Special Diets

Quality of feed is particularly important during puppyhood, to provide nutrients for the rapidly growing animal.

Similarly, an in-whelp bitch needs high-quality food if she is to produce healthy puppies without putting undue strain on her own bodily resources.

Pregnant animals will deplete their own tissues to provide sufficient nutrients for their puppies both in the uterus and afterwards when they are suckling.

A bitch with a litter of several puppies will almost inevitably lose some weight; her condition needs to be watched carefully. There is no point, however, in over-feeding the bitch while she is pregnant.

There may be specific demands for particularly active adult dogs, for the older dog, and for the overweight dog. Scientifically formulated diets are designed to provide for these various special requirements.

Several pet food manufacturers provide prescription diets that, used under veterinary supervision, aid in the management of a number of diseases. They are only obtainable through a veterinary surgeon.

The range is wide and includes products that may either contain greater proportions of certain nutrients than usual - one is a high-fibre diet, for instance, which may be of benefit in cases of diabetes.

And in fibre responsive intestinal problems -or smaller elements of the normal diet Low-protein diets assist in the control of chronic kidney disease, low-sodium diets are used in the management of congestive heart failure.