Not Just for Special Occasions, Indulgences, and Celebrations
There are so many health benefits to sharing our wet recipes with your cats and dogs.
Some pet parents think that wet food is only for special occasions, but we have some great news to share. All of our wet recipes are made with high quality ingredients and add moisture to your pet’s diet.
Proper Hydration – Water is Essential to Overall Health
Proper hydration is so critical every day and even more so when the temperatures start to rise in summertime. Water is essential to overall health. It regulates body temperature, supports healthy joints and skin, and many other cellular functions in the body. It also can support digestive health.1 The good news is that canned food contains water, so wet food can be used as supplemental hydration!2 Liquid meal enhancers and toppers such as our Purrfect Bistro Bon Appétits gravies for cats and our Merrick Bone Broths are also a great way to add necessary moisture to your pet’s diet.
High Quality Protein Helps Maintain Healthy Muscles
Our wet recipes provide a power-packed serving of protein. Protein is a critical nutrient for maintaining lean muscle mass. Our complete and balanced recipes start with real meat, fish, or poultry, as the first ingredient, which sets your pet’s body up for success.
Single-Serving Trays for Proper Measurement
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, over half of our pets are overweight or obese. Our single-serving trays of our Lil’ Plates recipes can help take the guesswork out of measuring a meal for your dog. They eliminate any confusion on cup size or “rounding the scoop.” According to a study, wet food may help with weight loss by reducing calorie intake and providing the appropriate number of calories for a long, healthy life.3
Mealtime Variety Is Beneficial
Lastly, wet recipes provide some variety in your pet’s diet and a complement to the texture of dry food. Cats can be very particular about the texture of their food and sharing wet recipes with them at an early age can help them accept a variety of food forms and keep things interesting at meal time.
Three tips to remember when serving wet dog or cat food:
- Offer wet food any time of day, but only leave it out for 30 minutes to an hour to avoid spoiling (but it’s so delicious it probably won’t be in the dish that long!).
- Store opened cans in the refrigerator with an airtight cover on top for no more than 3 days. Warming the refrigerated portions to room temperature or slightly warmer can enhance the flavor.
- Most unopened cans have a shelf life of about 2 years when kept at room temperature which can be confirmed by the expiration date on the can.
If there’s a question about feeding wet food to your pet, don’t hesitate to talk with your veterinarian. And, if you have any questions about which Merrick recipe is best for your pet, please contact our Pet Parent Relations team at 800-664-7387 or online here: https://www.merrickpetcare.com/contact.
