With many dogs suffering from some form of joint condition or disease, many pet owners turn to supplements or alternative treatments to help ease the pain. However not all supplements or home remedies are effective, or even safe. So let’s explore the current research on joint supplements and joint diets in dogs, both what works…
Protect the kidneys: feeding cats with CKD
Chronic kidney disease is a common condition in senior cats. In fact, it is the number one cause of death in cats over the age of 7. The condition can’t be cured, but the progression of this disease can be slowed, symptoms reduced and quality (and length) of life improved – with nutrition. The primary…
Going against the grain: grain free diets
You may have heard the lastest buzzword in pet food is “grain free”. However, grain free pet foods came into the market with little to no scientific evidence to support the trend that was largely led by consumer demand following an increase in the popularity of gluten free diets for humans and an incorrect assumption…
Don’t fear the feed! How to use feeding tubes
Following on from my last post, sometimes animals simply will not eat on their own and are now at risk of deteriorating even further as a result of prolonged anorexia. This is where feeding tubes come in! I promise you they are not scary, they are superheroes of the nutrition world. Sometimes the only way…
When nutrition is critical: preventing malnutrition in hospital
Did you know that patients of any age can become malnourished from inadequate nutrient intake? Malnutrition is defined as any disorder with inadequate or unbalanced nutrition associated with either nutritional deficiencies or excesses. This can occur in a variety of ways, but we often see patients come through to the clinic already in some state…
The balancing act: preparing your own pet food
Home cooking meals for your pets is not all it’s cracked up to be. There are often many unbalanced, dangerous recipes floating around the internet that owners who don’t know any better decide to try out and the proponents of these diets continue to reinforce the misconception that making your own pet food is simple…
Feeding puppies, great and small
One of the biggest decisions you will make as a new puppy owner is what to feed your pet. In my opinion, there isn’t anything more important than considering a diet that will provide all the necessary nutrients to support your pet’s growth and avoid serious health consequences in the long run. When assessing a…
Everyone’s an expert in animal nutrition
There’s a common misconception that veterinary professionals don’t know anything (or very little) about animal nutrition and that self-professed ‘experts’ are who you should be asking for nutrition advice. Let’s break it down – who are the real experts and what do their titles mean? How much study have they done in animal nutrition and…
Taking the pain out of pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a painful condition where the pancreas becomes severely inflamed; this usually occurs when the pancreas has been damaged somehow thus causing a release of digestive enzymes that are usually held within the pancreas. This release then harms the pancreas where by the enzymes begin to digest the pancreas itself. The patient may then…
Vegan pets – is it safe?
Can my dog or cat eat a vegetarian or vegan diet? It’s a common question that doesn’t necessarily have a simple answer. Usually owners wish to feed a vegan or vegetarian diet because they themselves are vegetarian or vegan and feel uncomfortable feeding meat or animal products to their animal whether for moral reasons or…
