When we think that our Shih Tzu is sick of eating only kibble or some other dry food, sometimes we choose to mix it with a little ham, chicken, or whatever else we have done to make it easier for the Shih Tzu. He accepts the food. But did you know that mixing food can kill your Shih Tzu?
Today we are going to tell you how and why there is a certain danger in mixing food for your Shih Tzu. Even though it is a normal action that we do for the good of our Shih Tzu, trying to give him the best and with the best intentions in the world, we must know the details, which in this case can be very serious.
Why we shouldn’t mix Shih Tzu foods
Although we all know that alternating foods for our Shih Tzu are something that is even advisable, we must understand that the word “alternate” is different from the word “mix”.
See also: What Makes Shih Tzu Dogs Stressed
Alternating means exchanging, that is, today we give him food, and tomorrow rice and chicken, for example. This is absolutely not harmful to our Shih Tzu, the danger is when instead of alternating, we mix.
To understand this, we’ll look at two types of mixing food that could kill your Shih Tzu.
Dry food, the so-called ration
This food consists of cooking the dry mixture and then molding it to give it different shapes.
Digesting food is a slow process, so Shih Tzu doesn’t need more than two servings of food daily, because the food they consume with this process keeps their stomachs full for longer. The digestion of the feed can take between 8 and 10 hours, what takes time is the fermentation of the food.
See also: How The Shih Tzu Communicates
Natural food
Natural food is what we consume and is easily digested and takes little time to make.
Where is the danger of mixing foods
The danger lies in mixing two foods that are so different and with such different digestion processes. When both types of food are mixed, the natural food cannot be digested normally and will generate gases that can cause the animal to have gastric torsion. This happens because the natural food is surrounded by the dry, preventing its digestion and becoming part of the dry fermentation.
See also: What Makes Shih Tzu Dogs Stressed
Gastric torsion can end your Shih Tzu life in a matter of hours. You have to consult with a veterinarian about gastric torsion. What do you think about this? Share your thoughts in the comments