Does wet dog food provide hydration that is beneficial to keep your pet in a healthy and happy status?
You may seek the right answer to this common question when feeding your dog the wet food.
Yet, the correct answer will depend on different factors, such as the wet food’s ingredients, moisture content, or the proper application to your pup’s diet.
Let’s explore useful information in this article to answer if wet food gives your dog adequate hydration.
Does Wet Dog Food Provide Hydration?
Yes, it does. Wet food is a much better option to help keep your pup hydrated as it contains a high moisture content.
Thus, you should use this food type to provide sufficient water for your dog in daily meals.
Does Wet Dog Food Count As Water Intake?
Yes, it does. The wet food contains about 70-80% water. Thus, it can be equivalent to the essential water intake when your pup consumes it.
This also means your pet may ingest about 3.85-4.4 oz of water from each can of wet food.
Do Dogs Get Water From Wet Food?
Yes, they do. Dogs can obtain the necessary water by eating wet food. When dogs taste damp food, they will receive great moisture without drinking more water.
Yet, check and choose the right type of damp food, as the moisture content can vary depending on various producers.
Besides, consider the ingredients, including sodium, that can cause the pet’s thirst to increase when serving wet food to your dog.
Can Your Dog Get Adequate Water From Wet Food?
Yes, it can. Your dog may obtain adequate water when consuming wet food that contains high moisture. Thus, wet food is a superior choice to kibble to maintain hydration for your pup.
This food will help increase your pet’s water intake and reduce the strain on important organs, such as the urinary tract or kidneys.
So, incorporate it into your dog’s diet for complete daily hydration.
Can Your Dog Survive On Wet Food Only?
Yes, it can. A good-quality wet food with balanced nutrients and adequate moisture will help the dogs survive best.
Besides high water amounts, damp food provides vital minerals and vitamins to keep your pet healthy and energetic.
Also, wet food with good ingredients can benefit your pup and prevent diseases related to the digestive system and other organs, such as the urinary tract.
Thus, you can be secure when feeding your pet wet food only.
However, consuming only wet food may make your pup depressed.
You’d better combine it with other food, such as kibble or your pet’s favorite veggies or fruits, to provide variety and tastiness.
Does Wet Food Make Dogs Less Thirsty?
Yes, it does. Wet food may help dogs feel less thirsty due to its high water content.
Dogs eating this food type may obtain sufficient hydration and drink less water than when they consume dry food.
Thus, don’t worry if your pup drinks less fresh water in prepared bowls after eating the damp food.
How Much Water Is In Wet Dog Food And Should A Dog Drink?
Wet food contains about 70-80% water, depending on each brand and type.
This water amount helps the damp food provide adequate hydration to meet your pup’s demands. Thus, dogs eating only wet food don’t need more water or get less water.
Besides, wet food is advisable for dogs consuming only kibble, which may not give them sufficient water.
Veterinarians recommend that your pup consume about 0.75 oz of water per pound of body weight.
For a more accurate number, you may apply a rule of thumb to calculate the water intake for your pet from the wet food consumption.
A simple formula is to multiply the quantities of cups of food you serve daily by 3 to make the specified cups of intake water your pet needs.
Consuming this minimum water amount will help lessen your pet’s dehydration risk.
Adding Water to Wet Food For Your Dog- Should or Shouldn’t
You shouldn’t add water to wet dog food containing natural moisture content with essential hydration for your pet.
Adding water to the damp food is unnecessary, even leading to unexpected effects.
First, adding more water to the damp food will make the food soggy and dilute the vital nutrients for the best growth of the dog.
Also, this way causes delicious taste loss and damages food’s texture.
As a result, your pet will feel bored, dislike this food, and stop consuming it. Finally, the entire food is going to waste and spoil.
Another downside of adding water to damp food is that it causes problems with your pup’s digestive system or kidneys.
Sometimes, the water addition to wet food may create a favorable environment for the development of harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, or dangerous germs that are key culprits of diarrhea in dogs.
Besides, the excessive moisture when your pet consumes damp food with the added water amount will bring harmful agents into the stomach and cause problems to the digestive system and other parts.
Moreover, increasing water for the available wet food will also produce redundant moisture in your pet’s body.
This may harm the kidneys if your pup has difficulty in urination.
Useful Tips For Adding Water To Your Dog Food
One useful trick to moisten dry dog food is using filtered and fresh water to add moisture to your daily diet and prevent harmful bacteria from your pet’s stomach.
Also, add less warm water to the kibble first, feed your pup, and monitor the results to adjust the proper water amount for the next meals.
Instead of using cold or warm water, you also use hot water to soften the dry food without hassle. In addition, soak the dog food for at least 10 minutes to help the kibble soft faster.
This is also beneficial for your pet’s digestive system.
What Can Provide Hydration Besides Wet Dog Food?
You may give your pup a drinking fountain with available filters, removing bad odors, tastes, and harsh minerals.
This way helps your pup have sufficient moisture for daily activities.
In addition, providing more fresh water bowls in different locations, such as bedrooms, living rooms, or anywhere in your home, is also effective in adding essential water to your pet.
If you like to make tasty smoothies with sweet and juicy fruits, such as apples and strawberries, share about one tablespoon with your pup to ensure adequate moisture.
Besides smoothies, you may make a frozen treat by blending or mixing water with unflavored, plain yogurt or kefir in a silicone mold or ice cube tray and adding your dog’s favorite leafy veggies or juicy fruits.
This tip is good for improving your pup’s health and digestive problems.
Conclusion
Does wet dog food provide hydration? Yes, damp food contains the high moisture that allows your pup to become healthier and more hydrated without drinking too much water.
Also, giving your pet the vital nutrients and adequate hydration is great when incorporating damp food into the daily diet.
Besides, feeding your dog wet food is a simple and fast way to solve difficulties in keeping your dog with dental problems hydrated.
Yet, don’t consider damp food as a sole source of moisture as it has high sodium levels that harm your pet’s health.