Educational Articles
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Though every puppy is an individual, large, and giant breed puppies in particular require an individualized approach to nutrition, since they have some different needs compared to small and medium breed dogs. When it comes to puppy food, one size does not necessarily fit all.
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Congratulations on the addition of a new puppy to your family! This handout provides general care advice for your puppy, including nutrition, play and chewing behavior, housetraining, socialization, nail trimming, and basic first aid.
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The "ancestral diet" for dogs and cats is a broad term for a feeding plan that generally mimics what a wolf or wild cat might consume in the wilderness. In practice, there is great variability in nutrients, ingredients, and safety considerations for food sold or produced as an ancestral diet. This article reviews these considerations, so that pet owners, along with their veterinary care teams, can make informed decisions for their pets.
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A lustrous coat is a signal of vitality and health. The food your pet eats can significantly impact the condition of their skin and coat. A balanced diet plays an essential part in supporting your pet's skin and coat, and should include essential fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals. If you are concerned about the condition of your dog or cat's skin or coat, consult your veterinarian in case there is an underlying nutritional or medical condition.
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Nutrition plays an essential role in treating and preventing urinary stones (uroliths). Since the diet can affect urine dilution, composition and pH, pet foods can be critical to the success or failure of treatment and prevention. Important factors are covered, such as the importance of water intake, diet composition, relative supersaturation (RSS) testing, and urinary diets.
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Helping your pet lose weight may be challenging at first, but with a little patience and persistence, you can be successful. Research has shown that small amounts of weight loss help improve the quality of life for overweight pets: they feel better, move easier, play more often, and live healthier lives. This handout focuses on commonly asked questions and tips for owners to help their overweight pet successfully achieve some weight loss.
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Treats are a wonderful way to provide positive reinforcement to your dog during a training session. Choose low-calorie foods such as green beans, carrots, and watermelon. Avoid foods that are potentially harmful such as chocolate, garlic, onions, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, and products that may have xylitol. Limit high-calorie treats and keep treats within 10% of your dog's total daily calorie intake. Keeping training sessions short and engaging while providing appropriate foods as treats can be a wonderful way to strengthen the human-animal bond.
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Dogs have dietary requirements for water, energy, and many essential nutrients, but they do not have a requirement for any specific ingredient. Animal-derived ingredients are typically highly digestible and usually have essential nutrients important to dogs in higher amounts than plant-derived ingredients. However, if properly formulated and tested, plant-based diets such as vegetarian diets can provide all the essential nutrients dogs require. It is recommended that you choose a complete and balanced diet that was formulated by a pet nutrition expert and underwent feeding trials.
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Weight-loss programs are not easy, especially when an overweight animal cannot exercise. Veterinary therapeutic diets, automatic feeders, food puzzles, and animal rehabilitation therapy are tools that should be considered for every pet's weight loss program. Pet parents who are motivated to help their overweight dog or cat lose weight should work closely with their veterinary healthcare team to address concerns and discuss ideas for the pet's home environment. The most successful pet owners recruit family and/or friends to support their plans. Patience and persistence are often needed because weight loss doesn't happen quickly.
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Palatability refers to how good a pet food or treat tastes, and it is based on the preferences of a dog or cat. Palatability is a combination of how a product smells, tastes, and feels. Pet food companies spend a lot of time and money studying how to improve the palatability of their products. This article addresses several commonly asked questions about the "how", "what", and "why" of making pet foods as tasty as they can be.
