Nutrition

Nutrition plays a critical role in your pet’s wellbeing and we are here to help! There are many choices available when looking for a new food for your pet and we can help you make that important decision. Animals have different nutritional requirements from people, and require different nutrition depending on their age and health status. Some breeds are more likely to be affected by certain conditions that nutrition can play a role in. The team at Allandale is invested in nutrition as it is a big part of helping your pet to live the longest, healthiest life possible! Our veterinarians and veterinary technicians have received formal training in nutrition and are here to help you decide what food is best for your pet.

Feeding your pet based on their life stage is important because puppies and kittens have different nutritional requirements than adult or senior pets. Large breed puppies are especially susceptible to health problems if they are not fed an appropriate diet while they are growing. We do not recommend feeding a diet that is labeled “for all life stages”. Animals who have conditions like diabetes, kidney disease or obesity need to be fed different than healthy animals. We have many diet options available here at the clinic, both for healthy pets and those with specific dietary needs.

The pet food industry can be overwhelming and confusing, and we are here to help guide you through this process. There is a lot of misleading information available both on the internet and in commercials and we have resources like the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) to help you research pet food responsibly. There are plenty of sources out there for advice on pet food and please be aware that not all are credible. Please ask our team for a list of questions that you can ask your pet food company to determine if their food is appropriate for your pet. You may be surprised to find that more has been put into marketing than into making a quality food!

When looking for a quality pet food, look for the AAFCO claim on the label. It can usually be found near the ingredient panel. AAFCO is the American Association of Feed Control Officials and they have established guidelines for pet food in the United States of America. All foods made and sold in the USA must have an AAFCO claim on them, but this is not true of food made to be sold only in Canada. AAFCO sets out guidelines for complete and balanced pet foods and it is up to pet food companies to make products that comply with these regulations. AAFCO is not responsible for regulating, testing, approving or certifying pet food. AAFCO provides very basic guidelines and many companies do not do any further research or testing on their products.

Here at Allandale, we sell a variety of different veterinary-exclusive diets. In general, veterinary-exclusive diets undergo more research and testing than many diets available on the market. We have chosen to partner closely with Hill’s Pet Nutrition as they are a science-based company who has been manufacturing pet food since the late 1930’s. Their mission is to enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets. Hill’s has a Pet Nutrition Centre in Topeka, Kansas where they do leading edge research and innovation in pet food. They go above and beyond the AAFCO standards and publish peer-reviewed research and clinical trial findings. They also have a fantastic animal welfare policy. Their diets are available on our MyVetStore platform and offer a 10% discount for auto-orders! Please ask any team member how to sign up and get a discount on your pet’s food!