Puppy, Senior, Wet & More

Chihuahuas are undoubtedly probably the most favourite canine breeds of all time. These tiny pups are usually not solely lovable, however in addition they have fantastic, larger-than-life personalities. Though they’re small canine, the teeny Chi has important dietary wants. Their little our bodies work laborious and burn much more energy than canine a lot bigger than them. Despite this, it’s fairly simple to overfeed the Chi, resulting in weight problems and different well being points. Knowing what to feed your Chihuahua is an amazing accountability. Finding the perfect pet food for Chihuahuas is important to their lifelong well being and general high quality of life.

As with all breeds, the tiny but mighty Chihuahua has completely different dietary wants at completely different life phases. We have researched and investigated a number of of the highest choices available on the market. Our high pet food picks for Chihuahua embrace the perfect meals for puppies and seniors and dry and moist choices. We additionally think about the particular dietary wants of the breed.

At A Glance: Best Dog Food For Chihuahuas

Note: All of the canine meals we’ve included in our evaluations meet or exceed Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) dietary tips, are made within the U.S., and include no by-products, preservatives, or synthetic elements.

Nutritional Needs For Chihuahuas

Like all canine, Chihuahuas require a balanced and nutritious diet to thrive. However, their small dimension means they want the next focus of vitamins of their meals. A Chihuahua’s weight-reduction plan ought to include high-quality protein, wholesome fat, and numerous nutritional vitamins and minerals.

Chihuahuas have the next metabolism than bigger breeds. They can use as much as thrice as many energy as a canine a number of instances their dimension. This is a part of why they typically shake and shiver. They dissipate energy and physique warmth in a short time. Owners ought to at all times select the perfect meals for Chihuahuas that they’ll afford.

Protein is essential for muscle improvement and upkeep, and Chihuahuas ought to eat a weight-reduction plan that’s not less than 25% protein. Healthy fat, corresponding to these present in fish and flaxseed oil, are important for sustaining wholesome pores and skin and coat and offering vitality. Chihuahuas additionally require a wide range of nutritional vitamins and minerals, together with calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D, for wholesome bone improvement and general well being. They are vulnerable to dental illness, weight problems, and coronary heart issues.

Dental Disease

Chihuahuas are vulnerable to a wide range of well being situations that may be associated to their weight-reduction plan. One widespread concern is dental issues, which will be prevented by feeding your Chihuahua dry kibble as a substitute of moist meals or desk scraps. Owners should be aware of the scale of kibble they supply, as Chihuahuas have small enamel and are vulnerable to dental illness. Poor dental well being can result in different points like coronary heart illness.

Obesity

Another concern that impacts the Chi is weight problems, which may result in a wide range of well being issues, together with joint ache and heart problems. To assist forestall this, controlling portion sizes and making certain that your Chihuahua is getting sufficient train is important. Feeding your Chihuahua on a schedule and controlling portion sizes are essential for sustaining a wholesome weight and stopping well being issues.

Allergies

Additionally, Chihuahuas might develop allergy symptoms to sure meals, corresponding to grains or hen. Symptoms of meals allergy symptoms can embrace itching, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you discover any of those signs, you will need to seek the advice of along with your veterinarian and swap your Chihuahua to meals that doesn’t include the allergen.

Joint Pain

Chihuahuas will be delicate to joint ache and different points. Diet is essential in stopping and supporting joint well being. A wholesome weight is vital, so take care to not overfeed your pup. This tiny breed is vulnerable to growing arthritis, osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, and luxating patella.

Heart Disease

This tiny breed is very inclined to coronary heart illness. This is usually introduced on by valvular illness, which degenerates the construction and performance of the center’s valves. Congestive coronary heart failure also can impression this breed in excessive numbers. Diet drastically impacts canine coronary heart well being out of your pup’s very first days. Canines with coronary heart illness do higher on meals that use recent and pure components.

