Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Dr Ian Gallagher, Yarrabilba Vet, Discusses Pet Food Risks

Your pets should not be fed with whatever pet food you can find at the supermarket as this can pose a risk to their health. It is advisable to know the quality of the diet you are giving your pet - it should match the nutritional requirements of the animal otherwise you are feeding your pet with the wrong foodstuffs.

Dr Ian Gallagher, local Yarrabilba vet, believes in giving your pet commercially available dry pet food. He provides information on how the wrong diet can create problems for the pet.

“Your pet should not ingest a lot of salt. Dry food diets that are cheap, like those found in many supermarkets, have a lot of salt in them. A dog or cat may like a high salt diet because it is tasty, but the health problems that can be associated with these foods should worry you”, advises Yarrabilba vet Dr Gallagher.

Pets can eat high sodium diets but will develop water retention and consequent hypertension (high blood pressure). This increased salt intake may be the cause of the pet developing kidney disease, heart ailments and also blindness in some at-risk animals. Whilst fit animals are able to deal with their excessive salt ingestion, some pets with existing conditions cannot endure the large amount of sodium in their bodies and will have more health difficulties.

The friendly Jimboomba Vet Yarrabilba staff are happy to take enquiries and dispense advice on the ideal type of food according to your pet’s life phase. It is crucial to give the right kind of food. For example, a puppy is in a fast-growth stage, especially if it is a large breed dog. You will notice, according to your local Yarrabilba vet, that cheap commercial dog foods will not specify what stage of the pup’s life stage they are indicated for.

“A Great Dane pup has a different nutritional requirement from a Chihuahua pup and, therefore, they both have their respective food preparations that are suitable for their own breed. Large breeds, like Great Danes, Labradors, and Rottweilers for example, need the proper ratio of calcium to phosphorus to avoid problems with their growth and development. We have spent a lot of time, effort and finances in developing the right food formulae with a wide nutritional spectrum that meets the needs of a growing pup”, explains Yarrabilba vet Dr Ian.

“In addition, thiamine deficiency can be thwarted by avoiding kangaroo meat and other pet grade raw meats”, the Yarrabilba vet advises.

“Pet grade meat products, widely available on the market, contain sulphite preservatives. This sulphite content will neutralise thiamine if given over the long term and may possibly lead to problems due to thiamine deficiency. The pet may develop neurological or nervous system disease. Hence, to avoid problems it is crucial to know that, if you choose to feed pet grade meats, ensure this kind of food is not given every day in order to maintain sufficient thiamine levels in the body,” states Dr Ian of Jimboomba Vet Yarrabilba.


Clients can call or walk in for free pet nutritional advice. Get more information on ideal pet nutrition from highly trained Yarrabilba vet staff at Jimboomba Vet Surgery. The practice can be reached at (07) 5546 9540 or visit: http://www.jimboombavetsurgery.com.au/

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