Supporting Your Dog s Long Term Health The Role of Bella Dry Dog Food
Best Dog Food for Heart Health
Best Dog Food for Heart Health
By Karan French
Updated: March 27, 2024
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Whats the best dog food for supporting heart health?
Around 8 million dogs in the United States suffer from heart disease and roughly 95% of those are diagnosed later in life, so early detection and treatment is vital.
There are multiple types of heart disease including valvular degeneration and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but the causes of heart disease in dogs can vary depending on breed, size, age, and lifestyle.
If you suspect your dog may have a problem with their heart, seek advice from your veterinarian immediately. They will run tests to diagnose the issue and help to prepare a treatment plan to help manage the condition. In later stages of heart disease, this is usually to make your dog more comfortable rather than cure them.
Preventing heart disease in dogs can be difficult due to the varying causes, and in some cases such as congenital heart disease, it is impossible to prevent.
However, some dog foods have been formulated to promote your dogs heart health. These recipes include:
- Added taurine
- Omega 1
- Fat levels under 20% DM
These foods are not a replacement for veterinary advice, but are a way of optimizing your dogs diet to make sure it is not worsening the problem.
Below, we have compiled a list of the best dog food for heart health. Youll also learn the answer to each of the most frequently asked questions we get about a dogs heart health.
Chicken & Pomegranate is one of 8 dry recipes included in our review of the Farmina Prime product line.
Farmina Prime Chicken & Pomegranate recipe derives the bulk of its meat protein from chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 37.4% protein, 19.8% fat and 34.9% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.
Read our review of the full Farmina Prime Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Fresh boneless chicken (26%), dehydrated chicken meat (25%), sweet potatoes, chicken fat, dried whole eggs Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 37.4 AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"Farmina is my favorite kibble to feed my five dogs. I feed both the grain-free and ancestral grains formulas in my rotation, topped with fresh foods and bone broth."
Turkey, Salmon & Duck is one of 11 dry recipes included in our review of the Now Fresh product line.
Now Fresh Adult Recipe with Turkey, Salmon & Duck derives the bulk of its meat protein from turkey. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28.9% protein, 17.8% fat and 45.3% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 62%.
Read our review of the full Now Fresh Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients De-boned turkey, potatoes, peas, whole dried egg, potato flour Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 28.9 AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Dogs Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Recipe is one of 9 dry recipes included in our review of the Taste of the Wild Dry product line.
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Recipe derives the bulk of its meat protein from buffalo. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 35.6% protein, 20% fat and 36.4% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.
Read our review of the full Taste of the Wild Dog Food range here
Main Ingredients Water buffalo, lamb meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, peas Texture Dry Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 35.6 AAFCO Standards Maintenance Best For Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at TasteOfTheWild.com"I have been feeding them Taste of the Wild for four years now. All dogs are healthy with shiny soft coats. They love the taste, and I feel good about geeding them a high quality food."
Chicken, Brown Rice & Vegetables is one of 16 dry recipes included in our review of the American Journey Active Life product line.
American Journey Active Life Chicken, Brown Rice & Vegetables derives the bulk of its meat protein from chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 27.8% protein, 16.7% fat and 47.6% estimated carbs resulting a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.
Read our review of the full American Journey Protein & Grains Dry Dog Food range here
Main Ingredients Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, rice bran, peas Type Grain-inclusive Protein Percentage 27.8 AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For Puppies and Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"Lucy seems quite pleased with our recent purchase of American Journey Active Life Formula Chicken, Brown Rice & Vegetables. We appreciate the healthy ingredients."
More Top Picks
To view more top dog foods by category click the link below that best meets your personal feeding needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which breeds are most prone to heart problems?
Some breeds are more susceptible to developing heart problems or have a history of hereditary heart disease. Some of the breeds at a higher risk from heart problems are:
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Dachshund
- Miniature Poodle
- Doberman Pinscher
- Boxer
- Golden Retriever
- Schnauzer
- Great Dane
- Wolfhound
- Labrador Retriever
What are the symptoms of heart disease in dogs?
Dogs with heart problems will find everyday activities much more difficult. Symptoms of heart disease in dogs can include:
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing or panting
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Getting tired quickly on walks or during play
- Bloating of abdomen
- Weakness and/or collapse
- Back leg weakness or paralysis
What is the treatment for heart disease in dogs?
Treatment for heart disease in dogs depends on what type of heart problem they have, what has caused it, and what stage of heart disease your dog is in. If your dog is in the early stages, your veterinarian will most likely want to monitor the condition and ask you to return for regular check-ups.
Common treatments for heart disease in dogs include medication, lifestyle changes, and surgery.
It is also worth noting that most heart disease cannot be cured as it is progressive, so treatment is a way of slowing the condition and reducing symptoms and discomfort.
Adding Water To Dry Dog Food (Pros, Cons & How To Add Water)
Adding water to dry dog food can be a thoughtful way to enhance your pets mealtime, especially if the crunch of dry kibble makes you cringe and youre keen on ensuring your dog stays hydrated while eating. However, its important to understand whether this practice is safe and beneficial for your furry friend.
Adding water to dry dog food makes it easier to digest and more appetizing if you have a fussy eater or a dog with general appetite loss due to illness or recovery. It also helps dogs with poor dental health, is excellent for hydration, slows down a fast eater, and helps a hungry dog feel fuller.
In this blog post, well dive into the pros and cons of moistening dry dog food, offering insights and tips to ensure youre doing the best for your pets health and enjoyment.
Should You Add Water To Dry Dog Food?
Adding water to your dogs dry food is a decision many owners take. Some do this without consulting their vet, whereas some vets advise it. Since there is no universal answer to whether adding water will be good for a dog, owners should learn about the pros and cons of adding water to dry dog food.
You should add water to kibble if your dog finds it extremely hard to chew. It is also a good idea to moisten kibble with no aroma. But keep in mind that dogs sense of smell is much stronger than that of humans. Some kibble might seem like it has no scent but might be very appetizing to a dog.
Also, try different brands, as some kibble has a hard and crunchy consistency, whereas others will crumble.You might find that your dog is happy to eat a more crumbly type but be picky with harder kibble.
Thats why the final wet or dry question begs your dogs input. If your dog loves his food dry and enjoys the texture and crunch, you might as well let him have it dry.
So the test of whether to wet kibble or not is pretty simple:
- Open a bag of dry dog food.
- If it has an aroma that pleases your dog, you might not need to add water.
- If it doesnt have an aroma, present it to your dog and see how he reacts.
- Experiment with different brands to find the right texture.
There are a few cases where you should avoid adding water to dry dog food. The obvious is when your dog hates moist kibble but loves dry dog food. But in my experience, this can happen when owners pour too much water into their dogs food bowl.
My dog enjoys water added to her dry food a few times a week. World of Dogz
Before you dismiss the idea of adding water to dry dog food, check out the advantages you might miss in my video below
Watch What Happens If You Add Water To Dry Dog Food
Why Add Water To Dry Dog Food
You should add water to your dogs dry food if he finds the kibble unappealing and wont eat it. If the food is too hard, moistening it can also help improve digestion. But make sure that you dont add too much water, as your dog will reject a sloppy kibble soup.
Pros
Palatability
The moisture enhances the flavor and texture of the dog food, making it more palatable, but not for long. Think about breakfast cereal and milk. The principle of short-term enhancement of flavor and aroma applies just the same.
Aids Digestion
Ease of digestion remains the main benefit of adding water to kibble. Elderly and young dogs might need moistened kibble (especially weaning puppies), while young adults can easily digest dry dog food.
Dogs with sensitive stomachs can digest wet food more easily, so adding water to dry dog food can help with intestinal motility.
Assists Dogs With Oral Health Problems
Dogs with dental health problems may find it hard to chew dry food, so adding moisture makes it easier and less painful for them to consume. Tooth and gum conditions such as inflamed gums or loose teeth can be pretty common, especially in small breeds and senior dogs.
Helps Hydration
Adding water to a dogs solid diet can remain relevant at every stage of its life because it can be a trojan horse for hydrating. Dogs that dont consciously intake the water they need can become lethargic. Soaking kibble before feeding can help them hydrate, especially in warm climates.
