Jamie Lovejoy, DVM

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December 24, 2025

Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food?

The following content may contain Chewy links. PetMD is operated by Chewy. Anyone who has raised a puppy knows that they are not just small adult dogs. Within their first year of life, a puppy’s job is to grow, learn, and mature—from behaviors and social interactions to physical growth. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that puppies have very different nutritional needs from adult dogs. In fact, to avoid serious health issues such as fractured bones, heart disease, or bone marrow issues, it is extremely important that puppies are fed diets formulated specifically for them. So what are the differences between a puppy and adult dog’s diet? Puppy Food vs. Adult Dog Food When formulating a food that supports puppies’ nutritional needs, pet food companies pay particular attention to the following components: Protein and Amino Acids Dietary protein and amino acids are important building blocks for muscle and organ growth. Puppies need a higher percentage of calories from protein than adult dogs. This means the ratio of protein to other sources of energy is very important in a puppy’s food, even if the diet has a similar total quantity of protein as an adult food. Fat Fat is a great source of energy for the always-on-the-go puppy, as it contains twice the calories of proteins or carbohydrates. It is also important that puppies get enough fat to help absorb certain vitamins (known as fat-soluble vitamins). Fat contents of puppy foods should be higher than adult dog foods, but not so high as to cause obesity or accelerated growth rates. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 fatty acids support brain development, vision, and skin health in puppies. Once puppies are weaned, it’s important that they get fatty acids like DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) from their diet, usually from a fish or fish oil source, as they are no longer getting them from nursing. Minerals Minerals such as calcium and phosphorous are essential for puppy skeletal development. Sodium and chloride are important for muscle and heart function. Overall, puppies need more calcium than adult dogs, but large-breed puppies (those that will be over 50 pounds as adults) can be very sensitive to excess calcium or inappropriate calcium to phosphorous ratios. If you have a large-breed puppy, look for diets made specifically for larger puppies. Vitamins Though vitamins help dogs utilize nutrients, most are only needed in small amounts. Often, you’ll find similar amounts of vitamins in puppy and adult dog foods. A healthy puppy should not need vitamin supplementation if you feed them a balanced diet. Calories Calorie content is directly related to the fat, carbohydrate, and protein content of the food. The calorie density of puppy food is generally higher than that of adult dog food. That said, there is a limit to how many calories a puppy should have, which can vary by breed and even individual. It is very important to monitor your puppy’s body condition and growth rate with your veterinarian to ensure that they are not growing too quickly, which can cause obesity and skeletal deformities.

Cats

December 17, 2025

By Jamie Lovejoy, DVM

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers?

WRITTEN BYJamie Lovejoy, DVM Veterinarian Dr. Jamie Lovejoy graduated from Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012 after an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology. …,Straight or curly, long or short, whiskers are a notable part of the feline face. Most would agree that a cat without whiskers would be a strange sight indeed, but it may surprise you how important these seemingly superficial structures are to your cat! A cat’s whiskers are integral to how they interact with their environment, and they serve a variety of functions. Let’s take a look at why cats have whiskers and how they use them. What Do Cat Whiskers Do? Cat whiskers do some pretty amazing things. Here are some of the ways cats use their whiskers. Sense of Touch The main function of cat whiskers is the sense of touch. The follicles that these hairs grow from are surrounded by sensory cells. These cells transmit tactile information that’s similar to the signals our fingertips send to our brains. The sensory cells are stimulated by the smallest vibrations in the hair, allowing cats to feel not only solid objects that they brush against but even to notice air currents from movement nearby. This helps our mostly farsighted felines to: Better evaluate their environment up close Avoid threats to their eyes and face, like branches and insects Hunt better at night Be able to judge whether they can fit through small spaces Sense of Orientation Some whisker follicle cells also have proprioceptive ability, meaning that the way gravity pulls on the hair will tell a cat how they are oriented in relation to the ground. That’s very important for an animal who is always supposed to land on their feet! Communication Finally, there is evidence to suggest that cat whiskers may be involved in communicating with other cats and even observant owners. Tiny muscles around the base of the whiskers allow stressed cats to point their whiskers toward potential threats and relax them when they are content. A cat who doesn’t feel well may pull their whiskers back against their face in a grimace.