PAWS FOR THOUGHT

Four Tips to Keep Your Pet Healthy and Happy

Being proactive with regard to your pet’s health is not only better from a health perspective but also, in the long run, it is cheaper.  This resonates even better in these tough economic times.

What kind of advise can I give you that is practical and cost effective?

Here is a summary of my four secrets :

1.  Feed your pet the healthiest diet possible
2.  Keep your pet’s weight down
3.  Keep your pet’s teeth clean
4.  Keep your pet challenged physically and mentally

In this article, I will explore the first of the four tips – your pet’s nutrition.

Very often, nutritional discussions in the veterinary practice end up with the nurse documenting in the patient’s file the brand of food and form of diet that your pet is on (dry or canned).
While there is a growing number of pet-owners and vets who emphasize how important that issue is, most of the time we do not devote enough thoughts to the fact that food can heal and protect your pet just as it can protect us.

After 18 years of practice, I am amazed to see how many types of prescription diets exist on the market.  Perhaps one reason is that we feed our pets poor quality diets to begin and that leads them to later become dependent on prescription foods.  When my children were born, diet became a big issue in my family.  I realized that probably, like most other parents, I have this on-going battle with my kids to eat more vegetables and less ice cream and sweets.  Since I treat my four-legged like children, it occurred to me that pets should also be fed better –  a more varied and fresh diet, relying less on processed, bagged or canned food.  Would you feed your children just cereal even if it was the healthiest kind ?

Grandma was right when she used to say "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."  Many of my new clients are surprised when I recommend healthy table food – if its good for you its good for your pet, I tell them (with one caveat:  avoid grapes, raisins, and chocolates).  Some examples of good table food include low fat meat, low fat dairy products, plain pasta, and fruits, such as carrots, apples, bananas, and vegetables.  I am always happy to find out how many pet owners do actually give their pets table food but feel uncomfortable telling me that until they hear my recommendation to go ahead and do so.  

So if this information excites you, get started by taking baby steps.  It is not for every pet-owner, nor is it for every pet.  Try introducing new fresh food in small amounts, twice a week, instead of your pet’s regular food, consult with your vet, and check web sites for ideas.  There are also frozen raw diets that have been approved as complete and balanced diets -- they are a wonderful way to upgrade your pet's diet.

And one more word for feline owners -- try to give canned food rather than dry food.  Canned food has at least 60 % moister, which is crucial to your cat’s kidney.  Remember that cats are true carnivores – they need a meat-based diet to be healthy and lean, rather than a carbohydrate-based diet, which predisposes them to obesity, diabetes, pancreatitis and liver disease.

Bon Appetite!

Next week we will discuss obesity in pets and what you can do to prevent it.