Nutrition

As part of a routine physical exam or wellness check, the doctors of Animal Health Services feel it is important to discuss the nutritional status of your pet. Nutrition is vital for the health of your pet and can make a significant difference in their longevity.

Nutrition, as most of us know for ourselves, is a very complex and controversial subject. Unfortunately this makes for a very confusing decision-making process for you as an owner. Unfortunately, we have found that most people end up taking the advice of non-trained individuals who have a strong opinion whether it is based on their experience or what their sales manager has told them to say, which is often marginal or poor advice. It’s hard to imagine, but many people will believe something they’ve heard from a teenager at the pet food store or from a friend before they will take the advice from their own veterinarian.

Each individual animal has specific needs based on their age, breed, health and their environment. Who better to help you with this decision than your veterinarian who has not only been trained in the health aspects for your pet but also the correct nutrition needs associated with these factors.

There are a lot of different choices when it comes to diets for our pets, which makes the decision even harder. It is even over-whelming for us doctors to keep up. We spend many hours every year researching and educating ourselves in this area to offer the best advice possible.

You will notice that our clinic is a strong supporter of Hills/Science Diet. We are not unique in this situation because most veterinarians feel that Science Diet is superior in quality and addressing the health concerns of our pets. Most veterinarians do not care about the sales of pet diets. They are more concerned with the health of their patients. If they were concerned about monetary gain, other diets would be better choices.

As professionals researching the diets that are available for your pet, we have found that many of the pet food companies seem to be more concerned about their profit margin versus the health of your pet. Science Diet stands strong on their commitment to you and your pet. Hill’s Pet Nutrition is one of a few companies that actually research the nutritional value of the foods they sale.

Science Diet is not the only diet we carry or recommend but with the diversity of their product line it is most often our first choice. If their product does not meet the health needs then we will be committed to find the one that works best for your pet.

We understand that everyone has the right to make his or her own choices for pet food whether good or bad. Please understand, however, we are committed to helping you keep your pet healthy and to avoid the pitfalls of poor advice from people with no nutrition savvy (understanding). Often a poor diet, which may seem less expensive at the counter, may cost you much more in the long run with your veterinarian. Also many of the diets try to suck you in with terms like all natural, holistic, human grade and organic. These are marketing terms not legal or scientific terms. The pet food industry tends to be fairly unregulated, so buyers beware!

If you are having troubles determining if the diet you are feeding your pet is the right diet, ask your veterinarian. There are two other ways to help you make a decision in choosing a pet food. First, look for the AVCO statement on the bag of food. This statement will let you know if the food has been clinically studied. Second, ask the company for a dry matter analysis. If they are unable to provide a dry matter analysis on their product, they have not done their research.

Let us help you by discussing your specific needs and concerns in finding the right diet for your pets and make an educated decision.

Submitted by Animal Health Services of Cave Creek