Pet Habitat South Africa

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26 Mar 2017

Burgess Sensitive Food For Dogs

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Nutrition | Dogs | Dog Food | Burgess Sensitive

There are numerous foods available for dogs and sometimes it is difficult to know what is best for your four legged friend. At Burgess they only make foods that are healthy and contain the best of ingredients to make sure your dog stays happy and healthy. Burgess Sensitive which is now available in South Africa from 1 March 2018 is great for all dogs, but is particularly suited to those with a sensitive digestive system as the recipes are free from the usual ingredients that can upset your pet’s stomach. The recipes contain just simple, high quality ingredients like tasty British Turkey and Scottish Salmon.

Feeding Tips for When Your Dog is a Puppy

Introduce Burgess Sensitive in the early days gradually over a week, by mashing a little down with hot water to create a paste and cooling to room temperature. Gradually add less water until your puppy is eating the dry kibbles. If your puppy is already eating dry food, transition them slowly, over the course of a week, by gradually mixing in more of the new kibbles until the puppy is just eating the new food. This should help prevent unwanted upset stomachs. Always feed to appetite but reduce the amount if your puppy becomes overweight. Increase food levels according to growth but on average your puppy will need 4 meals a day at 6 weeks, reducing down to 3-4 at 3 months, 2-3 a day at 6 months and 2 a day at 12 months. Different breeds and sizes mature at different ages but we recommend that by 12 months you can change to an adult product, however, if in doubt please check with your vet. Always ensure your dog has plenty of clean fresh drinking water, available at all times. When changing your dog’s diet introduce the new food gradually over 5-7 days, until it completely replaces the old food

Feeding Tips for When Your Dog is an Adult

When starting to feed Burgess Sensitive, it’s best to do so slowly by gradually replacing the old food over 5 to 7 days. The amount of food any dog needs varies according to its breed, size and level of activity. All the packs carry detailed feeding instructions. However, as a guide, feed at a rate of 90g per 5kg of body weight (3oz per 10lb) or, if your dog is over 32kg (70lb) at a rate of 70g per 5kg (2.5oz per 10lb). Lactating bitches may eat up to three times as much as the indicated serving. We recommend when feeding a complete dry food, to serve the daily requirement in two or more meals, especially if feeding dry. It’s important not to over feed your dog, particularly if feeding household scraps or treat items. Treat items should be taken into consideration when working out portion sizes. Fresh clean water should always be available for your dog and something hard, such as bone or chews, should be given on a regular basis to help keep teeth clean.

If you should have any concerns about the health of your dog, always consult a vet.

The domestic dog evolved very closely with man and so it’s unsurprising that their nutritional needs resemble ours in many respects. Like us they are omnivores which means they can eat a broad spectrum of food including, meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, cereals, legumes and certain fruits.

Dogs can be vegetarians

Dogs can be quite happy on a vegetarian diet provided it’s correctly balanced and supplemented with the right vitamins and minerals. This is because certain essential fatty acids they would normally get from animal and fish products can’t be manufactured in their bodies from other nutrients. But generally a healthy diet should contain good quality meat or fish for protein, supplemented with vegetable proteins such as soya, grains or peas.

Fish Oil is good for your dog’s skin and coat condition

Dogs can tolerate both saturated and unsaturated fats and both should be present in your dog’s diet. Small quantities of fish oil high in unsaturates are beneficial for skin and coat condition. For healthy skin and a glossy coat for your dog try Burgess Sensitive.

Dogs can tolerate high levels of fat

Unlike their owners dogs can digest a reasonable amount of fat in the diet and do not seem to experience the health problems this would cause humans. Excessive amounts of fat can cause pancreatitis so care should be taken with the levels of fat in your dog’s food. Eating large quantities of high-energy foods, unless taking a lot of exercise, can cause obesity in dog and owner alike. It is important to keep your dog in a lean condition and light or lower energy diets, such as Burgess Sensitive Senior/Light, are available to help with this.

Dogs need vitamins and minerals

Dogs need a careful balance of different vitamins and minerals and require food which includes zinc and copper supplements. A complete diet, such as Burgess Sensitive, will include the necessary vitamins, minerals and amino acids in their correct ratio, either derived from the raw materials themselves or from an added supplement. Good products like Burgess Sensitive, use protected vitamins to prevent them being degraded by processing. Your dog should obtain all it needs from the food he eats, there should be no need to give your dog extra vitamins or minerals and over dosing vitamins can be harmful.

A little bit of fibre is good for your dog

Your dog will also benefit from some fibre in his diet as well. Although the diseases which fibre apparently protects man from are not generally recognised as severe problems in dogs the inclusion of fibre in the diet helps the passage of food through the gut and has a positive impact on gut bacteria and wellbeing. Sugar beet, pea fibre, chicory and whole grain cereals are all included in dog foods to provide different types and blends of fibre. Many manufactures also include fructooligosaccharides (Prebiotic) to aid gut health and maintain a healthy balance of “good bacteria”.

Dogs need plenty of water

Your dog also needs a supply of good clean water available to him throughout the day. Bowls should be kept clean, washed daily and regularly topped up so your dog can drink ad lib. This is particularly important when the weather is hot or when feeding dry food.

It’s important to find the right balanced diet for your dog. To help you find the right food for your pet have a look at Burgess product range.

Foods To Avoid

Below is a list of foods that should not be fed to dogs. The list includes many common household foods but is by no means exhaustive.

Alcoholic beverages
Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine
Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous system.

Fat trimmings
Can cause pancreatitis.

Pits from peaches and plums
Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.

Grapes and raisins
Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys.

Large amounts of liver
Can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones.

Macadamia nuts
Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.

Milk and other dairy products
Some adult dogs do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhoea. Lactose-free milk products are available for cats.

Moldy or spoiled food
Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhoea and can also affect other organs.

Mushrooms
Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder)
Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.

Potato, rhubarb, and tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems
Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems. This is more of a problem in livestock.

Raw eggs
Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

Raw fish
Can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly.

Excessive salt
If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.

Sugary foods
Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Table scraps (in large amounts)
Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced and if excessively fed can lead to obesity. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.