Balanced Nutrition is Key to A Healthy Diet for Your Dog #sponsored

The best approach to just about everything in life for you and your dog is balance – enough sleep, enough exercise, enough nutrition. Enough meaning not too little and not too much, a balance that will keep you and your dog happy and healthy.

Good nutrition isn’t just about ingredients – it’s about the right balance of nutrients.

When it comes to keeping healthy nutrients are essential for us and for our pets. We can control our diet choices, but our pets rely on us to choose for them. Which means just because they are getting enough food to keep them going does not mean they are getting the nutrients they need in order thrive. That part is up to us as dog owners. We need to have the information to make an informed decision about our pet’s food.

The nutrients that your pet relies on are protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Sounds pretty much like what we need, right? But, what if any one of these nutrients is too high or too low? The same thing would happen to your dog as happens to you when you don’t get the Nutrients you need. Your body protests and does not function at 100%.

Protein is a vital nutrient that helps support lean muscle tissue for adult pets. For growing puppies and kittens, protein nourishes growing muscle tissue. If a pet’s diet is too low in protein this could lead to poor growth. If a pet’s diet is too high in protein, this could increase the workload of the liver and kidneys to get rid of excess nitrogen. Sounds a lot like Biology class in High School. All excess protein must be processed by the liver and kidneys in order to be eliminated from the body. You can see how over time this extra work could affect these organs.

Fats are very beneficial in your pet’s diet. Fats – in the appropriate levels and from appropriate sources – are excellent for healthy skin. Fats nourish the skin and make it soft. What’s more- fats help with a luxurious coat and contribute to shiny fur! We know what happens with too much fat: weight gain. But what if there isn’t enough fat? Potential for a dull, dry and flaky coat as well as poor nutrient absorption. Some of those vital vitamins and minerals need fat in order to be absorbed into your dogs body and used to help keep them fit and healthy.

Nutrient excess can lead to certain health conditions.

Which leads us to Vitamins and Minerals as an essential part of your dog’s balanced diet. Vitamins support the immune system, they help keep your dog from catching a cold or getting an infection. Minerals help puppies and kittens grow strong muscles and healthy teeth they help your puppy develop properly which is so important for the rest of their lives. If the vitamins levels are deficient, your pet could experience fatigue or weakness. If the vitamin levels are too high, this could once again lead to organ stress. If the minerals are too high, your pet could be at risk for bladder stones and other potentially serious issues.

Fiber it’s great for healthy digestion, but if your pet’s diet is too low in fiber your pet could experience loose stools. Too much fiber and your pet could experience difficulty going to the the bathroom!

This is a sponsored post oh behalf of Hill’s Ideal Balance. All thoughts, ideas, and opinion are our own.