Beagles are a relatively healthy breed, and they can usually do well eating most good quality dog foods with quality ingredients. The breed is prone to a few health problems which are usually managed with medication, but you may be able to keep your dog healthier if you choose a food that has certain ingredients, or which does not use certain ingredients.

Beagles health issues

Most Beagles are quite healthy, and Beagles typically live between 10 and 13 years. However, epilepsy can occur in some dogs. Epilepsy can have lots of different causes, ranging from trauma to infection, but there is some belief that epileptic seizures can be triggered by the herb rosemary in dogs that are prone to seizures. Many dog foods today use rosemary as a natural antioxidant and preservative. It is widely used in dog foods. Whether it really causes seizures in dogs that are prone to seizures is up for debate, but you may want to look for a dog food that doesn’t contain rosemary if you have a Beagle with epilepsy.

Beagles can also develop a specific kind of arthritis called immune mediated polygenic arthritis. In this form of arthritis, the immune system begins attacking the dog’s joints. You may not be able to help this disease with your dog’s food since the condition is usually treated with steroids, but you could look for foods that contain glucosamine and chondroitin to help arthritis problems in general.

Beagles sometimes have eye problems such as corneal dystrophy and glaucoma, or even retinal atrophy. You can look for dog foods that contain vitamin A and carrots or beta-carotene to protect your dog’s eyes from disease and problems.

And, finally, Beagles are particularly prone to becoming overweight or obese. Beagles are one of the breeds often used when testing new dog foods, perhaps because they do gain weight so easily and they are so easy to keep. Be sure to monitor how much you feed your dog and measure his portions. Be careful about giving your dog too many snacks. Being overweight or obese will worsen problems like arthritis and they will shorten your dog’s life.

What to look for in a food?

Choose a good quality dog food that contains named sources of meat protein such as beef, chicken, lamb, or fish. Ideally there will be a couple of meat proteins in the first five ingredients listed on the label. The food should also have named sources of fat such as chicken fat. Beagles can eat grains or not, as you prefer. They are not particularly known for being prone to allergies or skin problems so they should not have any problems eating common meat proteins or grains, but if you prefer to feed them a grain-free diet, that should be all right. You can use other sources of carbs if you prefer, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, or tapioca, but you will pay more for foods that use these carb sources.

You should avoid foods that use artificial preservatives such as BHT, BHA, and ethoxyquin. Look for a natural preservative such as vitamin E instead. And avoid artificial sweeteners, artificial flavorings, and artificial colors, too. It’s usually a good idea to look for foods that add taurine to the ingredients since taurine is good for your dog’s heart.

What’s the best food for your Beagles?

Most Beagles can eat a good quality dog food that contains good quality ingredients such as these foods:

• Artemis Dog Food
• Dick Van Patten Natural Balance Dog Food
• Eagle Pack Dog Food
• Solid Gold Dog Food
• Wellness Dog Food

If your dog has one of the special health issues mentioned earlier, be sure to check the ingredients to see what is included in the food. Whatever food you feed your Beagle, be sure to measure his portions and monitor how much he eats. Beagles do enjoy their food, sometimes a little too much. Don’t let your Beagle become overweight.

Beagles are usually very healthy dogs, and they can eat most good dog foods. Some Beagles can have some health problems and you may need to look for foods that contain certain ingredients, or make sure they do not contain other ingredients. Otherwise, choose a good quality food with good quality ingredients for your dog.

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