Wet Nose Week highlights dogs health and wellbeing
New research from Pedigree suggests that while pet owners try and care for their dogs in the best way possible, their actions are not always in their pet’s best interests.
The Pedigree ‘Paws for Thought’ report show that nearly 40 per cent of dog owners have fed their animals toxic or harmful food without realising, including milk, grapes, raisins and chocolate.
The findings, which saw over 1,000 pet owners quizzed on their dogs, revealed many owners do not realise feeding their dogs certain human foods can be extremely harmful, including chocolate, which is highly toxic to dogs, and even grapes – a food considered healthy to humans but which can cause kidney failure when fed to dogs.
The study also showed that only 12 per cent of people believe their dog to be overweight despite official figures showing a reality of 40 per cent and only four per cent of people brush their dog’s teeth, not realising that advice from vets suggests this should be daily.
This week Pedigree has launched Wet Nose Week to throw a spotlight on dog wellbeing and help owners across the country to play an active role in keeping their dogs healthy. The seven-day-long campaign is encouraging owners to address their dog’s ‘Four Universal Needs’ – good oral health, optimum digestion, healthy skin and coat and a robust immune system. Owners are also being encouraged to check the health of their dogs by using the health checker developed by Pedigree in association with TV vet Steve Leonard.
Gemma Howells, Pedigree brand manager, said: “At Pedigree we believe every dog should be fit and healthy all year round. Pedigree Wet Nose Week is one step towards this goal, and has been launched as a fun and engaging way to give owners a better insight into their dog’s health, wellbeing and nutritional needs. We want to help owners with some guidance about what they can do themselves, within their own homes, to ensure their dogs are in optimum shape, health and wellbeing.”
Jo Gale, scientist at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition said: “It’s not surprising that so many owners give in to their dogs and feed them tidbits from their own plates, but it is really important to remember that a dog’s dietary needs are different to those of a humans. It is paramount for owners to check which foods maintain the health and wellbeing of dogs, to prevent long-term health problems, especially obesity.”
To find out more about Pedigree Wet Nose Week visit: www.uk.pedigree.com/wetnoseweek