Nutrition

Nutrition is the single most important thing a pet owner can do to enrich and lengthen a pet’s life. Digestive health is critical to keeping a pet healthy overall and maintaining a strong immune system.

Hershey Veterinary Hospital offers two brands of prescription dog food and cat food: Royal Canin and Hills’s Pet Nutrition. These are tailored nutrition plans that help cats and dogs live their healthiest lives. We offer both canned and dry cat and dog food. Purina diets are another brand that is recommended and we can obtain for you.    

Some of the more common and frequently used prescription food that we offer includes:

Dog nutrition

Meal feeding dry food is recommended for dogs. Puppies and some adult dogs should be feed 3 meals per day. For most adult dogs 2 meals per day is recommended. Free choice feeding is not recommended as it can lead to obesity and makes it difficult to tell if a dog is eating less than normal. Hershey Veterinary Hospital does not recommend switching foods frequently as this can lead to gi upset and allergies. Choose a quality food with one main protein source and stick with it. Metal or ceramic bowls are recommended as plastic bowls can cause allergic reactions in some dogs. For large breed dogs elevated feeders are recommended to aid in digestion. Fresh water should always be available for all dogs.

Cat nutrition

For cats a canned food diet is recommended. Canned food most closely matches what cats eat in the wild and helps cats to maintain a healthy weight. Cats should be fed multiple small meals throughout the day. For those feeding dry food to cats, a high protein/low carbohydrate food is recommended. Dry food should be meal fed and measured. Many feeding systems are available for cats eating dry food to help maintain weight and satisfy their hunt instinct. Cats should be fed on flat ceramic or metal plates, as plastic can cause an allergic reaction. Cats prefer to eat behind their food, so avoid placing dishes against a wall or other objects. Fresh water is recommended at all times and water fountains are highly effective for encouraging cats to drink more.

Finding what is best for your pet

Hershey Veterinary Hospital will order and obtain any food that a client needs that we don’t stock. We can also help you select non-prescription foods to ensure your pet’s health is optimized throughout its life cycle: baby to adult to senior. Even the breed of your dog and cat plays an important role in proper nutrition.