Beyond Basic Ingredients

All high-quality canine meals should include protein, carbohydrates, wholesome fat, fiber, and important nutritional vitamins and minerals. Nevertheless, many nutritious premium canine meals are enriched with extra elements that considerably profit the one that you love pet’s well being. To guarantee your pup’s well-being, we advocate searching for sure premium elements that we record in our evaluations. Here are a couple of you’ll wish to search for and the way they help your pup’s well being.

• Fruits & greens: wonderful pure sources of fiber, nutritional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help immune well being
• Fish oil and/or flaxseed (omega-3 and 6 fatty acids): mind and eye improvement, pores and skin and coat well being, joint and immune help
• Glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate (typically from hen meal*): keep wholesome joints
• Prebiotics & probiotics: help digestion and a wholesome stage of excellent intestine micro organism
• Taurine: helps cardiovascular, eye, and mind well being, immune system operate, and advantages many different physique capabilities
• L-carnitine: an amino acid spinoff that helps the metabolism of fat (significantly useful for older, much less lively canine)
• Organ meats: wonderful supply of premium high quality protein and fats in addition to nutritional vitamins A, B, D, and E, copper, iron, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc
• Chia seeds: wealthy in plant protein, fiber, antioxidants, omega fatty acids, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, phosphorus

*A be aware about meat meal: Quality pet meals manufacturers typically use meat meal of their recipes, which generally is a very wholesome supply of protein on your pup (so long as the “meat” is called, e.g., hen meal, lamb meal, and so forth.). A meal will be created from the meat, tissue, organ meat, bone, abdomen, and intestines of the named animal. But meal doesn’t embrace by-products like hair, feathers, beaks, heads, blood, hooves, conceal trimmings, and so forth.

Best Food For Chihuahua Puppy

Puppies will need to have wholesome diet, as they use quite a lot of vitality and energy rising. A pet system is greatest because it has particular vitamins to help progress. Chihuahua pet meals will ideally include 28% to 30% protein and 17% to twenty% fats, with extra energy per cup than grownup meals.

To guarantee correct diet, Chihuahua puppies ought to eat a each day quantity of meals that equals roughly 50 energy per pound of their physique weight. It is advisable to observe the really helpful feeding tips offered on dry kibble packaging for the completely different phases of their progress.

Unlike different canine, Chihuahuas attain maturity sooner and ought to be switched to grownup system round 8 months as a substitute of ready till 12 to fifteen months. Puppies ought to eat three to 4 meals each day after about three months outdated.

Wellness Core Small Breed Puppy

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This small breed pet kibble is designed to be simple to eat for tiny tots just like the Chihuahua. Kibble is excessive in protein and energy and is formulated for the dietary wants of smaller breeds. The recipe can be fortified with DHA to help cognitive improvement. Food is pure in addition to filler and grain-free. The system works to advertise progress and whole-body well being.

Protein primarily comes from pure animal meats. Natural elements are mixed to greatest help coat, coronary heart, digestive, and joint well being. Dry meals is made in Indiana, USA. The firm focuses on healthful components to advertise a lifetime of well being and well-being. This recipe makes use of animal proteins and nutrient-rich superfoods to create a tasty small kibble, particularly for small breeds.

• First 5 elements: Deboned turkey, hen meal, turkey meal, peas, hen fats
• Formula highlights: Flaxseed, salmon oil, salmon meal, carrots, broccoli, blueberries, kale, candy potatoes, spinach, bananas, Vitamin E complement, taurine
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 38% (min); crude fats 18% (min); crude fiber 4.5% (max)
• Calories: 504 kcal/cup

Price

• Starts at: $19.98 (4.5-lb bag)

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small Breed Puppy

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This pet system is developed to satisfy the wants of small breeds. Calcium, phosphorus, and important nutritional vitamins are mixed to help sturdy enamel and bones. Kibble is puppy-sized, tender sufficient for puppies’ jaws, and promotes tartar removing. The system contains DHA and ARA for wholesome mind and eye improvement. High-quality animal protein begins each recipe and helps muscle progress and vitality. The recipe comprises no corn, wheat, soy, or poultry by-product meals.

