The Importance of Your Pet's Diet and Nutrition in East Islip
Providing your pet with the proper diet and nutrition is the cornerstone to optimal health. More than half of all the cats and dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. Obesity puts your pet at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, and joint problems. Obese pets are less likely to get the exercise they need, and their life expectancy will likely be shortened. At All Friends Veterinary Hospital, we’re committed to helping you provide optimal pet nutrition. Here are some tips to help prevent pet obesity in your dog or cat.
Feed Your Pet a High-Quality Food
In order to ensure proper nutrition, it’s important to feed your pet a quality food without a lot of fillers or byproducts, which provide empty calories and very little nutrition. Meat should be the first ingredient in any cat or dog food, providing the protein your pets need for optimal nutrition. How much protein your pet needs varies depending on their age and activity levels, but generally, cats needed between 25 and 30% protein, and dogs requiring between 18 and 28%.
Your Veterinarian in Islip Can Help You Determine How Much Food Your Pet Needs
Even a high-quality pet food can cause obesity if you give your pet too much. Your veterinarian in Islip can help you design a pet diet that will give your pet enough calories without making them overweight. By determining your pet’s target weight, we will have a better idea of how much food they should be getting. Small pets may need just a few hundred calories for optimal health, while large-breed dogs may require thousands.
Don’t Feed Your Pet People Food
Because the nutritional needs vary so greatly between animals, extra calories in the form of table scraps are discouraged. Food that is good for people may provide empty calories to your pet at best, and harm their digestive tract at worst. Feeding your pet people food will also encourage them to be obsessed with food, making it harder for you to keep them healthy.
Contact Our Clinic in East Islip for More Information on Pet Nutrition Today!
If you have questions or concerns about your pet’s nutrition or diet, we encourage you to contact us. As your Islip veterinarian, we take pride in providing your pets with the best care possible so they can thrive and prosper. Give us a call at (631) 277-8700 to set up an appointment.