that need high calorie, highly digestible diets due to disease, neglect, parasitism
.... or an
extreme life style
Introduction
Some pets need high calorie diets. These include pets that have been dibilitated by disease, parasites, or recovery from major trauma.
It also includes those dogs in high stress or extreme exercise situations to include military dogs, sled dogs, other working dogs, and racing greyhounds.
On This Page:
This page is about the pets and situations where diets high in calories and/or extremely digestible protein is needed
We will be discussing diets designed for maximum calories for weight gain or to maintain weight and condition on dogs working under extreme conditions such as sled racing, duck hunting, police or military work.
And unfortunately, we will be discussing the same or similar diets designed for those pets with debilitating diseases.
I've also posted quite a few pictures toward the bottom of this page in honor of all the service, rescue, police, and military dogs out there.
My respects to the people that spend the incredible hours of time, love, and patience that do the training.
To include Femoral Head Removal, Hip Dysplasia, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries, Panosteitis, Radiographic Demonstrations, Disc Disease, and Bone Surgery
Cardiology Heart disease in Cats, Cardiac Hypertrophy, Valvular disease, Cardiac Insufficiency, Congestive Heart Failure, Heartworm Disease, and a little history about the milestones in treating heart disease
Cats: general information page and directory of diseases and problems specific to cats including vaccine recommendations, leukemia, feline viral infections, feline upper respiratory disease and cats that just aren't feeling well.
Hormone Diseases: Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, Cushing's Disease or Hypercortisolism, Addison's disease or Hypocortisolism, Pancreatitis, obesity as a disease
Intestinal problems: diarrhea, constipation, torsion, indigestion, and gas. Also pancreatitis, vomiting, esophagitis, colitis, parvo and other types of dysentery
Metabolic Diseases: Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, Cushing's Disease or Hypercortisolism, Addison's disease or Hypocortisolism, Pancreatitis, obesity as a disease
Skeletal-Muscular Problems Arthritis, Fractures, ACL, Ligament Injuries, Disc Disease, Pannus, and many other problems of the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments
Surgery: Spays, Castrations, Testicle Recipes, Soft Tissue Surgery, Hard Tissue Surgery (Bones), C- Sections, Declawing, Tumor Removal and Cancer Surgery
Includes information about feline and canine heat or estrus, breeding, C-Sections, pyometra or Infected Uterus, dystocia, no milk, mastitis, & brucellosis
Also newborn care, undescended testicles, and alternative to spaying and castration
We're 100% volunteer, 100% transparent, were approved as a BiLo charity, and a registered 501C tax deductible charity. And we do just what you would expect: we rescue and find homes for hundreds of pets a year.
If your pet is losing weight:
The first step is to make sure there isn't an underlying medical disease problem such as:
Intestinal worms
Heartworm disease
Anemia
Chronic infection
Leukemia or AIDS in young cats
Dental disease
Excessive stress
Hyperthyroidism in older cats
Other metabolic diseases like diabetes
Protein losing diseases commonly seen in older patients. These include kidney disease, liver disease, and cancer.
For those pets that have lost a lot of weight due to recent illness, major surgery, or lack of nutrition, a lot of vets will recommend a high protein recovery diet. I sometimes recommend supplementing your pets diet with chicken livers and eggs.
Eukanuba Maximum Calorie Diets for dogs and cats is great for patients recovering from surgery or illness.
Hills A/D diet is also excellent and we go through half a case a day at our clinic using it as a post op and sick patient recovery diet
The 2 diets above are what we use in our clinic for pets recovering from surgery, disease, parasitism, or emaciation from neglect.
As for healthy, highly active dogs that simply need a high calorie, highly digestible diet, there are lots of good choices available from Purina, Blue Buffalo, Nutro, Hill's Science Diets, and other companies.
Unfortunately, one of the more common reasons for needing a high calorie recovery diet on the shelter side of our practice is because of emaciation due to poor care, inadequate diets, and parasitism. The good news is that most of these pets rebound well once the parasites are removed and they're fed decently. Quite rewarding.
On the clinic side of our practice, the most common reason for needing a high calorie diet is because the patient is fighting off cancer, feline hyperthyroidism, or kidney disease.