This recipe contains actual meat, backyard greens, complete grains, fruit, and Blue Buffalo’s life supply bits. These include an excellent seven package deal of antioxidant-rich elements. This protein-rich system is developed to help probably the most crucial components of well being, together with mind and eye improvement, wholesome muscle progress, correct bone improvement, dental well being, wholesome pores and skin and coat, and a wholesome immune system. The system comprises components present in a mom canine’s milk to assist help cognitive and retinal operate.

• First 5 elements: Deboned hen, hen meal, oatmeal, barley, fish meal
• Formula highlights: Flaxseed, fish oil, folic acid, DHA, ARA, choline, Omega -3 and 6 fatty acids, antioxidants,
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 29% (min); crude fats 17% (min); crude fiber 5% (max)
• Calories: 417 kcal/cup

Price

Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Wet Puppy Small Breed

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This is a grain-free, tasty moist meals explicitly developed to help the metabolism of small-breed canine. The recipe has no corn, wheat, soy, synthetic colours, flavors, or preservatives. This moist choice makes use of actual turkey and turkey liver as pure protein sources. It is available in a easy pate, which could be very simple for canine to eat.

This recipe blends high-quality animal elements with healthful lentils and candy potatoes. Meals are very simple to digest, because it comprises no fillers, wheat, corn, or soy, that are laborious to digest and typically set off allergy symptoms. The recipe can be utilized as a major meal or blended in with dry kibble as a topper. The recipe is formulated to make use of animal-based proteins, low carbs, and probiotics to help the immune system. Recipes are created by nutritionists, vets, and dietary specialists. Probiotics help digestive well being, enhance nutrient absorption, and promote survivability.

• First 5 elements: Turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, lentils, dicalcium Phosphate
• Formula highlights: Ground flaxseed, salmon oil, Folic acid, vitamin dietary supplements together with Vitamin A, B12, D3, and E, biotin, rosemary extract
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 36% (min); crude fats 16% (min); crude fiber 5% (max)
• Calories: 225 kcal/can

Price

• Starts at: $57.36 (24 x 5.5 oz cans)

Best Food For Adult Chihuahuas

A typical grownup Chihuahua requires about 35 to 40 energy per pound per day, which is barely lower than a pet’s calorie requirement. The quantity of kibble wanted might differ between manufacturers based mostly on the variety of energy per cup. Adult Chihuahuas ought to eat 25% to 30% protein ranges, just like that of puppies. However, there’s a important distinction in fats and calorie content material as a result of grownup Chihuahuas don’t want as a lot fats. Transitioning them from fatty pet chow to grownup meals with a fats content material of 13% to fifteen% is essential to forestall extreme weight achieve. The quantity of meals required will rely upon their exercise stage. The packaging of most manufacturers gives detailed data on the mandatory quantity for various sizes of animals.

Adult Chihuahuas ought to eat two to a few meals a day after they attain one 12 months.

The Farmer’s Dog

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The Farmer’s Dog presents recent, human-grade meals with whole-food animal proteins, recent greens, and fruits. Every recipe makes use of restricted elements and is fortified with an excellent mix of nutritional vitamins and minerals. The Farmer’s Dog pre-portions and personalizes all recipes based mostly on every canine’s particular person dietary wants. This meals is exceptionally recent, and the best high quality one can get. Though we advocate it as the perfect moist meals for adults, additionally it is a wonderful choice for puppies and seniors. Meals are gently cooked and retain unbelievable dietary worth and taste.

The Farmer’s Dog presents grain-free beef, hen, pork, and turkey recipes. All recipes are developed by a board-certified American College of Veterinary Nutrition nutritionists. Meals are flash-frozen after which delivered to your door. Recipes use completely different elements, however here’s a breakdown of their beef recipe.

