Posts in Category: Pet Nutrition

Pet nutrition is a cornerstone of health and wellness. Finding a balanced diet for pets can help ensure they live longer, healthier lives. With so many pet food choices on the market, it can be hard to decide which is best for your furry friends. Use this guide to narrow down the selection and find the nutrition your pet actually needs.

At Bowman Veterinary Hospital, we understand that keeping your pet hydrated is as crucial as providing them with a nutritious diet. Hydration is the cornerstone of good health for your pets, just as it is for humans. This seemingly simple aspect of pet care is pivotal in ensuring your furry friends lead happy, active, and healthy lives.

With so many brands, textures, and life-stage formulas on the market, it’s no wonder pet parents have a hard time deciding which pet foods to purchase. Proper nutrition is essential for any animal’s health and well-being, and each animal has individual nutritional needs based on age, breed, lifestyle, and the presence of chronic health conditions.

To help you make informed decisions for your own pets, our experts at Bowman Veterinary Hospital have compiled some tips for picking the perfect cuisine for your cat or dog.

Bringing a puppy home is quite an adventure. As the cute little fluff adapts to his new home, it is important to set him up for success. Beginning with proper nutrition is important, and once your pup gets home, you may notice that he gobbles up his food like there is no tomorrow. Eating too quickly can be a choking hazard for your pup, can cause pain and discomfort, and can even cause severe gastrointestinal conditions like volvulus, or stomach twisting. 

Decision fatigue is a real threat to our well-being. Anywhere we go these days, we’re faced with a sea of choices, and the pet store is no different. Whether you enter a boutique or a big box store, there are usually aisles of possible options for your pet. How do you even begin to know which products are the tastiest, and which ones offer the highest nutrition? We are here to help you navigate the aisles and your decision to get your pet the optimal nutrition.

At holiday feasts, it can be hard to stop family and guests from slipping snacks to pets with pleading eyes. They may not realize, however, that these tasty handouts could be harmful.  

Lure the treat givers away from the family table and lead them to a tray of safe-for-pets, holiday treats instead. Once the treats are gone, they’ll know that puppy has had enough.

If your pet has been packing on the pounds, or if you are wondering about the quality of treats you feed, you are in luck. The team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital has put together some great ideas for healthy treats for pets this season. 

There are many good reasons for switching to healthy snacks for your furry one. Along with reduced calories, in many cases, you know that you are giving them better ingredients. 

Without further ado, let’s get down to the snacks!

Directly following a carbohydrate-rich meal, the digestive system breaks food down into glucose, the main source of energy for the body’s cells. Glucose is absorbed in the gut making blood sugar levels rise. The pancreas responds to these changes by producing the important hormone insulin.  

Diabetes in pets occurs when the pancreas either doesn’t produce enough insulin (Type 1) or the body’s cells don’t respond properly to the amount of insulin secreted (Type 2). The effects of untreated diabetes can be extremely dangerous to long term health. 

It’s been said that, “You are what you eat.” Sure, we pour kibble into the bowl each morning and night, but have you ever thought much about your pet’s nutritional needs, or what goes into formulating the right ingredients for your cat, dog, or other pet?

Quality nutrition is one of the biggest factors in keeping your pet vital and healthy. The team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital believe that choosing the right food and adhering to a sound diet for your pet is key to a good life. Let’s explore what pet nutrition is all about.