Nutrition for cats and dogs

No bones about it—you love your pet! And you want to make sure their organs and other body systems continue to function properly as they grow and mature. A good way to do that is to feed them a balanced diet that meets all their nutritional needs.

Their cat or dog food should be chock-full of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, micronutrients, and minerals in the right quantities. It should also be targeted to their life stage, health issues, and indoor or outdoor lifestyle. These nutrients play a critical role in your pet’s body by:

• Providing energy
• Helping build tissue
• Contributing to proper organ function
• Supporting development (for kittens and puppies)

And it’s important to make sure they’re getting the right amount of each nutrient. In some cases, too much or too little could be harmful to your precious pet’s health.

But how do you make sure they’re getting what they need? Why not ask your veterinary team? They’re the experts! Your vet can give you advice on choosing the best cat or dog food for your pet.

You may also want to read our article Choisir la nourriture de votre animal: pourquoi ne pas seulement se fier à la teneur en protéines (in French only).

Healthy food is a sure-fire way to keep your cat or dog bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Proper nutrition helps them live a longer, more active life and can slow those inevitable signs of aging. What your feline friend or canine companion eats can also:

• Improve their coat
• Help them maintain a healthy weight
• Prevent or alleviate health problems such as:
  • Obesity
  • Skin conditions
  • Digestive disorders
  • Diabetes
  • Joint conditions
  • Urinary tract disorders

Basically, by feeding your pet veterinary food in the right amounts, you’ll be making sure they get the right nutrients and promoting their overall health and wellbeing.

Want to learn more? These articles may interest you:

• On our blog:
  • Pourquoi mon animal perd-il autant de poils?(in French only)
  • 5 bonnes raisons de garder son animal à son poids santé!(in French only)
• On the Royal Canin website: How your dog’s nutrition needs change with age

We know you want to keep your furry friend around as long as possible. Healthy pets live longer, so feeding them healthy pet food will extend their lifespan.

And, according to one study, cats and dogs who maintain a healthy weight live longer than those that are overweight. It all adds up to an extra 1.8 years of time with your pet! Wouldn’t that be great? Just another good reason to feed them high-quality, well-balanced veterinary food!

To see the results of the pet obesity and life expectancy study, check out these graphics: Pet Obesity General Information Infographics.

At first glance, the pet food sold in your local veterinary clinic may seem more expensive than the average off-the-shelf kibble. But appearances can be deceiving.

First, the quality of the cat and dog food sold in grocery stores, supermarkets, and pet stores varies widely from one line or brand to another. High-quality veterinary food is actually very competitively priced when you look at the big picture.

When you buy healthy food products from a vet’s office, you’re choosing quality over quantity. You’ll know your cat or dog is eating food that’s:

• Made with safe, premium ingredients
• Nutritionally balanced
• Designed to meet their specific needs

These superior products can have a real impact on your pet’s health over the long term. How? Because they’re designed, tested, and approved to deliver the nutrients your furry friend needs.

As an added bonus, your purchase is backed by professional advice from your veterinary team. After all, they’re experts in feline and canine nutrition. They understand what your pet needs and can recommend the best pet food for their age, physical condition, and lifestyle.

Feeding your pet a premium diet monitored by a veterinary team can help them stay healthy and fit and even prevent certain conditions. That doesn’t mean they won’t ever get sick—but it will go a long way toward keeping them feeling their best.

Over time, a clean bill of health and a preventive diet can stave off illness and the resulting expense of trips to the vet, medication, and other headaches that could ultimately cost you more than what you would have paid for higher quality food.

Want to find out how much veterinary food costs? Want tips on saving money? Read Money tips for caring pet owners, an informative article on the American Veterinary Medical Association website.