3 Questions To Ask Your Veterinarian About Good Nutrition of Your Pet

There are endless and overwhelming options when it comes to buying pet food. But the most intricate thing for a pet owner is to provide healthy and balanced diet, which keeps their furry pals fit and energetic. This is where good nutrition plays a critical role in pet food. If you search for “healthy cat food” in Google you will approximately get 80,000 hits. While if you search for “dog nutrition” there are more than 3,20,000 hits. But the problem is that genuine and alleged experts are not always in agreement about what is good for dogs and cats. Hence, there is no surprise that pet owners find the information more overwhelming than informative.

We have enumerated certain questions that you should ask your veterinarian In order to help you make the right choice of pet food with good nutrition:

Ask Your Veterinarian About Best Nutrition for Your Pet

Should I Get Ready-Made Food, Cook Meals At Home Or Feed A Raw Diet To My Pet?    

It is not a hard thing to feed a healthy and balanced diet to pet owners. But there is a rule that pet owners need to follow: Give high-quality food that is customized according to the age and level of activity of the pet. Remember, dogs and cats need the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat along with vitamins, fibers and minerals. These requirements are very well fulfilled in an industrial production. Hence, it is recommended to procure high-quality branded products so that the pet gets everything that his body requires.

If you think that cooking food at home for your pet is the right way to go then you are in for a surprise. The problem is that it is very difficult to ensure the ideal combination of ingredients. The other thing is that many a times nutrients are lost through cooking. Also home-cooked pet food consists of too much of fat and protein and less of vitamins. If you still want to cook food at home take the instructions and recipes from your veterinarian or nutrition expert. Raw diet has its own problems. It can get stuck in the throat of the pet which can make it very difficult for the pet to breathe. Hence, feeding a raw diet to the pet is a big “No-No”.

Should I Feed Dry Food, Wet Food Of A Combination Of Both To My Pet?

There is a mixed opinion of whether pets should be given dry food, wet food or a mixture of both. The answer to this question is: you should feed your pet the food that he/she likes. To find the right food for your pet, you need to look at the current requirements of the pet and the quality of the product. If you can fulfill both these factors, then you are sure to have covered your pet’s nutritional requirements.

The question of feeding dry food, wet food or even a combination of both is insignificant as long as you ensure that the pet gets the requisite vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet.

The advantages of dry food include:

• It is very easy to store
• It can be used as a treat
• Useful for dogs that are suffering from allergies that can eat only a specific kind of food
• It is more hygienic at least in summer
• Does not contain any water, hence should be given to only those pets that drink enough water

The advantages of wet food include:

• Good way of getting more moisture into the pet’s diet that do not drink enough water
• Many pets prefer meaty chunks in comparison to dry pallets

Vet Nutritional Pet Food Tips For Cats And Dogs

If you are still unsure whether to give dry or wet food to your pet, then you can use the mixture of both. You can give wet food in the morning and dry food in the evening. This way your pet will get the best of both the worlds. Regardless of the form of diet that you choose, stick to it for long-term and only make the change if there is a good reason and do it gradually. Remember, sudden change in food can be extremely unhealthy for the pet and can lead to digestive problems in the pet including diarrhea and constipation.

Should I Give Food Supplements To My Pet?

There are specific conditions when normal feeding is not enough. During such times like the molting season, when the pets are recovering from illness or a stressful condition like before or after moving house, it is advantageous to add nutritional supplements to your pet’s diet. Even when you select to give home-cooked food to your furry pal, their diet needs to be enhanced with special preparations to avoid potential deficiency symptoms.

Essential fatty acids and vitamin B are effective for dogs and cats prone to skin sensitivities or having lackluster, bristly coats. Fish Oils and mussel extracts are particularly used for arthritis and joint disease to relieve the symptoms and ensure good health of the pet. There are times when senior pets are not able to process the food optimally hence, there is a need for food supplement. If you are unsure about whether your pet requires a food supplement, ask for an advice from your veterinarian. He/she will conduct a blood test to determine the vitamins and minerals your pet is missing.

Remember, a good nutritional diet is the basic requirement to keep your pet healthy and fit. Ask your veterinarian to recommend the best pet food based on the requirements of your pet and their lifestyle.