• First 5 elements: Beef, candy potatoes, cooked lentils, carrots, beef liver
• Formula highlights: human-grade & whole-foods, fish oil, and taurine
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 39% (min); crude fats 29% (min); crude fiber 2% (max)
• Calories: not out there

Price

• Starts at: $2/day for small canine however varies based mostly on every canine’s weight, age, and different components (e.g., $51.74/week for mixed-breed male, one-year-old, 38 kilos, wholesome dimension, neutered, no well being issues, or allergy symptoms)

Our readers have entry to 50% off your first field. No code is required; simply use this hyperlink to use the low cost! You also can go to our devoted The Farmer’s Dog coupons web page.

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Wellness Complete Small Breed Adult

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This pure dry kibble is formulated to offer whole-body dietary help to small-breed canine. Kibble is smaller and simple to chew. The recipe is developed with out utilizing GMOs, meat by-products, fillers, or synthetic preservatives. The recipes embrace premium proteins, healthful grains, Omega fatty acids, antioxidants, probiotics, glucosamine, and taurine. The system is balanced and formulated to optimize vitality ranges and help the immune system, pores and skin, and coat well being.

This recipe derives most of its proteins from recent turkey and hen meals. The system additionally contains salmon oil which is a naturally wealthy supply of omega-3 fatty acids to help pores and skin, coat, and mind well being. This cable gives full diet and will be blended with moist meals or toppers. Kibble is greatest suited to grownup canine. This pure system makes use of no corn, wheat, soy, synthetic fillers, or taste.

• First 5 elements: Deboned turkey, hen meal, salmon meal, oatmeal, floor brown rice
• Formula highlights: Chicken fats, floor flaxseed, salmon oil, spinach, candy potatoes, folic acid, blueberries, apples, potassium, choline chloride, iron
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 36% (min); crude fats 16% (min); crude fiber 5% (max)
• Calories: 408 kcal/cup

Price

Instinct Raw Boost Toy Breed

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This kibble is formulated particularly for toy breeds, with excessive protein and freeze-dried uncooked components. It makes use of cage-free hen and correctly balances proteins, fats, and calcium. The recipe has no grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meals, synthetic colours, flavors, or preservatives.

This recipe blends probiotics, minerals, and antioxidants and makes use of high-quality elements to create a tasty, small-breed kibble. Every chew comprises all-natural, minimally processed bites of freeze-dried uncooked meat. Dogs love the flavour and the dietary profit these much less processed, complete, uncooked meals add. The recipe is formulated to help digestion, present vitality and vitality, assist with weight help, and enhance pores and skin and coat. Your canine will likely be more than pleased once you fill their bowl at mealtime with this scrumptious, raw-boosted kibble. All uncooked recipes are created in small kitchens in Lincoln, Nebraska.

• First 5 elements: hen, hen meal, chickpeas, tapioca, hen fats
• Formula highlights: Turkey meal, herring meal, freeze-dried hen, freeze-dried hen liver, coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, freeze-dried hen coronary heart, egg product, niacin complement, folic acid, nutritional vitamins dietary supplements together with E, B12, D3, salmon oil, dried kelp, blueberries, rosemary extract
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 35% (min); crude fats 20% (min); crude fiber 4% (max)
• Calories: 469 kcal/cup

Price

Best Dog Food For Senior Chihuahua

Owners should acknowledge the significance of correct diet and that low-quality canine chow will be detrimental to their pets. Therefore, offering your furry pal with the absolute best diet is essential. This is especially vital for older canine, as their dietary wants change with age.

When your Chihuahua grows older, it’s important to observe their weight. Senior Chihuahuas are likely to overeat and grow to be much less lively. While they will not be as vulnerable to joint and hip accidents as bigger breeds, giving them glucosamine and antioxidants continues to be advisable to keep up their well being.

