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| Pet Nutrition |
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| Over thirty years of experience in veterinary
medicine has taught us that what people feed (or don’t feed) their pets contributes
more to their pet's well being than just about any other factor. |
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| A large percentage of the animals we treat suffer
from nutritional problems of some kind. Most often they suffer from eating food
designed for humans. |
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| If we could give our clients only one piece of
advice concerning the proper feeding of their pets it would be this: Feed your pet only
high-quality pet food each day and nothing else except clean water. If everyone took
this advice our business would drop off dramatically. |
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| Nutrition Topics: |
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| Table Scraps & Bones |
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If you and I had been fed nothing but nutritious meals since the
day we were born we wouldn’t know anything about cheeseburgers and double fudge
sundaes. We’d be happy eating nutritious meals every day. The same logic is true for
your pet. |
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| As smart as he may be, your pet probably doesn’t understand the
McDonald’s commercials on your TV. If he’s fed only a nutritious diet he won’t want
anything else. |
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| Feeding your pets food that was designed for people can lead to
finicky eating habits, obesity, vomiting and diarrhea. In extreme cases it can
result in food poisoning and pancreatitis. |
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| Feeding your cat or dog bones can cause broken teeth, injuries
to the mouth, constipation, and potentially fatal intestinal perforations. |
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| If you want to give your dog or cat a treat, give her
something that was specifically designed as a dog or cat treat. |
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| Grocery Store Pet Food |
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Our clients often ask us why they should buy pet food from their
veterinarian when they can get dog or cat food at the grocery store for
less. |
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| The short answer is, “You get what you pay
for.” |
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| The first thing you should consider when buying pet
food is quality! The pet food you buy from us is guaranteed to contain the vital
nutrients that it is supposed to contain. It’s also fresh! We keep our inventory
to an absolute minimum. New food is delivered every week. |
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| The second thing to consider is value. Most people
find that their pets need to eat more of a commercial brand to get the same
nutritional value found in a smaller amount of premium pet food. By eating more
filler, their pets generate more waste but gain nothing from it.
Remember that twenty pounds doesn’t always equal twenty pounds. |
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| Visit our
Nutrition Products page to learn more about what’s available from us! |
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| Visit the
Hill’s® website to learn more about good pet nutrition! |
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| Canned Food vs. Dry Food |
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If you are providing
high-quality pet food to your pet, nutritionally it makes no difference whether it’s
canned food or dry food. Canned and dry both provide the same vital
nutrients. |
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| Having said that, there are definitely some advantages to
feeding your pet nothing but dry food: |
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- Dry food will not spoil if your pet doesn’t eat her
entire meal where canned food will.
- Dry food will help keep your pet’s
teeth clean while canned food will not.
- Dry food is less expensive than canned food.
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| Visit our
Nutrition Products page to learn more about what’s available from us! |
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| Visit the
Hill’s® website to learn more about good pet nutrition! |
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| Food Allergies |
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| Dogs and cats, like people, can be allergic to many things:
house dust, pollen, fleas, and food. The symptoms of a food allergy might include:
severe itching, a rash or other skin infection caused by chewing or licking,
vomiting, or diarrhea. If your dog or cat displays symptoms of a food allergy,
schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. |
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| Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FUTD) |
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FUTD is a common problem. Symptoms include straining or crying
in the litter box, bloody urine and urinating in unusual places. |
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| If your male cat is exhibiting these symptoms he may have a
life-threatening blockage that requires
immediate attention. |
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| If your cat is exhibiting these symptoms, have your
veterinarian perform a urinalysis on your cat to determine the cause.
A specific diet will almost always alleviate these symptoms.
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| Visit our
Nutrition Products page to learn more about what’s available from us! |
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| Visit the
Hill’s® website to learn more about good pet nutrition! |
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