FAQ

Loose stools are not uncommon during the transition phase. Your pet needs time to adapt to processing fresh food—we’d recommend adding slippery elm bark or mash pumpkin to help with the GI upset during this phase.

We’d also advise dropping the percentage of Supawfood in their diet slightly & only increasing if they are having solid stools at their current amount.

If this is a more chronic issue or if this is happening after your pet has already transitioned successfully to raw, then please reach out to us & your veterinarian.

All dogs like a good scratch every now and then – and usually with enthusiastic enjoyment. But sometimes, pet parents will notice that the scratching is getting a bit out of hand (or paw). Continual scratching or rubbing might be a sign your dog has skin sensitivity or an allergy. These can be a cause of irritation for your dog and concern for you.

But there’s plenty you can do to soothe your doggo. And a good starting place is a healthy diet. As with humans, this can be key to combating uncomfortable itches and scratches. Before we dive in with the solutions, let’s take a look at the symptoms: how do you know if your dog has sensitive skin?

Spotting sensitive skin

The most obvious sign is over-the-top scratching. If you part your dog’s fur, the skin may be red, broken or flaky and they could be losing a bit of hair. They may also be feeling a bit down in the dumps, and who can blame them? After all, they can’t tell you where that pesky itch is. You know – the one that’s just out of paw’s reach.

So, why is your dog’s skin sore?

• Food Intolerances: some dogs are intolerance to certain foods like cereals or dairy (which is why we’re so careful with our ingredients)
• Environmental Allergies: pollen, grass and dust can all cause problems for your doggo
• Seasonality: you know how your skin can feel dry or tight when the central heating first goes on? Your furry friend may be feeling the same
• Parasites: good old fleas, lice and mites…you know the drill. It’s off to the vet (say it quietly) for some treatment
• Infections: these can be caused by bites, yeast or out-of-control scratching. Again, the V.E.T
• Genetics: Some breeds, like German Shepherds, French Bulldogs and Westies, are particularly prone to itchy outbreaks.
  Happily, there are simple ways to help, starting with what’s for dinner…

How diet can help

Diet plays an enormous part in your dog’s general wellbeing, and that includes their skin. Sore or itchy skin could be caused by an allergy, which could in turn be down to what’s in their bowl. The answer is to switch to a fresh food diet like Supawfood. Our meals have no added (deep breath) wheat, corn, or soy – all of which are known to cause intolerances in dogs.

It’s a bit of a squirmish thought, but another very common allergen is storage mites. These little blighters live on and feed off cereal foods and can cause intense itching in dogs. Cutting out dry foods and choosing fresh ones – like Supawfood – means your doggo need never meet a mite.

Just like humans, dogs can have all sorts of food sensitivities. Even certain meats are known to disagree with some dogs, which is why our recipe and formula comes in single protein option; so you can be confident your dog’s meal will not have any meat they’re intolerant of.

If you suspect an intolerance, it might simply be a case of chew-it-and-see, with you keeping track of your dog’s reaction to different foods. We list everything that goes into our meals on our website and we’re always happy to chat about any of our ingredients if you’re unsure. 

Tips for keeping skin healthy

Healthy skin starts with good food. And good food is all about balance – with lots of delicious meat and veg. When we’re cooking up our tasty meals, we add ingredients (oils, fats and vegetables rich in beta-carotene) that we know help to maintain shiny coats as well as result in clean bowls.

Of course, sometimes topical treatments are needed. Sore patches might need special creams or emollients and there are shampoos for sensitive skin that you can use at bath time. Then it’s a case of keeping on top of washing and brushing, as well as regular treatments for fleas and other bitey visitors. 

If your vet has diagnosed your dog with gastroenteritis, this means they’re suffering from inflammation of their stomach and intestines. It can be caused by a whole host of things including; bacteria, viruses, parasites, medication and even new foods. The most common signs of this illness are sickness and diarrhoea.

Though our freshly prepared, gently cooked meals are easy to digest and gentle on tummies, some dog’s stomachs aren’t used to fresh food and the freshly prepared ingredients that are inside. This is why we always recommend a slow transition over to Supawfood, particularly if your dog has been eating a commercial dry or wet diet.

If your dog is recovering from gastroenteritis, it’s probably worth waiting until they’re 100% back to feeling like themselves before making a change to their diet – their digestion will still be delicate. Offer them lots of fresh water whilst they get better and when they’re back to themselves you can start the transition.

