Are You Feeding Enough to Your Pet? – Part 1
💜💜 Joy Paw 💜💜
It’s well accepted that there are three strong influencers on overall health 1) environment 2) genetics and 3) nutrition. Nutrition has been recognized as the 5th vital assessment (AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines 2010; WSAVA 2011) and a cornerstone of pet health through all life stages.
Achieving and maintaining healthy body condition scores in pets has been proven to reduce the risk of illness and add to the longevity and general well-being of the animal
Appropriate feeding throughout all life stages can help prevent diet-associated diseases, as well as to assist in the management of other diseases
Although all dogs and cats have the ability to properly regulate their energy intake, this natural tendency can be overridden by below environmental factors.
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Providing unrestricted access (free-choice feeding) to foods that are both highly palatable (tasty) and energy-dense can lead to chronic overconsumption.
- Today’s competitive pet food market includes many foods that are high in both palatability and caloric density.
- A decline in physical activity among many pets in today’s society.
- Snacks and treats.
As a pet owner, how can we help our pet regulate their diets and maintain a healthy body weight?
Two easy steps to follow:
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In most cases, portion-controlled feeding is the best way to control a pet’s energy balance, growth rate, and weight status. You may provide 2-3 portion-controlled meals per day to your pet, to meet their Daily Energy Requirement*
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Monitoring your pet’s weight by using Body Condition Score Chart**
*Daily Energy Requirement (DER) represents the average daily energy expenditure of any animal, dependent on life stage and activity. It includes activity necessary for work, gestation, lactation, and growth, as well as the energy needed to maintain normal body temperature. To determine the correct DER for your pet, you might need a thorough assessment. Check our Nutrition Assessment.
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