Individualised nutrition of healthy animals

Your pet's nutritional requirements change throughout life and depend on their environment, activity level, and health status. In a nutshell, the nutrition and health of the mother can impact the growth and development of a puppy or kitten while in utero and after birth. As they grow, proper nutrition prevents malnutrition and maintains a healthy weight. Optimal body condition is especially important for adult pets whose nutritional needs vary based on their reproductive status, activity level, and environment. Like humans, an imbalanced diet can negatively affect their health and ageing. As pets age, their metabolism changes, making it increasingly difficult to adapt to nutritional deficiencies or excesses. Therefore, adjusting their food intake is crucial to maintain their health and prevent malnutrition. As pets grow older, their metabolism changes and their ability to handle variations in their diet decreases, even if they are not sick. Adapting their diet to maintain your pets' health and prevent malnutrition is essential.

Nutrition for the reproductive female

To ensure the best outcome for both mother and offspring, the female should only be bred with complete prophylaxis when she is an adult and in optimal physical condition. The mother's body will draw from its reserves during gestation and lactation.

The objective is to change nutritional intakes during gestation and lactation to:

• - Maintain a healthy body and muscle condition with controlled weight gain during gestation,
• - Support milk production by limiting weight and muscle loss during lactation,
• - Regain optimal nutritional status at the end of lactation. The following examples are optimal monitoring plans that can be adapted to each animal.

Growth period

The growth curves for each species, breed, and genetic potential are specific, and within just a few months, a puppy or kitten will develop their bones, muscles, and organs from the food they receive. It's scientifically proven that any excess or imbalance in energy, protein, mineral, or vitamin intake can lead to orthopaedic diseases, some of which are irreversible and can affect the animal's welfare in the short, medium, or long term. This is why personalising nutritional intake is essential for optimal growth.

Adulthood

Ensuring your cat or dog maintains a stable and healthy weight through regular physical activity is essential. Nutritional imbalances can sometimes be hard to detect, so it is important to watch for signs like changes in hair and skin quality, stool appearance and quantity, and flatulence. Additionally, changes in family life can also affect your pet. To stay on top of their weight, weighing your pet at home or at your vet clinic every quarter is recommended. This way, you can quickly detect any changes in weight and take action to address them.

Geriatrics

Ageing is a gradual and irreversible process, often accompanied by weight changes and muscle loss (sarcopenia). It is best to ensure that nutritional needs are met without overconsumption and limit or delay physical and metabolic changes. Then, it is essential to adjust the animal's diet according to their abilities. The optimal body weight is usually known at that stage: a monthly weighing and muscle mass score assessment is recommended to maintain their ideal nutritional status.