues or is on medication

—

08/07/2025

Do you have a senior dog? New blog post for you!

Senior dogs often drink less water, even when their body needs more hydration.

07/07/2025

✨ Antioxidants for Stress — It’s Not Just About Illness! ✨

Did you know your dog’s body has a greater need for antioxidants during times of stress? 🐶💨 And stress isn’t always negative!

Excitement, nervousness, even physical exertion — they all trigger the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, this creates oxidative stress in the body, which antioxidants help to neutralize.

Think of situations like:
✔️ Meeting new dogs 🐾 (even for friendly social butterflies!)
✔️ Competitive dog sports 🎾
✔️ Grooming appointments, new environments, or vet visits ✂️

Even though your dog might enjoy many of these activities, their body still experiences them as a form of stress — and their antioxidant needs rise as a result.

Antioxidants from diet help support their immune system, reduce cellular damage, and promote recovery. Think foods rich in vitamin C & polyphenols - I post about these often! Blueberries, apples, bell peppers, herbs/spices, decaf green tea.

👉 Supporting your dog’s antioxidant needs isn’t just for seniors or sick dogs — it’s for active, adventurous, and social dogs too! 💚

04/07/2025

🥕 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥? 🥕

That rainbow of carrots you see isn’t just pretty — it packs different health benefits for your dog, depending on the color!

Carrots are a popular crunchy, low-calorie snack for dogs, and they 𝘤𝘢𝘯 be a great option. But here’s the thing most people don’t realize…

👉 𝘙𝘢𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥.
That satisfying crunch is fun, but your dog won’t absorb much of the good stuff — you’ll often see pieces of carrot make a return appearance 💩.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬? Try offering 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 carrots now and then! Cooking helps break down the tough fibers and actually increases the availability of carotenoids — those amazing plant pigments with antioxidant properties.

⸻

🌈 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 = 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬

🥕 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 — Highest in 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑎-𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒, which supports healthy skin, eyes, and immune function.

🥕 𝐑𝐞𝐝 & 𝐘𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 —

👁️ 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 contain 𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒, known for its eye-protective and heart-healthy benefits.
👀 𝐘𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 are rich in 𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑖𝑛, another nutrient that’s great for vision and antioxidant protection.

🥕 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 — Packed with 𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑐𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑠, the same powerful antioxidants found in blueberries and blackberries. These pigments help neutralize free radicals that can damage delicate cells.

⸻

⚠️ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲-𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬:
If your dog has known allergies to 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐡 or 𝐦𝐮𝐠𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬, be cautious with carrots — especially during allergy season. There’s a chance of cross-reactivity that could trigger symptoms.

⸻

𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞?
𝑅𝑎𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑠 = fun, crunchy treat, but minimal nutrition.
𝐶𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑠 = tasty snack with real antioxidant benefits.
And exploring different carrot colors adds variety and health perks to your dog’s bowl! 🐶🥕💚

02/07/2025

✨ Sometimes people feel a little underwhelmed when they see how simple a health supportive diet can be. I get it — when you’re dealing with disease or inflammation, it feels like there should be lots of fancy ingredients or superfoods involved.

But in reality, it’s often the healthy dogs that get all the variety! Their bodies can easily handle a wider range of ingredients because there’s no active disease, compromised gut, or medications to consider.

For dogs dealing with inflammation or chronic illness, simplicity with a strategy is key. We focus on well-tolerated foods and 🎯 targeted supplementation to support the body without overwhelming it.

And here’s the good news — as inflammation decreases and gut health improves, we may be able to gradually expand the diet and introduce more variety. It’s a process, but it’s one that works.

30/06/2025

I’ll be unplugging a bit for the 🇨🇦 Canada Day long weekend — I won’t be online much today or tomorrow.🙂

27/06/2025

𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗹𝗲? 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴’𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘄𝗹 — 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴? 🐾

If you’ve already been adding a few fresh toppers 🍎🥦 and you’re curious what’s the next easy step? — this simple example shows how to make a real difference.👇

➡️ Slide 1: Your dog’s full daily kibble — approx. 2 cups (240g), 914 calories.
➡️ Slide 2: Swap just 25% of the calories for fresh, whole food! That means removing about ½ cup of kibble (229 calories) and replacing it with nutrient-packed options like:

🦃 Turkey — high-quality, easily digestible protein to support muscle maintenance.
🥦 Cauliflower — provides fibre and gentle prebiotic support.
🥬 Leafy greens — a source of lutein and zeaxanthin, known to support eye and cognitive health.
🥕 Orange & Purple Carrots — rich in beta-carotene and anthocyanins, supporting eye health and providing natural antioxidants.
🫐 Blueberries — packed with vitamin C, anthocyanins, and other antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress.
🍉 Watermelon — hydrating and contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.

➡️ Slide 3: A swap like this is no longer just “toppers” — once you’re replacing around 25% of your dog’s calories, this is considered part of their daily meal, not just extras on top.

✅ That means the fresh portion does need to be balanced — including the calcium phosphorus ratio, — to make sure your dog is still getting the right nutrients in the right proportions.

Once you’re comfortable with this approach, if you ever want to, 50% fresh is a great next step — and I can help guide you through that too. 🙂

26/06/2025

A follow up to yesterday's post 🙂

🐾 Your Dog’s Diet Isn’t “Set It and Forget It” 🐾

Feeding a home-prepared, raw, or therapeutic diet? Great! But remember:
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴’𝘀 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼.

Just like in human health, their needs change over time — which is why ongoing assessment is key.

👀 Things to Watch for Regularly:

✔️ 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀 & 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Is your dog maintaining healthy muscle? Are they losing weight unintentionally?

✔️ 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁 & 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵:
Dry, flaky skin or dull coat? Shedding more than usual? These can be signs of nutritional gaps — even if bloodwork looks okay.

✔️ 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Loose stools, excessive gas, or irregular digestion? Diet adjustments may be needed.

✔️ 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹:
Are they sluggish? Less playful? Changes can signal the need to review their nutrition.

✔️ 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 (𝗶𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁):
For dogs with health conditions (kidney, liver, GI, etc.), regular labs guide diet tweaks — but even healthy dogs benefit from occasional check-ins.

✔️ 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:
• Have you changed out ingredients or amounts from a balanced recipe?
• Are you still using the correct supplements?
• Has your dog entered a new life stage (senior, adult)?
• Activity level changed?

All of these mean it’s time to reassess and fine-tune their plan.

𝗢𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 keeps your dog thriving — not just surviving.

If you’re home-preparing or modifying your dog’s diet, be sure their plan keeps up with them.

25/06/2025

🩺 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁… 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. 🩺

Many dog parents feeding raw, cooked, or modified diets rely on bloodwork to check if their dog’s nutrition is “fine.” But here’s the truth:

👉 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱.

In fact, many nutritional deficiencies can exist quietly for months or years before they show up on standard blood tests. By then, your dog may already have:

⚠️ Low muscle mass
⚠️ Poor coat or skin health
⚠️ Reduced energy
⚠️ Subtle organ stress

But their bloodwork? It might still look “okay.”

🧬 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂:

✔️ Severe or advanced deficiencies (e.g., anemia, low albumin, electrolyte imbalances)
✔️ Organ stress that’s reached a detectable level
✔️ Inflammation or infection indicators

🕵️‍♀️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗔𝗡’𝗧 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂:

❌ Early or subclinical nutrient gaps
❌ Whether your homemade diet is balanced long-term
❌ Cellular-level deficiencies impacting energy, skin, coat, and organ resilience

🌿 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗯 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀.

A complete nutrition plan considers:
✔️ Proper formulation based on your dog’s needs
✔️ Their health history and lifestyle
✔️ Ongoing assessment — not just snapshots from blood tests

💡 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 — 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭.

If you’re home-preparing your dog’s food, let’s make sure the foundation is solid — before hidden deficiencies turn into bigger health issues.

24/06/2025

𝐉𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬? 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤! 🐾

Jicama — also known as Mexican potato or Mexican turnip — is a crisp, juicy root vegetable with white flesh and a mild, slightly sweet flavour. It’s not something I see often here, but when available, you’ll usually spot it near the more “exotic” veggies at the grocery store. Local farmers’ markets sometimes carry it when in season too.

What makes jicama interesting from a canine nutrition perspective is its unique combination of 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬/𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬, and a decent amount of 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐂. But the real star? 𝐈𝐧𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧, a prebiotic fiber that feeds the good bacteria in the gut — even in tiny amounts.

Because soluble fiber gets fermented by gut bacteria, it 𝘤𝘢𝘯 produce gas, especially in sensitive dogs. That’s why we always go slow when introducing foods like this. Even healthy foods can cause digestive upset if added too quickly. That said, jicama can be a helpful tool for dogs who struggle with loose stools and need a little extra fiber to firm things up.

🌮 Humans often enjoy jicama raw and peeled (it’s amazing shredded on tacos!), but for dogs, a gentler start is best. Try it 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝, 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝, similar to how you’d prepare turnip.

For small dogs, start with just ¼ teaspoon or less, and slowly build up to the amount that helps improve stool quality — always watching for how they tolerate it.

Do you enjoy these food fact posts? Let me know! ⬇️

23/06/2025

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝘀. 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗴? 🍎🐾

Both apples and applesauce can be great additions to your dog’s diet, but which one is better depends on your pup’s needs! Let’s break it down:

🍏 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 (𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗲𝗹)
• 𝗙𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁: 100 grams of apple with the peel has ~2.4 grams of fiber—perfect for healthy digestion and can add some bulk to stool.
• 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻: The peel and flesh are rich in pectin, a soluble fiber that helps regulate bowel movements.
• 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀: If your dog has good digestion, small slices of apple (peel on, core removed!) are a good choice for maximum nutrients and fiber.

🍎 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲
• 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀: Applesauce (1.0-1.2 grams fiber per 100 grams) has less fiber since it doesn't contain the peel, so I would use use this for client dogs with sensitive stomachs.
• 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀: Packed with pectin from the apple flesh and a little extra hydration thanks to its water content.
• 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗘𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Its smooth texture can be a great treat or meal topper. Some dogs don't like the crunch of apple and will spit it out or they are missing teeth so this is a great option.

🐶 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲?

• 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀: Go for sliced or diced apples with the peel for extra fiber and crunch!
• 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀: Stick with plain, unsweetened applesauce for a gentler option.

🛑 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 (like xylitol, which is toxic to dogs)! Just plain, unsweetened or make your own with peeled apples and a food processor!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴’𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲—𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲? 🍎🐾