Animal Diagnostic & Wellness Center
11816
N. 56th Street 
Temple Terrace, Fl. 33617
813-985-2889
close to I-75, University of South Florida, and New Tampa
board-certified specialist in dog and cat practice
special interest in ferrets, rabbits, small mammals, and birds
NUTRITION
Fifty years ago, most dogs ate table scraps. Today pet owners drive to super-stores that cater to pets and face a puzzling array of colorful bags of dry premium foods, convenient semi-moist packets, and gourmet diets for puppies, adult dogs, hunting dogs, show dogs, lactating dogs, old dogs, and fat dogs. Compounding the confusion is the barrage of advertising touting the benefits of this or that food: It’s all natural, it’s real meat, it’s non-allergenic, it’s high protein, it’s low protein, it’s low-fat, it doesn’t have by-products, your dog will love it . . . Add to these claims the crying of the nay-sayers: It’s cooked, it contains chemicals, it causes allergies, they use road-kill and animals not fit for human consumption, soybeans cause bloat . . . and it’s a wonder that anyone can choose. Yet, today, the commercially prepared dog foods made from a fixed formula of ingredients and preparation methods provides dogs with a balanced diet that rivals that available for humans. Pet owners can help themselves by doing a little research, by choosing a food that meets their needs as well as their dog's, and by demanding proof when told that so-and-so company uses roadkill, harmful chemicals, or rendered pets in its food or that a home-prepared raw meat and vegetable diet is healthy and commercial foods are making dogs sick.
Dogs need a combination of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water in a balanced diet that provides sufficient calories to meet their daily needs for growth, activity, and repair. They must also contain vitamin and mineral supplements in balanced concentrations. Too much of one mineral may interfere with absorption of another; too little of a mineral may interfere with vitamin use or other mineral use. Major dog food companies make every effort to provide balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals for maximum benefit to the dog.
The average house dog will do well on any of several dog foods, depending on level of activity, metabolism, and individual body chemistry. If your pet is doing well on the food you are feeding and it falls within your budget and is easily obtainable, don’t switch.
If
you would like to more about pet nutrition, click here 
Listed below are some common problems that dogs may encounter. If you do not find what you're looking for, please check one of these websites. Canis Major Canine Encyclopedia VetCentric Encyclopedia A Kids Guide to Dog Care
Common Dog Problems
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Behavior |
Cruciate Ligament Tear (ACL) |
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Behavior |
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(BPH) |
(Spay) |
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(DGM ) |
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(Gastric Dilatation Volvulus) |
(red mange, inherited mange) |
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Allergy Skin (Atopy) |
encephalitis (GME) |
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Legg-Perthes (femoral head necrosis) |
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Dry Eye (KCS) |
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Behavior |
Dystocia (birthing problems) |
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Behavior |
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Behavior |
How to give |
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Behavior |
How to give |
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Behavior |
Hypoglycemia of Toy Breeds |
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Behavior |