Can my dog stay on a wet food diet? Will it impact his teeth?

Wet food is not bad for dogs. Unfortunately this has become a misconception that many people believe. Some people say that canned food will cause worsening of dental disease or faster accumulation of tartar / plaque. This is not true as I have seen dogs on hard food have terrible dental disease whereas some dogs on canned food have beautiful teeth with no dental disease. If Crystal did well on canned food and does not like dry food, there is absolutely no problem in feeding canned food. I would just make sure to try and brush her teeth whenever possible to remove pieces of soft food from between the teeth. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Most commercially available canned foods are still balanced diets. As long as Zoey is eating a food formulated for growing puppies, she should still be meeting all of her nutritional needs. However, being a small breed dog, she is naturally more prone to developing dental issues as she ages. Dry food is a bit more abrasive to the teeth, which will help to decrease tartar formation. You can try mixing a small amount of dry food with her wet food to try to tempt her to eat it. Otherwise, be sure to brush her teeth daily to maintain oral health. Be sure that you are feeding a high quality brand of food (Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Royal Canin are some of my favorites), and keep Zoey on puppy food until she is 1 year old. Anytime you change flavors or brands of food, mix the old and new foods together over 5-7 days for a slower transition to decrease the incidence of vomiting and diarrhea. Wet food should be just fine provided that you stay on top of brushing her teeth. :-) I hope that all goes well!

It definitely seems like Benji likes his soft food, so it's going to take some time to get him transitioned to the dry food. The good thing is that dogs don't tend to not be finicky for too long before they give up and just eat what's available. It may take a few times of him missing a meal though. I think that is where most owners get concerned, because they feel like they are starving/torturing their dog. My opinion is that it's totally fine for them to miss a meal or two if you're giving them a food that's better for them. It is definitely not harmful for them, because it will take a long time (many days) before he would actually starve. I think the chicken broth idea is great! It may take a couple of weeks, but maybe you could continue wetting it with the broth and reduce the wetness gradually. Food allergies to grains is exceedingly rare, so you may double-check that this was diagnosed by a veterinarian. Usually, the owner gets some bad advice from the pet store employee, or reads some bad info on the internet and that's why they get the grain-free food. If that's the case, then this could open up some more options for feeding dry food. Dry food is better for dogs that tend to have bad teeth, because it does not build-up on the teeth as much. If you brush Benji's teeth regularly, then there is not as much need for the dry food; so you may consider that if all else fails. I hope that helps. Below is a link to a short article that has some more helpful information. https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-every-dog-owner-should-know-about-dental-care/

Good question, although it's difficult to answer accurately without knowing Riley's history and medical issues that may have factored into previous advice. As a general rule, it is fine to serve kibble either dry or soaked in water - most dogs do fine with either option and both options have pros & cons. Softening the food helps encourage more water intake and might encourage some dogs to eat a little bit slower (for those dogs who are what I call "scarf & barfers"!). Feeding kibble dry *may* be better for teeth, although in my opinion most kibbles don't do much to help keep teeth clean since they are so easily chewed up, unless you're feeding a prescription dental food such as t/d. So, sorry if this is a non-answer....but frankly both ways of feeding are perfectly acceptable! Hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Eddie is having dental issues. If his dental disease is that significant, and his mouth bacteria is making that bad of a smell, I would recommend having his teeth evaluated by a veterinarian and possibly having a dental. Bacteria in the mouth are not only bad for a dog's teeth, but they also can lead to bacterial translocation to the heart and kidneys, which can lead to substantial health issues long-term. At his age, I would recommend a senior dog food; there are many good options, including Purina Bright Minds, Acana, and multiple others. A good quality senior food (grain free or not) would most likely be a good option, and then having his teeth issues addressed. Good luck!

I would try her on a dry food for small dogs. The pieces are small and easier to chew than the dental diet, and usually tastier also. There are several excellent small breed foods now so check out ones that are available in your area. Giving some caned with the dry food is fine. Chewing on sterilized dental chews may be all she needs to minimize any future dental problems. I've used them and they really keep down the tartar buildup and dogs love chewing them. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Molly.

Yes, it's totally fine to just feed wet food. Wet food is essentially the same as dry food...just has more water content. Wet food may have potential to build up on the teeth more leading to dental disease (common in small breed dogs), but if you give him something else to chew on, or brush the teeth regularly, then it's not a big issue. A lack of appetite is a bit concerning if Russell normally ate his food well. Since he is older, it would be good to have him evaluated by a vet to ensure there is not a medical condition causing him to have a lack of appetite. I hope that helps and all is well with Russell.