National Pet Day: Nutritional tips for your dogs and cats during summer

Whether it is due to increased temperatures, fluctuations in exercise patterns, or calorie intake, our appetite gets impacted during the summer season, and the same thing happens to our furry friends as well. "There is limited research available on variations in dog appetite based on the seasons. However, studies conducted by English and French researchers found that appetite decreases during summer," says Dr Punith G, MVSc and animal nutrition, assistant product and techno-commercial manager at Drools Pet Food.

The expert tells us that the behaviour of our pets is closely tied to their caloric intake. Dogs or cats during the summer sleep more and prefer cooler areas. When pets are less active, their energy requirement also goes down. He explains, "An adult dog requires around 130 kcal energy per kg metabolic body weight, and cats require consumption of 100 kcal energy per kg metabolic weight. This energy requirement will usually go down in summer because of the less work they perform in summer. Pet parents can adopt small changes like cooling the room by using air coolers. This will help bring down the temperature by 2 to 4 degrees, which will help maintain their appetite."

Summer nutrition
During summer, dogs and cats face major issues like dehydration, heat stroke, sunburns and several other skin issues. Below, he shares five key pointers to aid you in keeping your pets hydrated and serving them nutritionally balanced meals.

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Hydrate
Providing ample amounts of drinking water and keeping the animal's body cool are the key points to successfully managing pet animals in summer. According to Punith, a dog's water requirement is always equal to its calorie intake, while for cats it's almost half of the number of calories they consume.

Cooling effect
Supplementation of food in summer should focus on light cooling foods that help expel heat from the body while providing stable energy for the pets which is required for day-to-day activity.

Plenty of fibre for digestion
During summer the most vital organs to focus on are the heart and small intestine. Oxygenated blood is pumped to vital organs and tissues by the heart. The nutrients which are important for heart health are magnesium, potassium, amino acids, taurine, and carnitine. The small intestine is a vital component of the digestive system since it absorbs nutrients along with the stomach. When both of these organs are imbalanced, we see issues with circulation, overheating, allergies, nutritional absorption issues, diarrhoea, lethargy and hot spots. A proper balance of soluble and insoluble fibres will help with digestive health.

The fresher, the better
Provide them with fresh fruits and vegetables like melons, cucumbers, berries, pomegranates, and pumpkins that can rehydrate. Coconut water and buttermilk will also help in keeping the heat away.

Protein is essential
Protein is the main thing for dogs and cats and providing an ample amount will help keep muscle mass intact. It also provides all the essential amino acids required for the body. Essential fatty acids like omega 3 and 6 apart from maintaining their hair coat have anti-inflammatory action and lessen summer stress.

How differently do cats need to be cared for
"Cats are solitary animals and obligatory carnivores when it comes to their eating behaviour. They need a lot of meat in their diet since they have special nutritional concerns. In cat food, taurine, an essential amino acid; arginine, preformed vitamin A and niacin are mandatory," explains Punith.

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Elaborating on the behaviour of indoor cats, he says, "Cats usually have small meals and reach their food bowls at least 12 to 18 times on a typical day. Since indoor cats have less access to the external environment the chances of spending their energy after a meal are very low. Providing them with engaging toys and feeding them nutrient-rich meals will alleviate obesity problems."

The expert mentions, "Cats usually have a weak thirst centre in their brain and prefer to consume water through food. Wet food works well for cats in the summer. The increased water content helps manage dehydration issues."

Lastly, it is important to remember that cats require balanced fibres in their diet to control hairball issues. A proper amount of fibre eases the passage of hairs swallowed during self-grooming.

Holistic summer care
Apart from nutritional care, small everyday tasks like taking them out for a walk during the cooler part of the day, increasing the frequency of bathing, taking a water bottle when you go out just like you do it for yourselves, providing multiple drinking water points will help in maintaining the body temperature of your pets.

Punith recommends trimming pets to prevent hair mating and brushing them often to allow heat to dissipate. He advises against zero trimming since this may expose the skin to direct sunlight and cause skin burns.

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