AN UNHEALTHY DIET MAY CAUSE OR EXACERTIFY THESE 7 COMMON CANINE ILLNESSES

Feeding your dog a healthy, well-rounded diet is crucial to his or her well-being. Poor nutrition is a contributing factor in many dog illnesses, making it important to feed your pooch high-quality food to help prevent them from falling ill. Think of it as investing in their health now, so they don’t get ill later.

A life on junk food can take a toll on a dog’s body, initially your dog might seem fine but over time their health is more likely to deteriorate and complications arise.

blog-ctablog-cta \sDISCOVER DELICIOUS FOOD YOUR DOG DESERVES
Learn more

Your dog relies on getting adequate nutrition in order to support all their bodily functions. This includes supporting a healthy immune system, avoiding certain ailments, maintaining strong bones, normal cell function, and growing strong claws and healthy fur.

A poor diet can cause or contribute to a number of dog illnesses, including:

Obesity
Pancreatitis Diabetes
Gastrointestinal Illness (Colitis, Gastroenteritis, etc) (Colitis, Gastroenteritis, etc.)
Heart disease
Cancer
Skin & fur conditions
There are many more canine illnesses with links to diet. But we will explore some of the common conditions that your dog might be susceptible to that are directly impacted by what they eat and their nutrition.

OBESITY

One of the most common issues faced by pets, and one of the most preventable, is obesity. An increasing percentage of canines in the UK—estimated at 45 percent—are considered overweight.

When a dog’s body fat percentage is too high, we say that the dog is obese. It’s associated with a host of other issues, including shorter life expectancy and increased vulnerability to conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease in dogs.

Poor dietary choices, over feeding, and a lack of physical activity all contribute to obesity. To avoid or manage obesity and its accompanying health problems, it is crucial to provide your dog with regular physical activity and a nutritious diet of the right quantity.

PANCREATITIS

There is currently no cure for pancreatitis, but eating a diet high in carbohydrates and fat increases the chance of developing the disease because it makes the pancreas work harder to create digestive enzymes.

Because nutrition plays such a significant role in the prevention of this condition, any dog who has suffered pancreatitis will need to have a regulated diet while recovering and should avoid high-fat food and treats.

DIABETES

As in humans, a bad diet is often to blame for canine diabetes. Canine diabetes can take one of two forms, with diabetes mellitus being the more frequent. Some forms of diabetes mellitus are inherited due to insulin resistance. On the other hand, malnutrition can exacerbate preexisting conditions like obesity and chronic pancreatitis.

Diabetes insipidus, the second form of the disease, is significantly less common and is idiopathic, meaning that its occurrence is unrelated to any other condition.

A diabetic dog requires ongoing care, including the administration of insulin. But providing kids with a healthy food is crucial for preventing the disease and controlling it since it helps regulate blood sugar levels.

GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESSES

Many different diseases might cause digestive issues in dogs. A wide variety of illnesses fall into this category, but some common ones are heartburn and nausea, as well as colitis, the stomach flu, and gastritis.

While many factors contribute to the development of chronic diseases, poor dietary habits are a major one. Also, a healthy diet of easily digested food is an important part of the treatment for most gastrointestinal diseases, and providing your dog with a healthy diet is a fantastic prevention approach.

HEART DISEASE

Dogs, like people, are susceptible to heart disease brought on by the accumulation of fat in the arteries surrounding the heart. Problems like poor diet and lack of exercise are typically to blame for causing these deposits. Other factors that increase a dog’s risk of having heart disease include their age, breed, and history of infection or heartworm.

Unfortunately, neither you nor anyone else can stop your dog from getting older or alter their genetic makeup. That’s why keeping your dog healthy with a balanced diet and regular exercise is so important for lowering his risk of developing conditions like heart disease.

CANCER

Canine cancer is unfortunately quite common. In many cases, it can be challenging to pinpoint exactly what caused cancer. However, similar to human beings, a dog’s risk of developing cancer can be greatly reduced by feeding it a nutritious, well-balanced diet. It’s crucial that your dog has a healthy diet because being overweight increases the risk of contracting cancer.

Also, research suggests that a dog’s food can slow the development of cancer and enhance their quality of life even if they are already unwell.

SKIN & FUR CONDITIONS

The skin and fur of a dog reveal whether or not it is getting enough nutrition from its diet. Hair loss, dryness, brittleness, and possible itching can be signs that your dog isn’t getting enough nutrition from the food it’s eating. There’s a chance their fur could thin and they’ll lose hair, too.

However, the most common reason for canine skin problems to persist is subpar diet. Providing a balanced diet can help reduce the prevalence of many health issues by acting as a preventative measure against disease and by strengthening the skin’s barrier function to keep allergens out.

Dietary allergies are not the only cause of hair loss and skin diseases. This emphasises the significance of giving your dog a diet rich in essential nutrients while excluding the allergen.