Veterinary Nutritional Counseling Supports Your Pet’s Health
Maintaining a health diet is key to keeping your pet happy and healthy. Whether you have a dog, cat, reptile or pocket pet, it has specific dietary requirements that need to be fulfilled. Nutritional counseling is an opportunity to explore your pet’s health needs alongside a trusted veterinarian. If your pet has any allergies or food intolerances, our knowledgeable team can build a dietary plan to ensure your pet gets the nutrients it needs for long-term health.
It’s not always easy to determine how much your pet needs to eat every day, so nutritional counseling provides guidance to maximize your beloved pet’s health. We calculate nutrient intakes based on the animal’s weight, age, activity level and other factors. We can also review other important aspects of fulfilling your pet’s nutritional needs:
- General dietary and feeding requirements
- How your pet’s nutritional needs change with age
- Calculating how many calories your pet needs every day
- Understanding the information on pet food labels
After consulting with our veterinarians, you’ll have a more in-depth understanding about your pet’s nutritional requirements and they affect its health now and into the future.
Benefits of Nutritional Counseling
Nutritional counseling is often beneficial for pets that are overweight or have chronic health problems. Obesity in cats and dogs is a major contributor to cardiovascular issues, joint problems and even a decreased lifespan. Fortunately, by fulfilling its dietary requirements, you can help your pet maintain a healthy weight. Pet owners sometimes overestimate the amount of food their animal needs, so our veterinarians can provide specific portion sizes. Cutting down the amount of calories your pet consumes contributes to weight management.
Additionally, tailoring a customized diet plan helps pets with allergies or food intolerances. We delve into what causes your pet’s food-related health issues and build a dietary plan to work around it and ensure your pet gets the nutrients it needs. Some animals, such as dogs, require more protein in their diet, while rabbits and pocket pets enjoy plant-based meals. Nursing animals also may need increased calorie consumption. As you can see, there are a number of aspects you need to consider, and visiting our professional team makes it easier to explore them all.