With New Year's resolutions on our minds
and with 40% of the pet population now
being obese we have timely articles on weight
management and diet and nutrition.
We also look at the importance of pet
insurance and provide advice on details you
should consider when choosing the right
insurance policy for your pet. Finally, Most
people know that they need to socialise
a new puppy, but what does this actually
mean? And more importantly, how do
you do it?
Our last article explores the socialisation
process and how to get it right!
Welcome...
Welcome to the first edition of Small Talk for
2012!
you can go first...
Diet and Nutrition
by
Imogen Read, BVSc MRCVS
Drove Veterinary Hospital
With so many different diets and formulations available these days,
it can be really difficult to know which one will best suit your pet.
N
o one diet is right for every pet so you
may have to try two or three over a
few weeks. Marketing, packaging and
promotions can play a huge role in which food
we choose, however, try reading the small print
on the pack, especially the list of ingredients
contained within. Also, consider the daily amount
your pet will need to eat in order to fulfil their
nutritional requirements. As a general rule, the
better quality diets will be more expensive per
bag, however your pet may require a smaller
portion, hence the daily feeding cost may be
lower than you think.
Feeding a poor quality diet may result in
stunted growth, obesity, tartar-encrusted teeth,
upset stomach, dry coat, itchy skin, bladder
stones and even behaviour problems such as
hyperactivity. Also, remember there is little point
in feeding a premium diet if you then give poor
quality treats. You may have to bend the rules
occasionally, but it always pays to get some
advice from your vet first.
Any reputable diet should come in a
range of formulations. This is especially
true of dog foods, because dog breeds
vary so much. For example, a Great Dane
has different nutritional requirements to that
of a Jack Russell. Large breed puppies
(reaching an adult weight over 25kg) are a
particularly important group. It is widely known
that feeding an imbalanced diet to a growing
large-breed dog can have devastating
consequences on their development, especially
that of the joints. This is partly due to mineral
imbalances between calcium and phosphorus.
You may think that adding fresh meat to a
complete dry food will improve the 'quality'.
However, adding a huge protein source to
an already balanced diet actually makes it
completely imbalanced.
It is common to think a pet may get bored
when receiving the same food all the time.
This is not the case. With puppies or fussy
eaters you may be tempted to add in some
meat or gravy. This can actually make the
problem worse because they may grow to
expect it and gravy and stock can contain
onion salt so you do have to be careful,
hence adding to their diet should be avoided
unless specifically advised by your vet.
If you have any questions about what to feed
your pet, or are worried your pet may have a
diet-related problem, please do not hesitate to
contact your vet as I am sure they will be
happy to help you find a solution.
rec
B
DID YOU KNOW...
A
Great Dane
has different
nutritional requirements to that
of a
Jack Russell...