Looking after your pet's health is one of a pet owner's many responsibilities. This entails ensuring your pet eats a healthy diet, gets adequate exercise, and stays clean and pest-free. By regularly assessing your pet's diet, you can ensure it's getting the nutritional value it needs for its age, size, and breed. At Sagamore Hills Animal Hospital in Sagamore Hills, OH, we offer nutritional counseling for pet owners to help them make wise dietary decisions for their pets. Here are some important facts you should know about pet nutrition.

Importance of a Healthy Diet   

High-quality pet food will enhance your pet's health at every stage of its life. By doing your homework, you can distinguish between bargain-brand pet foods containing low-quality ingredients and pet foods with high nutritional value. If you need help in this area, our Sagamore Hills veterinarians can guide you to quality pet foods that contain the proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals your pet needs. At Sagamore Hills Animal Hospital, pet nutrition is one of our many specialties. By taking advantage of our vets' expertise in this area, you can help your pet grow healthy and strong over the years.

Your pet's age, breed, and size are important factors to consider when choosing its diet. Large dogs, for example, will need healthy food that supports their size and weight. Puppies and kittens should be fed food specifically designed for baby pets as it contains the nutrients and calories they need for proper growth and development. Senior pets require a diet rich in protein for strength and energy but fewer calories as they're less active in their senior years. A balanced diet containing adequate quantities of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients is essential for all pets for optimal health and function.

Pet Obesity

Overfeeding your pet or feeding it the wrong kind of food for its age or lifestyle can lead to obesity, a common problem among pets today. Pets who are overweight are more susceptible to developing problems like diabetes, arthritis, thyroid problems, and other health issues. It's never a good idea to free-feed pets, i.e., filling their food bowl any time it's empty. Talk to your Sagamore Hills vet if you're not sure how often or how much food to feed your pet. We can recommend the quantity of food your pet needs, including healthy snacks and treats, for its age, breed, size, and overall health. We'll also help you establish a feeding schedule for your pet.

See Your Sagamore Hills Veterinarian for Pet Nutritional Counseling

To learn more about pet nutrition and your pet's dietary needs, contact Sagamore Hills Animal Hospital, Sagamore Hills, OH, at (330) 468-2900.