5 Tips For Helping Your Dog Adjust To A New Vet-Prescribed Diet

As a furparent, one of your top priorities should be ensuring that your dog is eating a healthy diet. This is usually easy enough to accomplish, thanks to the fact that readily available dog food is already packed with the nutrients they need. Most of the time, your everyday feeding duties lie in giving them the right serving of food in their stainless steel dog bowls, watching them finish their meal, and observing proper hygiene and food preparation practices in their feeding area.  

Some dogs, however, may need a little more attention in this regard, especially if they’ve been prescribed a special diet by their veterinarian to accommodate a health condition such as allergies, obesity, kidney disease, or diabetes. If that’s the case for your dog, it can be difficult to transition them from their usual meals to their new diet. After all, dogs are creatures of habit, and some may initially be extra resistant to this change in their routine. 

To help you ease your dog into their new vet-prescribed diet, here are some tips you can try out:

1) Gradually Transition Them into the New Diet

Suddenly changing your dog’s diet can upset their stomach, which can lead to further resistance to the new diet or loss of appetite altogether. To prevent this from happening, consider introducing the new food gradually to them over the course of several days. This approach will allow your dog’s digestive system to gradually adapt to the new diet, reducing the risk of an upset stomach.

For instance, in the first three days, mix 25 percent new food with 75 percent old food. After that, you can then adjust the portion to comprise 50 percent for both kinds, then later on with the new food portion being larger than the old food. 

Eventually, you’ll find that you can serve them the new food only without problems. However, if you notice any irregular signs from your dog, such as vomiting or loose stools, be slower in your transition to help them get used to the new food at a more comfortable pace.

2) Make the Food More Appealing

Some prescription diets will feature different textures, flavors, or smells that may not appeal to your dog right away. This, in turn, may lead to some reluctance to eat the food. As a solution to this issue, try to make their new food more appealing. For example, serving the new food slightly warm can help enhance its aroma, making it more enticing to them. 

Prescription kibble also tends to be dry and hard to chew, so try adding moisture to it with a low-sodium broth (granted that your vet allows it) or some warm water to help your dog chew the food much more easily. These small adjustments will enhance the smell, texture, or ease of consumption of their new diet food without modifying any of the nutritional benefits they get from it.

3) Stick to a Feeding Schedule

Free feeding or leaving food out for your dog all day can make adjusting to a new diet much harder. Opt for structured mealtimes to regulate your dog’s hunger and reinforce to them that the new food is their only option. This can be done by offering their new food at the same times each day. Don’t offer any alternatives such as treats or human food if they refuse their meal, as this may encourage picky eating, which can then interfere with their prescribed diet. 

If they skip one or two meals during this period, don’t panic. As long as they’re healthy, most dogs won’t let themselves starve. Dogs quickly learn that they need to eat when food is available, and this is what will eventually get them to accept their new diet. 

4) Monitor Your Dog’s Reaction

Keep a close eye on your dog’s reaction as you transition them to their new diet. Signs that they’re adapting well to the new food include normal stools (firm, brown, and not too soft), consistent healthy appetite, and normal energy levels. Meanwhile, be alarmed and contact your vet if you’re observing persistent diarrhea or vomiting, extreme lethargy, or significant weight loss. 

Be extra vigilant about your dog’s response to the new diet so that you’re able to catch any problems early on. This will allow you to consult your vet right away for possible diet adjustments to make things easier for your dog.

5) Be Patient and Consistent

Some dogs will inevitably take longer to adjust, especially if they’ve gotten used to a specific diet or are naturally picky eaters. Stay consistent with the diet transition plan and avoid giving in to their begging. You can motivate them to eat their new food with positive reinforcement, such as by praising them when they eat their meal. 

Make sure their feeding area is also quiet and stress-free so that they feel more comfortable during meals. Through this approach, you can get your dog to accept their new diet at a pace they’re most comfortable with.

It may initially be quite stressful to get your dog used to a new diet prescribed by the vet, but the tips above should help you get through the major hurdles. If you run into any challenges, don’t forget to check in with your vet for proper guidance and advice on how to keep your dog healthy and well-fed.