Each day this week we are examining the parts of the new Hill’s Pet Nutrition Healthy Advantage line of foods. To see the series from the beginning, click here. Today we look at the Healthy Advantage food for adult dogs:
For adult dogs:
- By three years of age 80% of dogs have significant dental disease. As with people, if the mouth isn’t healthy, the rest of the body isn’t healthy either. For that and many other reasons Hill’s has chosen to make oral health a major part of the focus of the Healthy Advantage formulation.
- Obesity in dogs in America is an epidemic. Even if pet owners have been careful to measure correct amounts of food in puppyhood, as puppies move from the very active time of youth to the more sedentary pace of adulthood, calories must be limited proportionately. Even if a dog isn’t overweight prior to this transition time, failure to reduce caloric intake will move an appropriately-weighted patient toward obesity.
- Mobility health continues to be a concern because, even though this group covers ages 1-8, the potential for joint damage is continuous. Natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin are included.
- Healthy digestion continues to be important. We are no longer providing levels of energy and protein associated with growth, yet we still need our adult dogs to absorb nutrients at a level commensurate with the quality of nutrients provided in Hill’s foods.
- Skin and coat health continue to be important in adulthood, too. A beautiful coat is a healthy coat. Analogous to a healthy lawn resisting weeds, a healthy coat is a first line of defense against skin lesions associated with parasites and allergy.
Tomorrow: Hill’s new Healthy Advantage line of foods for adult cats.
