[Dechi]

Beckie has started Hill’s z/d hydrolyzed protein dog food for her allergy elimination diet. I bought the « small breed » variety kibble. I‘ve often bought small breed kibble and the bites were at least big enough that the dogs had to bite into them. With this food, the kibble is the size of a flattened green pea. So small, the dogs don’t even have to chew, they mostly swallow it whole.

I’ve never had such a small kibble and I’m wondering if it can cause problems in the digestive system in the long run. Or make them choke eventually.

Beckie and Merlin both really love this food and I’m afraid if I change the bite size they might not like it as much. I think they enjoy that size so I’d like to keep it but not if it might pose a health threat.

What’s your opinion ? Any experience with feeding very small kibble for a long term ?

 

[PeggyTheParti]

This might reassure you:

"People chew their food and try to teach their children to eat slowly because digestion for humans begins in the mouth.

Our saliva mixes with food and prepares that food to be broken down into its primary nutrients once it enters the stomach.

A dog's digestion, on the other hand, doesn't begin until the food reaches the stomach so they do not need to take time chewing their dinners."

How Dogs Eat

Why do dogs seem to gulp down any and all food put in front of them?

indianapublicmedia.org

Peggy averages about one crunch per mouthful.

 

[Dechi]

A dog's digestion, on the other hand, doesn't begin until the food reaches the stomach so they do not need to take time chewing their dinners."

That’s reassuring !

 

[cowpony]

I wouldn't worry. Like PtP said, dogs aren't designed to chew like we do.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

What I look at more is how much the food swells. I don't want my dog inadvertently eating more than her tummy can comfortably hold. So I like to either gently pre-soak the kibble (that's how I fed Gracie) or just choose a formula that doesn't expand dramatically when wet (that's how I feed Peggy).

 

[HannahMarieJ]

Yup! My toy had to have all his teeth removed later in life because of severe tooth decay. He continued to eat kibble the rest of his life and still preferred it over wet food. He just swallowed it whole, no issues!

 

[Dechi]

Yup! My toy had to have all his teeth removed later in life because of severe tooth decay. He continued to eat kibble the rest of his life and still preferred it over wet food. He just swallowed it whole, no issues!

Wow, that’s something I wouldn’t have thought possible !

 

[Dechi]

What I look at more is how much the food swells. I don't want my dog inadvertently eating more than her tummy can comfortably hold. So I like to either gently pre-soak the kibble (that's how I fed Gracie) or just choose a formula that doesn't expand dramatically when wet (that's how I feed Peggy).

Merlin likes his kibble soaked and this one really doesn’t swell a lot. Probably the least swelling I’ve seen in a kibble. That’s also reassuring.

I think we’ll stay with this for a while, even though it’s going to cost me more than 100$ per month. For 14 pounds of dog combined, that’s expensive...

 

[PeggyTheParti]

That is really expensive! But what a relief to find something that's working.

 

[Dechi]

That is really expensive! But what a relief to find something that's working.

Working for taste, but still not proven effective for allergies.

 

[Rose n Poos]

I switched the boys to Purina Pro Plan Savor Small Breed at the beginning of the year. Neo will eat anything, loves it all, but Remo had been picky. Not with this food! He's still eating happily. This is the smallest kibble size I've seen. It sounds similar in size to your description, Dechi.

I always add some warm water, enough to make au jus, but it doesn't last long enough to soak up much and swell. Neo doesn't crunch the kibble and Remo rarely does. They just vacuum it in.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

I always add some warm water, enough to make au jus, but it doesn't last long enough to soak up much and swell. Neo doesn't crunch the kibble and Remo rarely does. They just vacuum it in.

If it doesn't soak long enough to swell in the bowl, it will still swell in their tummies. That's why I like to experiment on new kibble with a long soak, just to know what to expect.

I initially started investigating this because of Gracie's digestive issues, but it's actually pretty interesting seeing how different kibbles compare.

 

[lily cd re]

When Lily eats kibble (rarely now, but all kibble when she was younger) she hoovers it. She never chews anything other than a chew treat like a buffalo ear or a piece of yak cheese, she's never had a problem.