Nutrition Nuggets is the newest offshoot of petMD’s Dog Nutrition Center, a joint venture made up of the talents behind Hill’s Pet Nutrition and the medical information authorities of petMD. One such authority is Jennifer Coates, DVM. Each week Dr. Coates will use her expertise and wisdom to blog about the intricacies of dog nutrition.
A number of my vegetarian clients have asked me whether or not their dogs can be vegetarians too. Their main concern is whether or not a meat-free diet is appropriate for their dogs. If it isn’t, they’ll continue, albeit squeamishly, to feed their dogs foods that contain meat.
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If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you’ve heard me refer to AAFCO on multiple occasions. I thought it might be a good idea to talk a bit about what this organization does and who is involved.
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You’ve researched your dog’s nutritional needs, compared brands (perhaps using the MyBowl tool), and purchased the best option for your beloved pooch. Now the question arises: "What is the best way to store the food to keep it fresh and wholesome for as long as possible?"
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You probably know that chocolate can make dogs sick, but do you know why? Understanding how this common canine toxin adversely affects a dog’s body underscores the importance of protecting dogs from exposure and helps explain the rationale behind a veterinarian’s treatment recommendations.
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Dogs have been chewing on bones for thousands of years. This is what nature intended, right? Well maybe, but it’s an activity that is not without its risks.
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At some point, every dog owner has to deal with a dog that vomits and/or has diarrhea. Dogs are anatomically and physiologically built to deal with the occasional dietary indiscretion. Because dogs evolved from omnivorous canines that often scavenged for food, their gastrointestinal systems are... READ MORE
When I was in veterinary school, students were taught to evaluate three vital signs in every patient: temperature, pulse and respiration rates (also known as a TPR). This was drilled into our heads over and over again. No patient, sick or apparently healthy, should walk out of the exam room without a... READ MORE
I’ve talked many times before about the important role that balanced nutrition plays in keeping our pets healthy. In fact, there aren’t many things that owners do on a daily basis that have a greater influence on their pets' well-being.
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Owners can find themselves in the position of having to switch dog foods for any number of reasons. Maybe your dog has been diagnosed with a dietary responsive disease. Perhaps it’s time to switch from puppy to adult food or from adult to mature food. Or maybe you’ve simply decided that your... READ MORE
... graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado. She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms, Vet-Speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian .
Jennifer also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics. Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and pets.
