Mpati Veterinary Clinic
Dr A.D. (TONY) Grace (B.V.Sc.) DR A. (ASHLEIGH) OWEN (B.V.SC.)
28 Douglas St P.O.Box / Posbus 581 Dundee 3000
Telefax: 0342123466 / 0342181956
Cell: +27 82 567 9104
E-mail / E-pos: tonyg@trustnet.co.za
NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2010
Nutrition
The best way to keep a healthy, happy pet is to feed it right. But with all the pet foods and diet options available today,
choosing the best food can be complicated. Before choosing a food, you need to understand the nutritional needs and how to
choose a food that meets them. Nutritional needs differ according to the life stage of the animal or if it has a medical condition.
Puppies and kittens less than 6 weeks of age:
Puppies and kittens less than 6 weeks of age should still be with their mother drinking milk. The composition of milk is designed to
support the normal growth rate of neonates. Milk from different species of animals contains the same components but in
different proportions. Canine milk is higher in energy, protein and minerals than cows’ milk. Feline milk varies so much from other
species that any other milk is not suitable for nursing kittens. From 3 weeks of age puppies and kittens can be offered a gruel by
mixing a food with equal amounts of warm (not boiling) water. As their consumption increases the amount of water can be
decreased until they are eating solids by 5-6 weeks of age.
Kittens – Kitten food and water.
Puppies – Puppy food and water.
No Pronutro! – it is nutritionally inadequate.
Puppies and kittens older than 6 weeks of age:
Kittens – kittens have small and delicate stomachs and in order for them to get enough nourishment, they need a food
that is highly digestable so that they can absorb the nutrients. They need kitten food until 12 months of age.
Small and medium breed puppies – small breed puppies grow rapidly to reach their adult weight by around 8 months of age.
They therefore require a diet that is high in energy and calcium. They should receive puppy food until 12 months of age.
Large breed puppies – these are puppies that will grow to weigh more than 25kg or more as adults. They need a large
breed puppy food until 18 months of age to minimize the risk of developing skeletal (joint) problems. This diet contains
controlled amounts of energy and calcium to ensure a safe and controlled (not too rapid) growth with high quality proteins
to support the development of muscle and not fat (this is the opposite of Puppy food).
Giant breed puppies – large breed puppy food until 24 months of age. This diet is necessary for the same reasons as for
large breed puppies.
Adult dogs and cats:
Cats – the right diet will help adult cats stay in the best condition by avoiding excessive intake of the key nutritional
factors. Certain minerals, especially magnesium, are a key part of struvite crystals that form in the bladder if the food
has a high content of magnesium. This is often the case with the supermarket brands.
Small and Medium Breed Dogs – an Adult Maintenance diet that contains high quality ingredients is ideal as it is easy to
digest and thus reduces stool volume. The ingredients need to be balanced and not high in protein, phosphorous or salt as
they accelerate kidney damage.
Large Breed Dogs – large breed dogs are prone to joint problems therefore a special food formulated for adult dogs of
large breeds (Adult Large Breed) will help maintain weight and healthier joints.
Reproducing dogs and cats:
Correct feeding and management will increase the likelihood of successful reproduction and healthy puppies and kittens, whereas
improper nutrition will negatively affect the reproductive performance of bitches and queens.
Cats – Kitten food will supply the extra energy and calcium required for lactation.
Dogs – Puppy food will supply the extra energy and calcium required for lactation. Even if it is a large breed adult dog, she
must have a Puppy food, not a large breed puppy diet.
Senior dogs and cats:
At around the age of seven years, dogs and cats reach what is known as the ‘senior’ stage of life. Their nutritional needs change
and they need to avoid excessive levels of those nutrients, which may have a role in the development of disorders that are
typically seen during this life stage.
Cats – Senior diets are enriched with taurine to help support normal liver and heart function, have reduced phosphorous
and salt levels to maintain kidney function as well controlled mineral (magnesium) levels to support urinary tract health.
Dogs – Senior diets are lower in calories to help maintain ideal body weight and contain higher fibre levels to help prevent
constipation.
Large Breed dogs – Large Breed Senior diet as it contains L-carnitine to help control body weight and therefore help
minimize stress on joints, as well as strengthen the muscles. Larger dogs have a tendency towards shorter life spans so a
dog that weighs over 25kg enters the senior life stage at the age of 7yrs and dogs that weigh over 50 kgs enter the
senior life stage at 5yrs of age.
Please take note of our new after hour’s emergency line 0729723105.
If you have any enquiries please do not hesitate to contact us at the clinic for answers.