Prevents Gulping
Many dogs will gobble kibble so fast that sometimes unchewed pieces end up in the stomach.
Because kibble doesnt break down efficiently, it requires additional moisture, which your dogs body typically provides by drawing from the surrounding tissues and blood supply. Adding water to dry dog food will somewhat slow your dogs eating speed and prevent gulping.
Speed eating, particularly in large breeds, can cause the life-threatening condition Gastric-Volvulus GDV, also known as bloat. A study of non-dietary risk factors for GDV in large breeds found that faster-eating dogs were at greater risk.
If you have a gulper, I recommend the Outward Hound Fun Slo Feeder from Amazon. This great little gadget features challenging ridges to help slow down your dogs eating time, which aids in proper digestion. You can get many different fun styles and sizes to suit your pet.
Note: Clicking the above link(s) will take you to Amazon or an online store where we have an affiliate relationship. If you make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Aids Weight Loss
If your dog is overweight and needs to lose a pound or two, adding water to kibble increases the volume of the food, helping your dog feel more satisfied without the extra calories.
As kibble is very nutrient-dense, the food given according to the dogs weight might not fill them up. Adding water expands the food in the bowl and certainly increases satiety, preventing your doggo from hunting around the kitchen for more food after a meal.
Option of Freeze-dried Food For Added Nutrition
A little-known advantage of adding water to dry dog food offsets a drawback of dry kibble. Dog food can be freeze-dried, which preserves as many nutrients as possible.
This can have a dehydrating effect. A diet consisting only of dry food can affect dogs kidneys. Rehydrating freeze-dried dog food with water helps neutralize the water burden created by dry dog food (to an extent), although some owners do not rehydrate freeze-dried.
To sum it up, here are the 7 reasons to add water to your dogs dry food:
- It makes the food easier to digest your dog will digest wet kibble better.
- It helps dogs with oral health problems chew their food.
- It can make the food more appealing good for picky eaters or recuperating dogs.
- It can hydrate your dog hydration is always helpful to mammals.
- It can help to slow down a fast eater and prevent bloat (GDV), to which large breeds are prone.
- It can help with weight loss as it helps your dog to feel fuller.
- It can neutralize the diuretic effect of kibble most dry dog food is dehydrating.
Cons
Anyone who has a dog knows that things are far from simple. Whenever a per-support hack has an advantage, it also has multiple drawbacks. The below disadvantages might make you skeptical of adding water to dry dog food.
Your Dog Might Reject It
Dogs can be picky eaters. And that doesnt mean they eat whatever they can pick! If your dog dislikes wet kibble, you can try reducing the water ratio and serving it quickly. The longer kibble sits in water, the sloppier it gets.
Additionally, dogs should eat the meal immediately as moistening the food creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria if left out for too long.
It Is Hard To Get the Proportions Right
As mentioned earlier, dogs can reject wet kibble. But often, dogs reject kibble because of how wet it is.
If you start by adding less water and serving the kibble quickly, your dog is more likely to accept it. You can slowly amp up the water in the bowl if you like.
It Is Slightly Inconvenient
Most dog owners know that whats good for the owner is better for the dog. Your dog is your life-long companion, and if you find adding water to kibble too inconvenient, you might not do it consistently enough to yield any benefits.
From my perspective, the inconvenience is nominal, but Id rather not impose that view on everyone. You can decide for yourself how practical moistening kibble is.
How To Make Dry Dog Food Wet
Making dry dog food wet requires the same steps as making anything wet; just add water. But to make it wet in an appetizing way for your dog, you must get two things right. The first is the proportion of the water you add, and the second is the timing.
Here are the steps to make dry food softer:
- Add kibble to your dogs food bowl first If you add water first, the kibble will turn into soup.
- Fill a quarter of a regular cup with filtered water You can measure this by just looking at the cup while erring on the side of less to find the right consistency for your dog.
- Pour it evenly on top of the kibble Make sure you dont pour all the water in the center. Think more drizzle and less waterfall.
