Rotating Food Feeding: Why It Is Recommended for Dogs Aged 2 to 5 and Precautions to Take

Pet owners are deeply concerned about whether it is beneficial for a pet's health to feed them only one type of food continuously, or whether 'rotation feeding'—alternating between several types—is better. Veterinarian Park Jeong-seok of the CarePet channel explained the concept of rotation feeding, its target subjects, and points to be careful about in a recently released video.

Two Methods of Rotation Feeding and Recommendations by Target Group

Rotation feeding is largely divided into two methods. The first is a method of periodically changing the type of protein source, such as beef, chicken, or duck. Since each protein source has different advantages, such as being rich in iron, having high digestibility, or having high omega-3 content, it can supplement nutrients that might be lacking when feeding only one type. The second method is for pets with allergies to specific proteins, where the protein source is maintained but only the brand (type of food) is changed. This has the effect of diversifying risks that may arise, such as quality issues with a specific food manufacturer. In the video, this was explained using the metaphor, 'Do not put all your eggs in one basket.'

However, rotation feeding is not recommended for all pets. According to the video, young puppies under 1 year of age are not recommended for rotation feeding because their intestinal capacity is not sufficient. In the case of cats, rotation feeding is also basically not recommended as diseases such as IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) may appear during rotation. The most suitable time for rotation feeding is for dogs between 2 and 5 years of age who are active and healthy. Experiencing various foods during this period allows for excellent adaptability when changing food later, and it can prevent situations where they must eat prescription diets or become picky eaters as they age. Additionally, rotation feeding can be helpful when feeding food with excessive calcium or phosphorus, or food with too high a fat content, for a long period.

The 'Gradual Replacement' Principle That Must Be Followed When Changing Food

The most important thing to be careful about when practicing rotation feeding is the method of changing the food. When switching to a new food, it must never be changed all at once. It should be changed gradually by mixing a small amount of the new food into the existing food and gradually increasing the amount. If the pet shows symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting during the replacement process, the speed of replacement should be slowed down immediately, and a gradual method should be adopted again.

How to Use the AI-Powered Similar Food Finding Function

Considering that even if owners want to perform rotation feeding, it is difficult to find products with similar nutritional components to the existing food, the veterinary quality evaluation site (CVSC) provides a 'Find Similar Food' function. After a user selects the food they were previously feeding and sets the crude protein, crude fat, calcium, and phosphorus content as well as the preferred protein source (e.g., duck), the AI recommends food with the most similar ingredients.

For example, if one searches for food based on 'Acana Free-Run The Recipe' that has high crude protein content, moderate crude fat, and similar specific mineral levels, the AI will prioritize showing products with the closest ingredient levels. In the example in the video, 'AATU Dog Duck Food' was recommended as a similar product in terms of crude protein content (35.9%) and mineral levels. Furthermore, if the quality of a specific food is doubted, a 'Market Monitoring Test Request' can be made to CVSC, providing a structure where owners can participate in the process of verifying the safety of the food themselves. CVSC is an organization formed by veterinarians that conducts market monitoring and basic suitability tests at no margin, striving to increase the safety of pet food.