This is one of the most common questions that clients ask when coming to seeking a more holistic approach for their pets’ health. And it’s a GREAT one!! Improving nutrition is the best, most impactful way to improve your pets overall health and well being. The catch is that the answer is not necessarily as simple as we would like.
Just like different people thrive on different types of diets, there is not one diet type that will feed all pets optimally. Age, health and genetics all influence the best way to feed your pet.
Nutrition facts
- Dogs are carnivores
- Cats are obligate carnivores
- Many processed pet foods contain a large percentage of carbohydrates
- A healthy diet for your pet is not the same as a healthy diet for us. Feeding them, as we feed ourselves, without proper supplementation leads to nutritional deficiencies and illnesses.
Types of food options
- Kibbles and cans- These foods are balanced and meet the standards required to provide adequate nutrition for your pet. Ask us how you can use toppers and whole food supplements to easily elevate your pets nutrition.
- Home cooked foods- When balanced, home cooked meals can provide excellent nutrition for your pet. Be aware, most of the home cooked diets on the internet do not provide balanced nutrition for your pet. Doing proper home cooking is not difficult and it will get your crock pot out from under the counter. We love nutritional consults for the chance to talk about diets.
- Minimally processed balanced products- Not everyone has the time to cook for their pet. There is now a great selection of companies offering freeze dried and dehydrated foods that are balanced and ready to be rehydrated to feed. There are even companies that will prepare cooked meals for your pet.
- Frozen raw feeding- We recognize the value of raw foods and the health benefits that can be seen from this type of feeding. We also recognize that there are potential risks to feeding raw. We emphasize that this is not the ideal food for all dogs or households. If your pet or someone in your household is undergoing chemotherapy or has immune issues, or if you have small children, this may not be the best way to feed.
Takeaways
- Not all pets will do well on the same type of diet.
- Diet plans should be individualized to serve the needs of both your pets and your family.
- We love to discuss diets!!