Does it matter if I feed my pet wet or dry food? Which is best?

There are many different opinions about pet food, even in the veterinary community. I think it is fine to offer canned and dry food to cats. Most people will leave dry food out and will offer the canned food once to twice a day but don’t leave that out as it will spoil. If the cats are heavy, look for low-calorie foods. Dry food isn’t that good for the teeth unless it is a special dental formula. These formulas have kibble that will not break until the tooth is fully engaged into the kibble. Otherwise kibble only helps to keep the tips of the teeth clean and not the gumline. Kibble is however not bad for the kidneys. Canned food is better for the kidneys because of the water content but if kidney disease does develop, cats will need a special diet for kidney disease. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions about Moe and Mac.

Good question, although it's difficult to answer accurately without knowing Riley's history and medical issues that may have factored into previous advice. As a general rule, it is fine to serve kibble either dry or soaked in water - most dogs do fine with either option and both options have pros & cons. Softening the food helps encourage more water intake and might encourage some dogs to eat a little bit slower (for those dogs who are what I call "scarf & barfers"!). Feeding kibble dry *may* be better for teeth, although in my opinion most kibbles don't do much to help keep teeth clean since they are so easily chewed up, unless you're feeding a prescription dental food such as t/d. So, sorry if this is a non-answer....but frankly both ways of feeding are perfectly acceptable! Hope this helps.

It is a common misconception that dry food is better for teeth than wet foods. Once a cat takes a bite of the kibble and crunches it, there is no advantage in mechanically or abrasively cleaning the teeth. Exceptions come into play with certain prescription diets, such as Hill’s t/d, which have been proven to mechanically clean the teeth. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (www.vohc.org) rates the variety of dental diets and treats on the market with respect to their efficacy in controlling plaque and/or tartar. At the end of the day, daily tooth brushing is the best preventative measure for keeping a cat’s teeth healthy.

Yes, dogs can do very well on dry food only. It isn't that dry food is the most ideal food, simply that for most pet owners, it is the most convenient food to store, and the most affordable. There are some people that choose to feed raw dog food, or even cook all their dogs meals. In general, there are many options, what matters is that our dogs are feed a nutritionally balanced diet. If people choose to prepare their own food for their dogs, they should follow recipes from veterinarians, and not just recipes on blogs. I hope this information answers your question.

Cats don't need dry food if you are providing wet cat food. The reason dry food is best is that most cats graze. You can leave the dry food out. Also, it helps with their teeth. I would not add any meat or anything else into a cat's diet. Just wet and/or dry cat food. Or as in Alice's case kitten food. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dry is fine for cats. Some feel that canned cat food is more ideal due to the extra moisture content and because cats are more carnivorous than dogs. Canned food is best for cats with underlying urinary issues. With that being said if Noushmc prefers dry then that is what you should offer her. I wouldn't be concerned. Have a good day!

Wet food is not bad for dogs. Unfortunately this has become a misconception that many people believe. Some people say that canned food will cause worsening of dental disease or faster accumulation of tartar / plaque. This is not true as I have seen dogs on hard food have terrible dental disease whereas some dogs on canned food have beautiful teeth with no dental disease. If Crystal did well on canned food and does not like dry food, there is absolutely no problem in feeding canned food. I would just make sure to try and brush her teeth whenever possible to remove pieces of soft food from between the teeth. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.