Is it necessary to change your pet’s food from time to time?

“Dogs and humans are in evolutionary harmony, we have adapted together”, is the title of an interview Jules Howard, a British zoologist, in the The country of Spain and his book A marvelous being: a scientific look at the dog-human bond. He develops a historical and emotional chronicle whose background is the paradigm shift experienced by the link between the two species. “Dogs have gone from being objects and prisoners to being friends, and now even family members,” says Howard.

“The situation of dogs in our culture today is fascinating,” he adds, “they have reached a new level for which we don’t yet have a scientific word.”

The scientific concept may not exist, but there is one that speaks volumes about this new status: the “humanization” of animals. The French philosopher and sociologist Gilles Lipovetski often says that we live in a society of excess, hypermodern, hyperconsumerist, hyperindividualist. Without restraint, everything is pushed to the extreme, and the case of the relationship with our pets seems to be one more reflection of this.

It was not enough to declare the animals as sentient beings: in addition, it was necessary to add a market variety where you can find all kinds of human products, such as clothes – from parkas to divers, jeans and hats –, shoes, costumes, glasses, furniture, and create a market around this new status.

How many of these products correspond to an animal need and how many to the frivolity of man, who has lost track of what is really necessary? In this context, ideas appear that are repeated among guardians of dogs, but also of cats, in squares, kennels or wherever they want to share their experiences. For example, the supposed need to vary, from time to time, the food that is given to pets at home. Is it really true?

No, this is not the case. David Rodríguez, a nutritionist, gastroenterologist and spokesperson for the Chilean College of Veterinary Medicine (Colmevet), says this is an idea that stems more from humanization than anything else. It has to do with humans finding it boring to always eat the same thing, and we transfer that boredom to pets.

“While it is true that dogs have highly developed senses, such as hearing and smell, there are others, such as taste, that are very deficient,” adds Alejandra Marconi, veterinarian and technical representative of Powerdog.

Indeed, dogs have about 1,700 taste buds, less than a fifth of the 10,000 that humans have, which means a much lower ability than ours to perceive different flavors. And in the case of cats, it’s even lower: they only have about 500 of these sensory organs.

However, contrary to what anthropocentric criteria might think, this does not represent a problem for animals. They just don’t move by the sense of taste. Their compass in food is rather the sense of smell: they have respectively more than 200 million and 60 million olfactory receptors.

Viviana Estadella, veterinarian at Royal Canin, explains that when it comes to palatability – how stimulating a food can be to an animal – there are “many more aspects that affect compared to humans”. At least in cats and dogs, smell, texture, taste, shape, and temperature “come together to form a complete picture.”

“In dogs, the olfactory aspect becomes relevant. If the smell attracts them, they will eat almost without tasting. In this sense, if a healthy dog ​​does not eat his food, you have to wonder if his smell is more appealing than his taste in the first place. And then investigate other factors that may be relevant, such as size and humidity, among others,” adds Marconi, for his part.

David Rodríguez clarifies that each animal is a particular individual and, therefore, “may have various special considerations or food fixations at the time of their choice”. That said, another question remains:

It’s more complex. And the answer is not the same among specialists. Marconi, for example, comments that this is not a recommendation he gives to the veterinary office. “More than just being varied, I’m afraid they’re feeding him based on age and breed requirements.”

Rodríguez, meanwhile, says a switch is recommended “as long as the animal does not develop any degree of adverse food reaction to the new product.” For this reason, when it is decided to change food, the animal must be kept under observation for two or three weeks “to recognize if it presents cutaneous or digestive signs suggesting a certain anomaly in the new food”.

Now, there are those who seem to find a benefit in diversity, since a greater source of nutrients, in the long term, could help “to have more nutritional options and increase oral tolerance”, according to the Colmevet spokesperson. In this sense, Isamel Pereira, specialist in veterinary gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy, is right: in the first years of an animal’s life, it is advisable to vary the textures of its food.

