Nutrition

Feeding your dog and cat

At Hillside Veterinary Centre we strongly believe that ensuring the right nutrition is vitally important to the health and wellbeing of your pet throughout their lifetime.

Advances in veterinary medicine, modern vaccines and major improvements in pet nutrition are three of the main reasons that the life expectancy of pets today is greater than ever. One of the biggest advances in pet nutrition is the development of life-stage diets. All dogs and cats need a balanced diet to remain fit and well, but they also require differing levels of nutrients at different stages of their lives. Because of this, life stage diets have been developed, which aim to precisely tailor levels of energy, protein and other nutrients depending on the age and breed of your pet.

Puppies and kittens

The first few months are vital for your puppy or kitten’s lifelong health. They require a balanced diet with higher levels of energy and protein to fuel all that growth. They need specific fatty acids to help brain development, along with the right fatty acids and minerals to support bone, joint and tooth development.

Laying the right foundations now is vital for the lifelong health of your pet.

Adult dogs and cats

Having finished their major growth phase, although a balanced diet is still vital, dogs and cats do not need the extra nutrients required by growing pups and kittens. Obesity can be a problem, especially in less active or neutered pets and so a quality pet food manufacturer should provide a lower energy alternative (still maintaining the correct level of essential nutrients).

Large or giant breed dogs

Large or giant breed dogs have very specific dietary requirements as do puppies, to ensure healthy bone and joint development. As such, Hillside recommends that they too should be fed a diet specifically designed for larger breed dogs. We can discuss specific requirements with you.

Older dogs and cats

In old age, our pet’s dietary needs change yet again. This can be due to changes in metabolism and exercise, as well as the changing nutritional needs of an aging body. Internal organs such as the liver and kidneys work less efficiently and so it is important to feed a diet which reduces the work burden on these organs, as well as supporting their function.

Feeding the correct, high quality life stage diet for your pet’s age can make a real difference to their long term health. At Hillside Vets we therefore recommend the feeding of a high quality complete diet, suitable for the size and life stage of your pet.

At Hillside Veterinary Centre, we supply and recommend Hill’s Vet Essentials diet.

Hill’s Vets Essentials diet is a high quality diet, specially formulated to meet your pet’s nutritional needs. Hill’s breakthroughs in pet nutrition are unmatched in the pet food industry and they have built their business and reputation on always practicing the highest ethical standards. 

At Hillside, we also stock a range of diets specially formulated for weight loss or for pets with specific nutritional needs due to illness or disease.

We are happy to provide full nutritional advice for your pet for their lifetime - please book an appointment and come and have a chat with one of our nurses to discuss this in more detail.

Bones and Raw Food Diet (BARF)

Is it the healthiest choice for dogs?

Fresh wholesome foods sound like a wonderful thing to feed our pets, and many dogs appear to do well on these diets, but are there hidden risks? If feeding bones and raw foods is your choice for feeding your dog, you should be aware of the potential problems as well as the benefits of these diets.

Having undertaken our own research, we conclude that we are unable to endorse it and have put together a PDF document outlining our observations.

Disclaimer: Hillside Vets’ website is intended to be used only as a guide and information resource, not as an alternative to a veterinary consultation and advice.  Nothing contained on this website should be construed as medical advice or diagnosis.  For specific healthcare advice please discuss the symptoms and circumstances of your pet with your vet. 

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