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Dietary Conuseling

Commercial dog food has only been available since the late 1800s. Its remarkable when you look at how many different diets are available these days versus even just 30 years ago, when most every dog ate Dog Chow and most every cat ate Dog Chow. No, thats not a typo, most cats did eat dog food and thats when people started realizing that our domesticated pets needed their own specifically balanced nutrition. If you walk into a pet store today you will likely be bombarded with information about pet food. Unfortunately, the information you will be receiving will likely be from someone who has been taught about several specific brands of pet food and not by someone who has been taught about the dietary needs of our domesticated pets.

Pet Food Recommendations

Veterinary Recommended Pet Food

If you are wondering what we recommend at Best Friends, look no further. The doctors and staff recommend any pet food labeled by AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). Having this label should provide us with the security that the food inside of the bag is complete and nutritionally balanced. Of course there are many brands of food that are AAFCO approved and generally the higher the cost of the food, the better quality of ingredients. In the hospital we carry special veterinary diets by both Purina and Hills Science Diet. For over the counter diets, look for Purina Pro Plan, Purina ONE, Science Diet, Eukanuba by Iams, Nutro Max, Diamond, Eagle Pack, etc. Also, be on the lookout for the many brands labeled as premium or holistic or natural, such terms currently have no legal definitions, so use caution when paying more for these products. That is not to say that they aren’t perfectly fine options, its best just to be aware

Another hot topic discussed amongst dog enthusiasts is the RAW diet. This is literally feeding your dog raw meats, eggs, bones, grains, etc. The main thing that is overlooked by almost everyone who feeds or recommends a RAW diet is the possibility of contamination. The likelihood of exposing yourself, your family and obviously your pet to salmonella, e-coli, or other contaminants found in raw meats and eggs greatly out-weighs the supposed benefits of feeding a RAW diet. The RAW diet is definitely not something recommended by the veterinarians at Best Friends Veterinary Hospital.

In addition to healthy pet Dietary Counseling.
  • Healthy Pet Exams
  • Pet Vaccinations
  • Flea & Tick Treatment
  • Dental Care