Reliable Advice about Pet Nutrition Promotes Long Term Health
Nutrition is an essential aspect of good wellness care. At Bond Animal Hospital, we emphasize training in diet and nutritional counseling. Young animals need proper food to grow up strong and healthy, and older pets often benefit from diets that are targeted to their individual health issues. Other common problems related to diet are food allergies and pet obesity, a special concern these days in both cats and dogs.
Our Nutritional Services
Proper pet nutrition is a critical component of good husbandry for exotic pets. We make sure your new exotic pet gets a healthy start by reviewing diet at every visit. Our nutritional services include:
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Everyday health and wellness diet advice for a variety species including dogs, cats, small mammals, reptiles, birds and other exotic pets
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Guidelines on quantities, food types, and schedules to prevent pet obesity
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Nutritional advice for pets with allergies, information about food trials, and diet choices
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Custom tailored nutrition plans for dogs and cats living with chronic illness
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Advice on home-cooked diet formulations
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Recommendations for commercial veterinary formulas
Health Conditions that Benefit from Therapeutic Diets
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Food allergies
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Diabetes
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Obesity
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Inflammatory bowel disease
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Cancer
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Thyroid disorders
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Joint pain (arthritis)
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Kidney disease
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Liver disease
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Lower urinary tract disease
Pet Obesity
It is never too early to feed your pets properly. 35% of cats and dogs are overweight today, which poses serious health consequences for our pets. Risks of pet obesity include:
Diabetes
Arthritis
Joint paint pain & difficulty with mobility
Heart disease & high blood pressure
Skin problems
Diminished quality of life
Shortened life expectancy
Call us today to schedule a nutritional assessment for your pet.
Tips for Getting Your Pet Trim
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Choose a clinically proven food to achieve healthy weight
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Not all foods are alike when it comes to controlling your pet's weight. We work with you and recommend the best food for your dog or cat to achieve an ideal weight based on size, breed, and sex.
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Track weight loss success
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Weighing your dog or cat regularly and tracking weight loss on a simple chart helps make a weight loss program go smoothly. It's also a good idea to take pictures and video of your dog or cat to record progress. Regular trips to the veterinarian provide necessary tracking and recording of actual weight loss, and adjustments to the amount or type of food can be made at these visits.
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Measure out allotted food and avoid treats, snacks and free-feeding
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Avoid leaving food out all day long, feeding table scraps, and unplanned snacks. Stick to the recommended daily feeding guide. Measure out allotted food and snacks at the beginning of each day to avoid accidental overfeeding. Keep your pet in another room when preparing or eating your own meals. If you have several pets, feed them separately.
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Provide a healthy activity level
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Make sure your dog gets a healthy amount of physical activity with a regular schedule of outdoor activities. For dogs, a game of fetch can be made more challenging by doing it on a hillside or stairs. Some dogs, especially those with arthritis, will benefit from hydrotherapy or swimming.
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Commit to playing with your cat fifteen minutes a day and consider locating food or water bowls downstairs or up high. Indoor cats need planned exercise and the best form is object play, which engages their hunter instinct. It????????s fun to shop for cat toys and there are some great articles on the web how to make safe cat toys at home.
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Try one of those excellent toys that require pets to work for food. These toys both slow down eating and provide a stimulating environment, a win-win for your pets.
