Pet Nutrition

Making Sure Your Pet Receives Proper Nutrition

As a pet owner, it is important to look for ways to ensure your pet is receiving the best nutritional care possible. Sometimes it takes more than simply feeding your pet two meals a day and making sure he has clean water. Certain animals respond better to specially formulated foods enriched with vitamins and minerals, while other animals have health conditions or allergies that require them to maintain particular diets.

Your veterinarian or a certified animal nutritionist – yes, there are pet nutritionists out there – can help you determine if your pet requires a special diet, as well as recommend tips for promoting overall wellness through nutrition. A number of things can be achieved during a nutritional consultation, including:

• Checking for food allergies.
• If your pet is allergic to a particular brand or type of food, your vet/nutritionist can suggest some alternatives.
• If your pet is sick a vet/nutritionist can recommend certain brands, types of food and vitamins that are effective in treating the condition or reducing its symptoms.
• Your vet/nutritionist can create a special diet for your pet if he is sick or suffering from a chronic condition.
• Your vet/nutritionist can customize a diet for your pet that promotes general wellness.
• Your vet/nutritionist can recommend vitamins and minerals that are good for your pet's general wellness.

Nutrition plays a huge role in helping your pet living a long and healthy life. In fact, research indicates that proper nutrition can increase the average lifespan of a dog by up to two years.

It is important to do all you can to ensure your pet receives proper nutrition. If you have any questions regarding your pet's nutrition or are simply interested in learning more about animal nutrition in general, your veterinarian should be able to provide you with sound advice.

To get more information about pet nutrition, find a local veterinarian.