[2hounds]

Hello all,

Due to Lily's mouth injury (in health and genetics emergency vet visit) we've had to wet her dog food for her. Turns out her and Gibbs both like it better this way. Other than causing pickiness (sp?), is there any harm in this?

~Heather

 

[Scully]

I wouldn't imagine there's any harm in that. When Scully had her last dental, the vet actually suggested that we add water to her kibble for a while to make it more comfortable for her to eat.

 

[sadeyes2]

A while back, I read a report (think it was from Purdue University). They stated that dried food which uses VitC (citric acid)as a preservative should not have water added as this could possibly increase the chances of bloat. I changed the kibble I fed after reading this to one which does not use VitC as a preservative as my dogs prefer their food moistened too. Just figured that it wasn't worth taking the chance.

 

[Maggie's Mommy]

I heard that (rumor??) too about it contributing to bloat?? Don't know if there is any truth to it??

 

[2hounds]

Thank ya'll for your input. I will keep an eye on them and if I notice them eating too fast or anything I'll use some tricks to slow them down. The reason I'm thinking of keeping their kibble moist is because since I've taken them off Beneful and switched to a higher quality food they don't eat much, but since I've been adding water they actually eat.

~Heather

 

[Scully]

A while back, I read a report (think it was from Purdue University). They stated that dried food which uses VitC (citric acid)as a preservative should not have water added as this could possibly increase the chances of bloat.[/b]

I'd never heard that....yikes! I thought that wetting the food would decrease the amount that the food would "swell" in the stomach and therefore decrease chances of bloat. I guess I misunderstood that somewhere along the way.

 

[pinehawk]

you can wet there food with out any problems,i've never heard of them getting bloat from eating wet food.when we feed puppies they get there kibble wet.now when i say wet i mean moist just enough to soften the food not swimmimg in it.I always during the wintertime wet the food with some hot water from the tap just to give them a warm meal.

 

[Agnes_and_Lucille]

DO NOT ADD WATER TO DRY KIBBLE!!!!!!!!!

Agnes Marie Basset Hound (ATB) bloated in 2005. Since she had horrible dental problems, I had been wetting her food with tap water. It was the only way to get her to eat it. The vet said she wasn't sure what caused Agnes to bloat, but wetting her food certainly could have contributed to it. Adding the water causes extra gas in the system. If you want to moisten food, mix wet food with kibble instead. Please stop adding water to your baby's kibble today! Bloat is horrible and I was very lucky that Agnes survived. I don't want you to have to go through it too. And if there's even the slightest chance adding water to kibble can cause this awful condition, please don't do it.

 

[sadeyes2]

Thankyou for that info Melynda. The kibble I use expands very little when I add water to it and doesn't really soften either. It would be just as easy to add a wet food with no water. Think I'll take your advice and do just that.

Mary if you are interested in bloat (or like me just totally obsessed by it) then go to the health&genetics forum and read the bloat post.Mikey T has put up a pretty comprehensive list of possible causes.

 

[Mikey T]

Thankyou for that info Melynda. The kibble I use expands very little when I add water to it and doesn't really soften either. It would be just as easy to add a wet food with no water. Think I'll take your advice and do just that.

Mary if you are interested in bloat (or like me just totally obsessed by it) then go to the health&genetics forum and read the bloat post.Mikey T has put up a pretty comprehensive list of possible causes.[/b]

Adding water to dry food only contributed to bloat if the food was preserved with vitamin C which is not that common. When Toughy had oral melanoma , what i had to do was use a food processor just adding water would take hours to soften the kibble.

 

[2hounds]

Thank you so much all. I've been perplexed about this. I didn't add water to their kibble this morning and they didn't eat it. I'm going to check the bag. If there is no vit c I'm going to add just enough water to satisy them (it doesn't take much) and I'll keep an eye on them, but I think they'll be fine. Thank you all.

~Heather

 

[Mikey T]

Thank you so much all. I've been perplexed about this. I didn't add water to their kibble this morning and they didn't eat it. I'm going to check the bag. If there is no vit c I'm going to add just enough water to satisy them (it doesn't take much) and I'll keep an eye on them, but I think they'll be fine. Thank you all.

~Heather[/b]

The food can contain vitamine c though its inclusion is of dubious nature because unlike humans dog synthise all the vitamin c they need, It is when it is used to prserve fat in kibble which is often sprayed on after backing to increase palatability and fat content.

 

[kaq1230]

Hi,

When my little one Stewie was a puppy, he had a scare with bloat, and the vet actually recommended wetting the kibble a little, because the water starts some reaction that releases ?gas? and that happens in the bowl and not in the belly. Mind you, the food is not soaked, just barely wet, I am talking probably 1/2 tsp for 1 cup of food. I know that this is the opposite of the other posts, and now has me questioning it, and I am going to google it now.

Karen

 

[2hounds]

I've got to say that the dogs have me trained well. They wouldn't eat yesterday until they saw me add water. I mean I added maybe a teaspoon. I mean I know they would eat eventually, but I don't think this is worth the fight. It isn't hurting anything by adding a teaspoon, and it satisfies them. Once again thank everyone for your input.

~Heather

 

[melindaregner]

Adding water to dry food only contributed to bloat if the food was preserved with vitamin C which is not that common. When Toughy had oral melanoma , what i had to do was use a food processor just adding water would take hours to soften the kibble.

Agree with that! I have tried that with one of the packs we bought for Merfy(lab dogs).. Takes time, yes.. but worth waiting.

 

[SophieB]

Can someone please explain why the addition of Vitamin C to dry food contributes to bloat when water has been added to it?

 

[Wworm]

Good ??--
the other day, my person gave me a few licks of her vitamin C. it was reeeeally sour. btw, i like sucking on lemons too. no bloat, tho. never heard of this before either.

--Worm

ps. Sophie B, why no recent videos and pics of your two gals? formal request.

 

[bassetmom26003]

I have always moistened my kibble with warm water for years, and I have heard about the Vit C preservative/bloat association.......so I ask what is the difference in swirling the kibble in a little water to moisten vs the dog drinking water along with his food? Do you not offer water at feed time? That was the only time my boy would drink, was with food. Curious on this?

 

[Annie714]

I'm curious as well. I guess every situation is individual because since day 1 with Annie I have always moistened her food with water....to avoid bloat. Sheesh...now I'm nervous!

 

[bassetmom26003]

Recycling this topic to active to see if any more have comments re. water with feed time