The importance of diet and nutrition for dogs

Can diet really support or treat health conditions?

Specially formulated diets may reduce or even eliminate a number of health conditions. Take food allergy and skin conditions for example. Pets with food allergies can have their diet tailored to eliminate potential allergens. While there’s no cure for food allergies in pets, most pets can be successfully treated with a hypoallergenic diet. Allergic skin disease and seborrhea cause itching and changes in the normal production of skin oils, resulting in a dull coat and excessive shedding. If your pet’s skin or coat problem is caused by an underlying health issue, the skin's general health and the hair quality will improve dramatically once the illness is brought under control. Dietary changes are often included as part of a treatment plan.

What other conditions can be managed or treated with diet?

From reducing the recurrence of bladder stones to preventing a very common issue—obesity, diet may also help prevent health problems. Conditions that can be managed include:

• diabetes
  
• kidney and urinary diseases
  
• obesity 
  
• pancreatitis
  
• heart disease
  
• thyroid disease
  
• dental disease
  
• joint disease (from osteoarthritis to mobility in general)
  
• cognitive disease
  
• liver disease

Just as medication, special shampoos, supplements and parasite prevention support your pet’s health, so can nutrition. Nutrition and diet should be included as a part of an overall treatment plan, and in some cases may be the primary component. 

Concerned about your pet’s skin? Consult with your VCA veterinarian to discuss how a change in your pet’s diet may get your pet’s health back on track!

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