Senior Chihuahuas ought to eat three to 4 small meals a day. This begins between 7 and 10 years outdated.

If possible, think about including some pet-friendly vegetables and fruit to your aged Chihuahua’s weight-reduction plan rotation. This will maintain their weight-reduction plan recent, improve their vitamin and mineral consumption, and supply extra fiber they could not get from business meals.

Ollie Fresh

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Allie presents recent, human-grade meals. Owners have 4 recipes to select from, and all are created utilizing recent elements, all-natural components, and no preservatives or fillers. Owners are in a position to formulate a meal plan particularly based mostly on their canine’s age, breed, allergy symptoms, very best weight, and exercise ranges. Recipes include no soy, corn, or wheat. All meats are sourced from family-run farms situated within the United States and Australia.

Owners can decide from 4 recent recipes filled with animal meat: beef, hen, turkey, and lamb. Fresh meals are a implausible selection for older Chihuahuas, who typically expertise digestive points and mouth ache. The top-quality diet from recent elements retains them wholesome and gives loads of vitality. It can be useful for digestive well being. Recipes are very excessive in moisture which helps maintain your senior canine hydrated and robust. We break down the hen recipe beneath.

• First 5 elements: Chicken, rice, carrots, hen livers, peas
• Formula highlights: spinach, cranberries, tricalcium phosphate, salmon oil, taurine
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 8% (min); crude fats 3% (min); crude fiber 2% (max)
• Calories: Not out there

Price

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SimplyFoodForDogs Pantry Fresh Balanced

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SimplyFoodForDogs Pantry Fresh line is an excellent selection for older canine. This recipe makes use of a single protein supply, making it simple to digest. It presents the highest dietary worth of recent meals however in a shelf-stable pouch. All elements are human-grade, and a crew of veterinarians and canine specialists develops recipes.

All meals is gently cooked to retain as a lot dietary worth as attainable: no preservatives, rendered meats, or synthetic components. Pouches keep recent and unopened for 2 years. High in calcium and phosphorus and low in fats. Perfect for simple digestion and weight administration.

• First 5 elements: Water, hen, rice, carrots, spinach
• Formula highlights: JFFD’s vet-developed Nutrient Blend, safflower oil, cod liver oil, potassium chloride, taurine, niacin, folic acid
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein % (min); crude fats % (min); crude fiber % (max)
• Calories: 31 kcal ME/oz

Price

• $84.93 12 pack of pouches approx. 1 oz every

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Best Wet Food For Chihuahuas

Wet meals are very useful and add much-needed water, animal meats, and taste. Both puppies and grownup canine can profit from moist meals. Wet meals will be canned, in pouches, or recent.

Purina Pro Plan Adult Small Breed Wet

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This recipe is particularly formulated for small breeds and makes use of actual hen and pork lungs as the primary two elements. This wholesome protein and organ meat help wholesome muscle improvement. The recipe could be very low in fats and nutrient-dense. This recipe is grain-free and ought to be fed together with high-quality kibble.

The preparation trays are very handy, and the recipe meets all dietary necessities. This recipe makes use of no corn, wheat, soy, synthetic colours, preservatives, or flavors. Meals are a tender texture and simple to eat.

• First 5 elements: hen, pork lungs, water, liver, carrageenan
• Formula highlights: Limited ingredient, Vitamin A, B12, D3, biotin, folic acid, niacin
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 9% (min); crude fats 3.5% (min); crude fiber 1.25% (max)
• Calories: 108 kcal/tray

Price

Merrick Lil’ Plates Small Breed Wet

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This is a wonderful choice for grownup Chihuahuas. Several flavors can be found, and all use actual animal proteins. Perfect for small breeds with delicate digestion. Grain, corn, soy, and gluten-free. Offers full and balanced diet.

