Pets With Health Problems

COVID-19 has caused turmoil in people’s lives this past year, but it has also had an impact on our pets’ lives, most recently because of some pet foods being temporarily out of stock. Here are some thoughts on ways to prevent running out and what to do if you do end up in that situation.

Pancreatitis is a common condition in both dogs and cats. Diet can be associated with the development of pancreatitis in dogs and an important part of treatment. Cats with pancreatitis are less responsive to diet, but tend to have additional health issues that may respond to dietary adjustments.

Cats, especially overweight ones, can develop a severe liver disease called hepatic lipidosis if they don’t eat enough calories for days to weeks. As a lack of nutrients is the cause of this condition, aggressive nutritional support is required to treat it. Hepatic lipidosis can be prevented by monitoring cat’s intake and seeking medical attention promptly if appetite decreases.

A low sodium diet can be an important modification for a pet with heart disease. However, many pet owners do not realize how much sodium is in commercial pet foods and common human foods fed to pets. Test your sodium savvy with our quiz!

Many health conditions can result in pets who cannot or will not eat enough calories to maintain weight or will not eat foods that are best for their health conditions. Placement of a feeding tube can help the pet recover faster from short-term illness or injury as well as helping to preserve quality of life and often increasing length of life for pets with chronic health conditions.

Older pets can suffer from Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, which is similar to dementia in people. While the disease is irreversible, some nutritional alterations have been shown to help affected pets

Two recently published studies suggest that blood and saliva testing should not be used for the diagnosis of food allergies in dogs.

What’s the best diet to feed when your pet has more than one disease? Many dogs or cats have more than one health condition that may benefit from nutritional changes, and this makes selection of an optimal diet even more complicated.

There is no ‘one-diet-fits-all’ approach to diabetes: body condition, pet preferences, and other diseases or medical conditions will guide the best diet for a dog with diabetes. Though there are some differing approaches for optimal nutrition in dogs with diabetes, the one strategy that is most agreed upon is to keep the diet consistent – use the same food, same treats and feed and give insulin at the same times every day!

Many pets may have mild gastrointestinal signs with diet changes or related to being fed certain diets, supplements, or treats. Once major medical issues are ruled out, here’s a step-by-step plan to get to the bottom of things.