We use Brewer’s yeast in our meals as it’s one of the best sources of natural B vitamins and is also a complete protein – this is very different from the type of yeast that can cause a yeast infection and one does not cause the other.

Yeast infections in dogs are almost exclusively caused by a type of yeast called Malassezia pachydermatis. This typically causes problems in ears, facial skin folds, armpits and between the toes.

If your dog is suffering with a yeast infection, your vet might have recommended an anti-fungal shampoo or medicated wipes to help reduce the levels of yeast on the skin – this is great advice. Your doggo might have outbreaks every now and again (some breeds can be prone to it), but with shampoos, wipes and a great quality diet (like Supawfood) these infections can easily be kept on top of.

Colitis is the inflammation or irritation of the colon or large intestine and it commonly causes recurring and severe bouts of diarrhea (often containing blood and mucus). It can be triggered by a whole host of different things including; parasites, food intolerances, bacteria, viruses or simply eating something they shouldn’t have.

Feeding a diet which is high in fibre, easy to digest and low in fat can support the management of colitis. Our meals contain veggies which provide soluble and insoluble fibre to support the good bacteria in the gut and keep everything moving through. We can make sure to only send you only our low-fat meals, or alternatively, if your dog has lost weight because of an upset tum, we can make a tailored recommendation to help bring it back to normal.

Remember to always chat with your vet before changing your dog’s diet because in more severe cases, some dogs might require anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive medications to manage the root of the problem.

Liver disease Dogs suffering from liver disease should ideally eat a diet which contains:

• Easily digestible proteins
• Good quality fibre
• Lots of antioxidants
• Good levels of zinc and vitamin K1
• Low levels of sodium
• Restricted levels of copper

Your vet should be able to give you some advice on the diet for them and we really hope you’re able to find something that works well for you both.

In dogs, renal issues or kidney disease is primarily associated with aging which in simple terms, can be because of the ‘wearing out’ of the kidney tissues.

Dogs with kidney failure, usually require a low in protein, low in phosphorus and pH neutral/alkaline diet which helps to reduce the workload on their kidneys.

All of our meals contain 70% meat which means that they don’t meet these requirements. Your vet should be able to give you some advice on the diet for them and we really hope you’re able to find something that works well for you both.

It’s natural to be upset when you find out your furkid has been diagnosed with pancreatitis. The scary-sounding name – which actually just means ‘inflamed pancreas’ – is a big part of why. But the condition is very common, and the good news is that most dogs make a full recovery after being treated by a vet.

One of the best ways to manage pancreatitis is through your dog’s diet. This is because the pancreas is the organ that releases the enzymes that break down food during digestion. Attentive management is really important, because pancreatitis can come back multiple times during a dog’s life. So even if your pooch has recovered, you still need to keep a close eye on what they are eating. Here are some tips on the best dog food for pancreatitis management.

Keep it low-fat

Fat can trigger the pancreas to release more enzymes, which can make the swelling worse. A high-fat diet is one of the causes of pancreatitis, so to manage the condition it’s best to feed your doggo low-fat food. We’d suggest to avoid higher fat proteins such as lamb and pork. Instead, opt for lower fat proteins such as quail, fish, rabbit and  beef.

Easy on the tummy

Because pancreatitis in dogs is a digestive issue, it almost goes without saying that you should choose food that’s easy to digest. Some dogs have trouble with grains like wheat and rice, which is why we offer so many meals without these ingredients. Instead, these meals are packed with easy-to-digest, freshly prepared veggies. To help manage the condition and keep them fit, healthy and nourished, dogs with pancreatitis need plenty of protein in their diet.‘ Some people might not know that for off-the-shelf dog food to be labelled as ‘with chicken’, it only needs to contain 4% chicken.’ Supawfood meals have a much higher meat content (a lot of the time up to 70% meat), and the meat that goes into our meals is the meat you read on the label. So, when we say beef, we mean only beef.

No additives or hidden nasties

You really want to make sure that your pup is getting all the nourishment they need. We believe that it’s best to keep their diet as natural as possible while they recover, so look for all-natural foods that don’t contain any weird chemicals, colourings or flavourings that might trigger a reaction.

At Supawfood we use freshly prepared ingredients, so our meals are just like you’d make at home. We don’t use anything that you couldn’t find in your local supermarket or health shop. There are no confusing names, and certainly no nasties. Pancreatitis can be daunting at first, but once you know the right things to look out for in a meal, then it can be a lot easier to manage.

Yes our Gently Cooked dog food is suitable for all ages.