Tula Veterinary Nutrition

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Tula Veterinary Nutrition

Providing reliable nutrition advice for dogs and cats 🐾

27/02/2022

𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝘿𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙨

Swipe to learn 3 tips for selecting a dental treat & my take on dental treats in general!

My personal opinion is that dental treats are not appropriate for every single pet and I only recommend them on a case by case basis. Too often I see them used as a replacement for brushing and they can be a contributing factor to weight gain and obesity which is a huge problem in and of itself. But for pets who have their teeth brushed daily, are at a lean weight, and cannot have anesthetic cleanings for health reasons, dental treats may be a good addition to their preventative oral health care plan.

Interested in learning more about pet nutrition in general? Be sure to sign up for my FREE masterclass on 2/23 - link in bio!

14/01/2022

Did you know that bell peppers can be added to your dog’s meals or given as a treat? 🫑 This crunchy fruit packs a lot of nutritional value!

Let’s explore the benefits of bell peppers:

1️⃣ They’re rich in carotenoids which have antioxidant effects
2️⃣ They contain vitamin C (especially the red ones) - helps support immune system health
3️⃣ They contain manganese - a micromineral that helps the body metabolize certain nutrients and plays a role in maintaining healthy bones and cartilage
4️⃣ They contain vitamin E - a natural antioxidant

If you want to start incorporating bell peppers into your dog’s diet, you can either used diced pieces or slices to replace training treats, or simply add some as a topper to their food! It’s best to lightly steam them to aid in easier digestion - don’t overcook to prevent loss of vitamins.

Have you ever given your dog bell pepper? Do they like? Comment with your experience!

07/01/2022

Do you tend to select a food based on the ingredient list? Did you know that the ingredient list can be heavily manipulated and used as a marketing tactic?

This is why I say pets need NUTRIENTS, not ingredients. I don’t care if the list has chicken as the first ingredient and 20 different “superfoods” listed as well. What I want to know is do we actually know anything about the digestibility of the diet (your pet’s ability to actually USE the ingredients)? And do we know anything about possible toxicity or deficiency issues with the diet?

You’d be shocked to find most pet food companies DON’T have this data. Interested in learning more? Sign up for my FREE LIVE pet nutrition masterclass on 1/19 where I’ll teach you common pet food marketing tactics + a reliable and systematic way to selecting a pet food. LINK IN BIO!

03/01/2022

This is what I mean when I say I don’t like to make blanket food recommendations - nutrition should be tailored to the individual pet! What I recommend for an overweight or senior pet will not be the same as what I recommend for a healthy, active young adult dog. Of course I have a list of brands that I keep those recommendations within - ones that are reliable and meet certain criteria - but your pet’s age, breed, activity level, and any underlying medical conditions have to be considerations for what formula or line of food your pet should eat. And I always consider the pet parent’s perspective - budget, lifestyle, and preferences - as well. There is no place for being judgmental or critical here, but instead I like to focus on busting myths and misperceptions in order to guide my clients down the right path. My ultimate goal is for my patients to live a long and healthy life, and I think that’s what most pet parents want as well!

If you’re interested in learning more about choosing the right pet food, make sure to sign up for my FREE live masterclass on 1/19 and I’ll teach you how! Link in bio ✨

01/01/2022

Happy New Year 🎊 Here are THREE fun and easy to implement resolutions for all you dog parents out there 🐕 Have other resolutions for your pup? Share yours below!

01/01/2022

Pet food marketing tactics have got to be one of my biggest *pet* peeves. They really got us good with the grain free fad, didn’t they? But let’s check the facts!

❌ Grain free food is NOT allergen free. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 (mainly beef and chicken) is the typical cause of allergens, not grains. And when it comes to gluten, celiac disease is EXCEEDINGLY rare in dogs.

❌ Grain free food is NOT carb free or even low carb. Typical grains such as barley are replaced with starchy ingredients such as potatoes for example. When you compare the numbers (which are not listed on the bag - additional calculations are needed to figure these out) grain free diets have the same or HIGHER levels of carbohydrates than diets with grain.

❌ Grain free food is NOT healthier. This fad was started to appeal to consumers based on trends of keto and gluten free in human food (see above as to why these don’t apply here). In my experience over the years, I have seen many dogs on grain free foods that are obese and have excessive flatulence and soft stool.

Just remember, we always want to ask - is there EVIDENCE to show that this new XYZ trend with pet food is actually going to improve the lives of our pets? If not, it’s strictly marketing so be cautious before jumping on these bandwagons!

15/12/2021

Did you know that the ingredient list can often be used as a marketing tactic? Pet food companies can heavily manipulate the list to make you think that the food is something it’s not.

Ingredient lists are ordered by weight. The water content of meat is about 60-70% of its weight - so after that water is subtracted, it actually leaves a much lower amount of whatever the protein source is.

Companies will also do something called “ingredient splitting” to manipulate the order of ingredients as well.

Have you been told to choose pet foods based on having meat as the first ingredient? Comment below with your thoughts!

13/12/2021

You all loved my dog treat swaps and asked for cat treat swaps as well, so here you go! 🐈

I recommend to switch treats to ones that are primarily protein based. We also want to make sure we pick ones that are low calorie to prevent weight gain. Veggies can be used too - be sure to check out my reel about veggie treats for kitties!

Fancy Feast Naturals - 4 calories per pack
Nulo Freestyle Purée- 7 calories per pack
Red barn Protein Puffs - 0.3 calories per treat

Have you tried any of these? What other types of treats does your cat like?

13/12/2021

𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝒘𝒂𝒑 𝑰𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑫𝒐𝒈𝒔

Like many dog parents, I used grab some of the most popular treats off the shelf not really thinking much about what I was putting into my dog’s body. But once I realized what is in some of these treats, it made me think that there have to be better alternatives. Take Pupperonis for example - these contain sugar, propylene glycol, artificial coloring, and several chemical preservatives.

Many dog parents have this idea that dogs “can’t have people food”, but this is a misconception! Just like people should choose fresh foods as their snacks over potato chips, dogs can benefit from fruits and vegetables as healthier snack alternatives. At the very least check out the ingredients on your dog’s treats to make sure they aren’t filled with sugar and chemicals.

What is your dog’s favorite treat? Do they like fruits and veggies? Drop your answer in the comments!

13/12/2021

“The food you eat can be either the safest & most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison" ~Ann Wigmore

Just like good nutrition is vital to a human’s health, the same goes for our pets. Our pet's food can affect their health and longevity just as food can for us.

How many times has your doctor told you to eat MORE processed and packaged foods? My guess would be never!

Yet the vast majority of pets eat processed/packaged foods for every single meal of their entire life, which can easily last over a decade. While we cannot compare kibble directly to say, potato chips, it still is a processed food whether we like to admit it or not.

So what can you do?

Well, first realize that you don’t HAVE to feed kibble - you do have options! You can supplement a few meals a week with home cooked foods, switch your pet to fresh prepared meals like those from , or entirely home cook for your pet using a complete and balanced recipe developed by a veterinarian.

Interested in learning more? Visit the link in my bio to sign up for my FREE nutrition masterclass!

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