“If they’re used to only eating pellets, when they’re sick and they have to eat home-cooked food—the classic chicken rice or whatever—it can be more complicated for them.” For this reason, he says, “it is convenient for them to get used to different textures from an early age.”

The important thing is to worry about making a good transition – mixing foods as you go, until the new one is the only one on the plate – and that the quality of the foods is equivalent.

However, making this dietary diversity a constant can have long-term counterproductive effects.

It is not uncommon for pets to develop certain chronic diseases, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, as they age. Some of these are specifically associated with the food they have had throughout their lives. “It’s not because the diet is bad or outdated, but because unfortunately some puppies generate adverse reactions to certain components,” says Pereira.

Most of the time, complications are related to proteins included in the diet. “The first thing we do during the consultation is to ask you what you have eaten and what you have not eaten, because the strategy is to give a diet with a protein that you have not eaten before. For example, if he has eaten chicken and fish pellets all his life, the option is to give him pig, rabbit or lamb food. On the other hand, if you have eaten a lot of protein in your life, we will have fewer resources to manage”, explains the specialist.

Therefore, if a food pleases and does good for your animal, the ideal is to keep it.

Given the above, the choice of food that will be given to the animal is essential. According to Euromonitor, in 2022 more than 422,730 tonnes of pet food were sold in Chile — 19% more than in 2017 — from 25 companies. Given this diversity, the basic recommendation is to seek advice from a specialist in the field.

Pereira says that “often people get carried away with the advice of others, like a neighbor who did well with a certain food for his dog. But that doesn’t mean it will necessarily work for you with yours. It is on a case-by-case basis, especially if the animal has a disease”.

“Dogs are omnivores, or opportunistic carnivores, as they are currently defined. But beyond that, each patient must be taken care of individually, “reaffirms David Rodríguez. “Often decisions are made based on what the packaging or advertising offers, but what lies behind a food technological process is unknown. You can fall into misconceptions due to certain trends we see in humans themselves, such as grain-free or vegan, to name a few.

Therefore, continues the nutritionist and gastroenterologist, the choice of food will depend on the economic capacity of each one. “You shouldn’t feel bad if your budget isn’t enough for something more expensive, because your pet will surely be fine with what you can buy.” The most important thing is that it meets the ideal requirements for each animal: that it has a complete nutritional profile and with “high quality” sources and processes that can guarantee food safety, avoiding health risks.

Likewise, the animal’s opinion must be taken into account; that is, whether or not he accepts the food given to him. “No matter how expensive it is, or how much you think it’s the best, if you don’t consume it, it’s because it doesn’t work,” says Rodríguez. Alejandra Marconi argues that factors such as the size of the food must be taken into account: “if it is a small breed or a puppy, for example, a very large one can be uncomfortable; if it’s an older dog or one with dental issues, a smaller, wetter dog may be better.”

The availability of food in stores is another aspect to consider. Some are harder to find or may even be subject to out-of-stock issues. Better to ask for advice so as not to run out of food.

Do you think your pet is picky because it is not very receptive to its food? Is it a food or animal problem? David Rodríguez says it can be a mix of both aspects.

“As physicians, we need to see if there is an underlying pathology, whether physiological or behavioral. Oftentimes, sitters get so involved that pets begin to see feeding as bad behavior or something wrong. But there can also be hormonal problems that alter their eating behavior.

Marconi says factors such as stress or ambient temperature can alter an animal’s appetite. Either way, one way to boost feeding is to add hot water to the pellet. “It tends to give off odors, which can help make it more appealing,” says the vet.

In many cases, the problem may lie in the presentation of the food. “Some animals like to work for food,” says Ismael Poblete. “We can try to feed them in a more playful way, for example by occupying toys like Kongs, or olfactory mats in which they have to solve a kind of maze to access food.”

If your dog or cat resists eating, despite all attempts, for several days, it is best to take him to your veterinarian for a more accurate diagnosis.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of July 20, 2023. Values ​​and availability are subject to change.