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When choosing the type of food for their dog, owners often fluctuate between canned and dry diets, unsure which one is the healthiest for their pet. We can’t say that all wet foods are better than dry ones, and vice versa. Both dry and wet food have their pros and cons and advantages (and do not forget that your pet has his taste and preferences). However, the benefits of a ready-made, industrial diet depend not only on the type but also on the composition.
The main difference between wet and dry food is, first of all, in the different water content. While dry food content is only 3 to 12%, it is 60 to 84% for wet food. This considerable difference affects the shelf life of food products since dry food can be stored much longer than wet food, which, in comparison, goes bad earlier.
There are also significant variations between wet and dry food in terms of calorie content. With dry food, dogs consume a lot of calories in small amounts. In contrast, dogs must eat 2 – 3 times as much wet food to achieve the same calorific value.
The question of what food is best for dogs’ teeth is also problematic. One side claim that the dry food’s hard consistency cleanses the teeth, while the other claims that the dry food remains too tightly adhered to the teeth, leading to dental problems.
Also confusing is that experts can give different recommendations on nutrition – even within the same breed. This is because each dog is individual, and in each case, it is necessary to choose food taking into account several factors. Each food option has its own positive and negative sides, so there are no clear recommendations for your dog’s food.
You can also learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of this wet vs dry dog food infographic.
Vicki Smirnova is a professional pet writer and Senior Content Editor of ThePets.net. She’s passionate about sharing pet health knowledge to help pet parents to care for their pets. ThePets team includes pet experts who provide reliable information about keeping your animals healthy and happy. Also, become a fan of ThePets on Facebook.
