Treats and additional food items should not exceed 10% of the daily caloric intake for your dog.

he majority (90% or greater) of the calories should come from a “complete and balanced food” (i.e. a dog’s maintenance or therapeutic commercial diet OR a home-cooked diet that is formulated by a veterinary nutritionist specifically for your pet). For example, if your dog eats 100 calories per day, NO MORE than 10 calories should be from treats or other foods (with 90 calories from a complete and balanced diet).

Fruits and vegetables are good options for many dogs since they are usually low on protein, fat, sodium, and phosphorus.  Please avoid food items that may be harmful to dogs including chocolate, macadamia nuts, garlic, onions, grapes, and raisins.

The benefits of participating in our Day Play program, as you will see below, eliminates all the above-mentioned concerns.

Providing healthy treats promotes a healthy weight, thereby, lowering the chances for the need for future medications to treat arthritis, diabetes, and many other common diagnoses. Just as we humans say, “you are what you eat”, the same is true for our pets. The doctors at Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital urge pet parents to monitor their pet’s treat intake. Sit down and do an inventory of how many treats you give your pet each day, then multiply that by the calories and fat contained in each treat.

You may be surprised how much over the 10% rule for daily intake your pet may be. Just know that you can negate any efforts to ensure your pet is eating a proper diet by giving them high-calorie treats. Our team of doctors at Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital would be glad to answer any questions you may have about your pet’s current diet.

(Referenced from UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Nutrition Support Service)