- Stir after 5 minutes Gently stir the food after about 5 minutes. If the kibble remains dry, add some more water.
- Serve it within 15 minutes Let the kibble soak for 5-15 minutes, depending on if you added cold, room temperature, or hot water. Most dogs reject dry food that sits in the water longer than 15 minutes, but if your pet doesnt, there is no harm in letting it sit even longer.
The below image shows my dogs dry food mixed with cold water. If I had used warm water, the kibble would have become more of a gravy and quicker.
Tips & Tricks
Now that you know how to add water to your dogs dry food in a way that makes him want to eat it, lets explore the tips for hydrating your dog with solid food.
- Use filtered water The better the quality of water you add to the dog food, the more your dog stands to benefit. That doesnt mean he needs to drink bottled water. It just needs to be appropriately filtered.
- Use warm water Use warm filtered water or boiled water from a kettle or pan as long as it has considerably cooled down to a safe temperature. The warmer the water, the faster the dry food will soften.
- Go with less Avoid going overboard when you add water. 1/6th of a cup is a good start for picky dogs, while a quarter of a cup is enough for non-picky ones.
- Gradually increase the water content If your dog doesnt drink enough water throughout the day, you might want to raise the water content in his food bowl. Dont go beyond half of a cup. If your dog needs more water in his diet, you should switch to wet dog food.
- Water always goes on top Dont pour dry kibble into a bowl full of water. Your dog can simply chomp dry dog food from the top and leave the wet food behind. The idea is to get him to swallow wet soaked kibble.
- Add kibble to wet dog food Finally, you can mix canned dog food with kibble. This is a great way to finish up your kibble stockpile while switching to wet dog food. It is by no means a must-take step for dog owners who find kibble more convenient.
Is Dry or Wet Kibble Better for Your Dog?
If your dog is not a picky eater, you can serve him dry or wet kibble. In that case, youll want to know if wet kibble is superior to dry dog food.
Wet kibble is quicker to digest, but the average dog can also digest dry kibble (it just takes longer). If your dog is independently hydrated and laps up enough water, you dont need to serve wet kibble.
Pro tip! Do you want to know other ways to soften kibble? Check out this article, 5 Tricks to Soften Dry Dog Food (A Dog Owners Guide).
FAQs
How Much Water Should I Add To Dry Dog Food?
Add a quarter cup of water to your dogs dry food. As kibble is naturally porous, it will soak up the moisture. If you find your dog prefers his meal with more water, experiment by adding 1/8th of a cup at a time. If you add too much water, you will make the food too mushy.
How Long To Soak Kibble In Water?
Soak your dogs kibble in water for between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on the temperature of the water added and the size of the kibble. Dry dog food will take longer to break down and soften in cold water than in hot water. Always ensure the food has sufficiently cooled before serving.
Can Adding Water To Dry Dog Food Cause Bloat?
Adding water to dry dog food is less likely to cause bloat in dogs, although they can bloat on any type of food. However, causing kibble to expand in water first decreases the risk. Dont allow your dog to drink excessively after a meal, gulp his food, or exercise him for an hour after feeding.
Can Adding Water To Kibble Cause Diarrhea?
Adding water to dry dog food will not usually cause diarrhea. Eating garbage or other offensive or irritating things or a sudden change in diet are common causes of diarrhea. However, excessively high water consumption can cause water intoxication, although dangerous, is pretty rare.
What Can Be Mixed With Dry Dog Food?
You can add water to dry dog food to make it into a gravy or tasty broth. Or add toppings such as chicken, beef, lamb, fish, brown rice, yogurt, egg, peanut butter, pumpkin, carrots, peas, and green beans. Some owners also like to add commercial dog food toppers or mix in a little wet food.
Check out this article for tons more ideas:15 Tasty Toppers to Mix with Dry Dog Food to Tempt Your Dog
Should I Add Warm or Cold Water to Kibble?
When it comes to the temperature, it is generally recommended to use lukewarm or room temperature water, as extreme temperatures can affect the taste and texture of the dog food.
Additionally, allowing the dry dog food to soak in water for a few minutes before serving can help to soften it and make it easier for dogs to chew and digest.
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