The Importance of High-Moisture Diets

This summer, help your pet beat the heat with the foods they eat. At Furchild we believe that the old adage ‘you are what you eat’ should be taken one step further to ‘you are what you absorb.’

This doesn’t just apply to humans. It’s true for our canine and feline friends too. Yet most manufactured ‘little round dry pellets’ contain nutrient poor, and/or inappropriate ingredients in addition to inadequate levels of moisture that do not support optimal health.

Food for thought

How did we get to the point where we think that all it takes to feed our dogs and cats is the same scoop of ‘dry pet food’ every single day? If kidney diseases and urinary tract issues are common problems in the UAE and our climate is hot and humid, does it make sense to feed a type of pet food that puts your pet’s body in a constant state of dehydration? Did you know that drinking water from a bowl is not sufficient?

If you compare our dog’s and cat’s ‘Ancestral Diet’ to ‘modern’ typical pet foods, the differences are startling! Our pet’s Ancestors, wolves and wild cats depended largely upon high amounts of moisture found in their prey - fresh meat, organs and bone. The moisture levels of an Ancestral Diet were up to 78% moisture. That’s a lot of moisture! Now a days, dry pet foods contain 5-10% moisture, canned foods 40-60%, and raw food nutrition like Furchild contain 65-75% moisture on an as-fed basis.

Facts: Keeping your pet’s body hydrated is very important because moisture

• Maintains a stable, normal body temperature.
• Aids in digestion – getting food through the body and helping to absorb the nutrition within the food.
• Lubricating healthy joints – especially important for large breeds and senior dogs.
• Maintains healthy functioning organs and literally prevents them from shutting down.
• More than water, the moisture content found in the fresh food ingredients like Furchild Meals contain many dissolved vitamins and minerals.
• Moderates hydration, which is very important in hot, humid climates like the UAE.

Our pet’s digestion and urinary tract systems are a moisture intensive process. From the saliva in their mouths and gastric juices in their digestive tract, a high amount of moisture is needed to properly digest foods and aid the flow through the urinary tract to achieve an optimum pH environment. When digesting an entirely dry diet, our pet’s body will pull the needed moisture from other tissues and organs if necessary, leaving little moisture temporarily available for flushing toxins and general hydration. A chronic state of dehydration can lead to health problems including Kidney issues, Crystals and/or Stones, Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), Bloating, and more.

Did you know?

Plain and simple, drinking H20 from a bowl is not sufficient. Some pet parents think that soaking kibble in water before feeding would replace the moisture level found in fresh food diets, but this is not the case. In order to get the kibble back to the level of moisture found in whole prey, approximately 4 cups of water would need to be added for every 1 cup of dog food. Depending on the quality of kibble, it may or may not actually soak up the water. Cats would need to drink over 1 cup of water for every 10 lb of body weight to adequately digest their dry food diet. Since cats are not inclined to drink as much water from a bowl as dogs, due to their lower thirst levels from their Ancestral diet, they depend upon a high moisture diet more than dogs.

The remedy

So, how do we ensure our pets are consuming the right amount of moisture and staying hydrated throughout the summer? It’s simple – in addition to controlling the air-conditioning in your home, feed a species-appropriate, high moisture diet! For adequate absorption and assimilation of ingredients, at least a portion of your pet’s meal should consist of two things:

• Contain at least 70% moisture (as-fed)
• Incorporating more fresh ingredients (raw foods or foods that have not been heavily cooked, or extruded.)
• Always provide fresh clean water

As our own mother and grandparents would encourage us to eat a variety of fresh, healthy foods, we need to apply this commonsense to pets. If cost is of concern, consider feeding 50% or two meals a week of fresh, species appropriate nutrition, as much as you can reasonably afford.

While cats and dogs thrive on species appropriate diets with high moisture levels, they can be challenging for pet owners and veterinarians to find. But Furchild is changing that. Thankfully, they have made it simple and convenient to feed your beloved pets premium, raw meals needed to live full and vital lives.

Furchild is the first raw pet food company of it’s kind in Dubai and the Middle East Region. Not only do they provide the highest quality nutrition, they specialize in Monthly Plans for pets and deliver to your home across Dubai and other Emirates.

Introductory Offer for New Customers

Try a Variety of Furchild’s Premium Meals for Dogs + Free Nutritional Consult

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Only AED 99. *limited time offer.