Nutrition: Food for Thought

Nutrition is a very important component of owning a pet.  Every animal needs food to grow, be physically active, maintain health and support them during various diseases and illnesses.  In this day and age there are so many diets to choose from, it can be overwhelming – I certainly find it to be, and I’m a vet!

This blog will discuss some of the main points on diet, discussing kibble, canned, raw, vegetarian and homemade diets, as well as what some veterinary prescription diets entail and why they exist.  My hope is to provide pet parents with some guidance on cat and dog nutrition and what to beware of when looking for the best food to feed your pet.

Macronutrients:

Protein

-       Essential building blocks for building and repairing tissues that are derived from meat, eggs, beans and fish. 

Carbohydrates

-       The primary energy source for the body that is generally converted into glucose.  This is found in grains, fruits and veggies.

Fat

-       Another way for the body to derive energy from nutrients.  It can be found in seeds, nuts, and oils, and is important for the absorption of certain vitamins.

Micronutrients:

Vitamins

-       Organic compounds required by our bodies in order to perform metabolism and other normal functions.  They are considered water-soluble (vitamins B and C) or fat-soluble (vitamins A, D, E, and K).

Minerals

-       Inorganic substances that are again essential for the body to function normally.  These include, but are not necessarily limited to calcium, sodium, iron and zinc.

Other Essential Nutrients:

Water

-       Crucial for life, does not provide any caloric value.

Fibre

-       Particular carbohydrates that aid in the digestion of food materials.  It is derived from plant-based foods, such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

Types of diets:

Commercial diets

-       Can be purchased at pet stores, grocery stores, other box stores

-       Many brands exist with hundreds of diets out there

-       Generally meet nutrition requirements from AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) and claim should be visible on the bag

-       Canada does not have as stringent of nutrition rules as the United States, so we generally want to see food with the AAFCO label on it to know it meets minimum US standards

-       Diet is in kibble or canned formulations and most can be fed as is for healthy dog or cat maintenance

-       There is huge variation in commercial diets out there, better quality is seen when the bag has an AAFCO claim, it states it is a maintenance diet, complete and balanced and the company will willingly discuss and send their full nutritional breakdown to you if requested

Raw diets

-       May be frozen or fresh raw meat

-       May not be a balanced diet, check labels to see if meets AAFCO requirements

-       Much higher risk for bacterial contamination of the environment and illness in both pets and the humans handling/living with pets on raw diets

-       May see patients with diarrhea, vomiting or other clinical signs

-       May be beneficial in certain animals with severe food allergies that require a diet like this

-       Best to inform your vet of feeding your dog or cat raw food so that extra caution can be taken at the clinic for hygienic reasons

-       Caution feeding raw when there are young, old, pregnant or immune-compromised individuals in the household

Vegetarian diets

-       In some cases, vegetarian diets can be a good way to help pets with a food allergy

-       Cats have a dietary requirement for protein, so feeding a vegetarian diet to your cat is detrimental to their health and wellbeing

-       Consult your vet before feeding a strictly vegetarian diet

Homemade diets

-       In some complex cases, some pets may benefit from a homemade diet

-       This is best done under the guidance of a veterinarian, or better yet a vet nutritionist, where an appropriate recipe can be used to make the diet

-       Ensure the proper minerals and vitamins are a part of the diet, often need to be purchased separately and added into the food when it is being made or served

Veterinary prescription diets

-       These are diets where they can only be purchased under the recommendation of a vet, and generally only through a vet clinic

-       These are diets that we as vets, know have a veterinarian behind their production ensuring that the diet is healthy, appropriate and monitored

-       Many of these diets are formulated to assist with managing a certain disease, such as chronic kidney disease, obesity, food allergies, dental disease, and more

-       Your vet would be happy to discuss these further if there is a nutritional benefit to feeding a prescription diet to your dog or cat

What can factor into the diet you choose:

·      Age of your pet, growth as kittens or puppies is critical and so is their nutrition, same can be said for senior pets

·      Disease processes, such as kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, to name a few

·      Adverse food reactions/food allergies

·      Prevention of bladder stones and urethral obstruction (especially in male cats where a quality diet can make the difference)

·      Weight loss vs. weight gain

·      Time you have to prepare or feed your pet

·      Financial cost of the diet and budget for your pet’s food

What should give you pause before feeding a diet your dog or cat:

·      A company not willing to provide information on nutrition to ensure minimum standards are met

·      Is there a nutritional adequacy statement on the bag?  Important to determine if can be fed on a long-term basis or not

·      Does the diet contain the necessary minerals, vitamins and ingredients a cat or dog need to survive?

·      Grain-free is a big marketing strategy over the last few years, but there is a possible link to diets being grain-free and cardiac disease, consider carefully when choosing a diet of this variety

·      Male cats are especially prone to emergency urethral blockages, and often a low-cost diet can factor into formation of bladder stones and crystals, caution when feeding diets such as Friskies, Whiskas, Fancy Feast, etc. consider a diet with a bit more nutritional value instead of these more “McDonald’s for cats” type diets

·      Are there immunocompromised, elderly, very young or pregnant people in the household?  If so, raw diets are not recommended due to risk of causing illness

Nutrition can be a daunting topic to anyone, especially with so many diets, opinions, preferences, and of course trying to find a food your pet likes, all playing a role in deciding what to buy!  Many vets are happy to discuss nutrition with their clients, and in complex cases a board-certified veterinary nutritionist can be brought in on a case as a referral to help out and make sure your pet is being fed safe and adequate food.

Great resources:

WSAVA – The Savvy Cat Owner’s Guide: Nutrition on the Internet

WSAVA – The Savvy Dog Owner’s Guide: Nutrition on the Internet

I hope you all enjoy the Fall walks with your dogs, or curl up with your cats to read a book or watch a movie on a grey and gloomy day.

Dr. Hillary