Fresh meats supply nice flavors and no hard-to-digest grains or fillers. Food tastes nice, is straightforward to digest, and boosts protein and moisture. Chihuahuas love meals, so they are going to gobble up tasty morsels like this. We take a better have a look at the meat recipe. Real meat, high taste, and simple to digest.

• First 5 elements: Beef, beef broth, venison broth, beef liver, dried egg whites
• Formula highlights: Prebiotics, probiotics and important minerals, glucosamine, chondroitin, zinc, and 4 different chelated minerals
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 8% (min); crude fats 3% (min); crude fiber 1.4% (max)
• Calories: 90 kcal/cup

Price

• Starts at: $19.98 (4.5-lb bag)

Best Dry Food For Chihuahuas

Chihuahuas ought to have dry kibble as a part of their weight-reduction plan. Not solely does dry kibble present full diet, however additionally it is useful to dental well being. Be cautious not to decide on something too massive or hard-to-chew on your pup. Chihuahuas are vulnerable to dental illness and have small enamel that can break on chow that’s too robust. A balanced weight-reduction plan ought to embrace each dry and moist meals.

ACANA Singles Limited Ingredient Dry

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This high-quality kibble makes use of a restricted ingredient recipe. 65% of every recipe comes from just one animal supply. This could be very useful for Chihuahuas, which may develop a delicate abdomen. Kibble is grain-free and excessive in protein. It makes use of each recent and uncooked animal elements, complete greens, fruits, and botanicals. This kibble is formulated for use for canine of all life phases. No synthetic elements, preservatives, flavors, or colours. The recipe is also free from peas, corn, and plant proteins.

The recipe contains elements like candy potatoes that assist digestion and intestine well being. Packed stuffed with taurine and different minerals, nutritional vitamins, and antioxidants to help circulatory and immune system operate. This limited-ingredient recipe is straightforward to digest and gives top-quality diet for even the pickiest canine.

• First 5 elements: deboned beef, beef meal, beef liver, candy potato, complete chickpeas
• Formula highlights: beef fats, Pollock oil, complete pumpkin, lentil fiber, beef cartilage, beef tripe, complete cranberries, freeze-dried beef liver, taurine, and vitamin dietary supplements.
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 31% (min); crude fats 17% (min); crude fiber 5% (max)
• Calories: 371 kcal/cup

Price

Open Farm Small Breed

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This high-quality kibble makes use of hormone and antibiotic-free meats. The kibble is smaller and simple to eat for little canine just like the Chihuahua. This recipe is freed from peas, potato, and legumes however does include healthful historic grains. The system additionally contains antioxidants, Vitamin A, and naturally occurring prebiotic fibers from elements like pumpkin and dried chicory root. Additionally, this recipe comprises New Zealand inexperienced lip mussels for wholesome hips and joints. It additionally contains peppermint and parsley to advertise recent breath.

Open Farm makes use of 100% traceable elements and shares sourcing data on its web site. They additionally supply grain-free small-breed kibble, in addition to a number of different choices.

• First 5 elements: hen, turkey, ocean Menhaden fish meal, barley, brown rice
• Formula highlights: contains herring meal, candy potato, quinoa, coconut oil, pumpkin, flaxseed, kale, apples, blueberries, sunflower oil, cranberries, salmon oil, and vitamin dietary supplements.
• Guaranteed evaluation: crude protein 29.89 % (min); crude fats 16% (min); crude fiber 2% (max) energy per pouch
• Calories: Not Available

Price

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Should I Consider A Supplement?

While high-quality pet food ought to present your Chihuahua with all of the vitamins they want, some canine might require dietary dietary supplements. For instance, Chihuahuas with joint issues might profit from a glucosamine or different joint complement, whereas these with pores and skin or different allergies might profit from a fish oil complement.

Before giving your Chihuahua any dietary supplements, seek the advice of your veterinarian to make sure they’re secure and efficient. Additionally, make sure to observe the really helpful dosage and administration directions fastidiously.

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