What Is Nutritional Counseling for Pets?
As a pet parent, you’re responsible for the well-being of your dog or cat. And while there are many ways to keep your animal healthy, one of the safest bets is through proper nutrition.
Nutrition is, however, a tricky subject for pet owners. With the numerous food items on the shelves, you need a meal plan that nourishes your pet while keeping them fit and healthy. That’s where pet nutritional counseling comes in.
What is Nutritional Counseling for Pets?
Nutritional counseling for pets is a service offered by a pet nutritionist or veterinarian to educate owners about an animal's dietary requirements. Your pet’s nutrition depends on several factors — like age, breed, etc.. While puppies and kittens need more calories to grow into strong adults, the diet of adult animals should match their activity patterns and size.
Adult pets should have enough energy for daily functions while maintaining a healthy weight. Senior pets also have unique dietary requirements. Because they’re more prone to health issues, you need a pet nutritionist to recommend the right supplements for old animals. Another special category is pregnant animals that need extra calories to sustain their young ones before birth and afterward.
Note that pet nutritional counseling may spread over several sessions. The nutritionist may organize follow-ups after the first appointment to monitor your pet’s response to treatment. These sessions can be face to face, online, or over the phone.
Why is Nutritional Counseling for Pets Important?
Pet nutritional counseling helps with the following areas of your animal’s diet.
Portion Control: While underfeeding your pet leaves them weak, too much food exposes your furry friend to weight problems. Past research by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention suggests that 59.5% and 55.8% of cats and dogs respectively are overweight or obese. The pet nutritionist also advises you on how to pace meals to prevent stomach upset, and aid weight loss.
Understand Food Types: Pet foods come in different categories, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. You might also encounter vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that contain zero calories. Nutritional counseling provides insight into the right food types and nutrient measurements for your pet. A veterinary nutritionist also interprets food labels while demystifying inaccurate claims about pet products. Additionally, you learn the common mistakes in pet nutrition and how to avoid them. Assuming you feed your animal pal with human food, the nutritionist will advise you on items that can hurt your pet.
Prevent Diseases: Nutritional counseling for pets identifies and alleviates the symptoms of various health conditions. They include arthritis, high blood pressure, thyroid disorders, food intolerances, kidney, urinary tract, and liver problems. This way, nutritional counseling extends the life of your animal by protecting them from diseases.
Changing Pet Diets: You might have to adjust your animal’s diet to match its activity level and correct allergies and nutritional deficiencies. However, switching diets blindly might reduce your pet’s appetite and cause gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and excess gas. Apart from suggesting food items, a pet nutritionist advises you on the right time to change diets. They also create a schedule for the transition and monitor the pet for potential side effects.
What you feed your pet is important — and if you want them to stay happy and healthy, you’ll need to put some effort into making sure they’re getting the nutrition they need. Give us a call if we can help!
Contact us to make an appointment today!
Read more: