# Are there any issues to be aware of with grinding up dry dog food?



## LaceyShihTzu (Aug 5, 2016)

I have a Shih Tzu with lots of food sensitivities and who is also an extremely picky eater as least for kibble. After more than a year and a half of trying different foods, we finally decided to do Science Diet Z/D both the wet and dry food. She loved that food both the wet and the only dry she has loved and she has done well on it. We are on a strict budget and cannot afford to feed Z/D for life. The vet said it was a trial to give her system a break and we can then reintroduce foods little by little. She reacted the same way as before the Z/D to 2 different foods so far and they were stopped being fed. We are currently trying Petco's WholeHearted Pea & Salmon Skin Care food which contains hydrolyzed salmon and the only non-script food that has a hydrolyzed meat that I know of. The problem is that the pieces are too big for her. She'll lick the wet food off and spit out the dry after a few bites of them. She has never liked kibble (other than the small bites Z/D) and unless they are small bites, she fusses to eat and will not eat and then vomit bile. 

I went ahead and put the Wholehearted dry food into the blender and ground it up into a powder. For dinner, I mixed some of that into the wet food with a little water and she ate it up without issues. I was wondering if there is any issue with grinding dry food into a powder and then just mixing it with wet food or maybe even just plain with some water to make it more like mushy wet food? I can't see how it's different but maybe there is something I don't know about. Also, would it be the same on the digestive system or easier to digest ground up vs whole pieces?


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

There shouldn't be any nutritional issues with that method. Although soaking the kibble might be less labor-intensive for you if she'll eat it that way! I know many people do this for pets with mouth issues or missing teeth - or who are very young - quite successfully. It shouldn't change anything about digestion, as far as I know.


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