New Stour & Avon, July 9, 2021
Pets
Food for thought when it comes to diets Diet and the right nutrition has come a long way in the pet industry over the last few years and getting it right can often be mind-boggling, particularly when you’re a first time pet owner. Firstly, you need to establish your pet’s ‘life stage’. In other words do you have a puppy or kitten, an adult dog or cat, or a more senior furry friend? What we call ‘life stage’ diets are tailored to your pet’s needs and will provide more of what is needed nutritionally during each stage of their life. For instance, feeding your new pup on specific puppy food will give them a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs for their normal development. Puppies need to eat more in the way of protein (including higher concentrations of specific amino acids), fat, and certain minerals than adult dogs. Growth and development
take a lot of energy, so puppies need to take in more calories than adult dogs, even of a similar size Secondly, look at the ingredients. If you’re a bit confused, then have a look at another food. The ingredients list shouldn’t be too confusing and you
should be able to work out exactly what’s in the food. Food ingredients will be listed in quantity, so the first ingredient on the list, say it says chicken, will be what it contains most of. Feeding guidelines for all stages of your pet’s life can be a bit confusing and we
always recommend having a conversation with the veterinary nurse at your registered vets. They will be able to help and guide you throughout your pet’s life in the diet changes that need to be made. Most vet nurses also run what we call ‘weight clinics’ and can help if you think your dog or cat has perhaps put on little bit of excess that needs to be got under control. It’s important to establish your pet’s ‘body condition score’. Body condition scoring is a management tool designed to assess body reserves or fat accumulation of an animal. Your veterinary nurse will use this as a method of examining the nutritional status of your pet. As we said, it can be a bit overwhelming, but discussing your pet’s diet and any specific needs is always recommended. n Vetsmiths 01202 119988
Can you offer Dave a forever home? Dave is a 19 month old Mastiff x Lab. He is a large breed and needs an owner that can cope with his size. Experience of mastiffs would be beneficial. Dave is good with all but does not know how big he is, so gets boisterous. He’s learning to walk well on the lead but he is strong and can be distracted by interesting sights on his walk. He loves cuddles, playing with a football and soft toys. Older children only please due to his size. If you are able to offer Dave or one of his lovely friends a forever home or a foster home please contact our office on 01202 875000, 24
email: admin@ waggytails.org.uk or visit our website waggytails.org.uk As summer progresses, we hope to be able to be able to attend more outdoor
functions and will publicise these on our website and Facebook page as soon as we have details. Please do follow us and keep up to date with our news. Our shop at Ferndown is fully stocked and our staff and volunteers would love to see you. Do drop by and pick up a bargain! Donations and legacies have been our main source of income over the last year and we are so grateful to everyone who has helped us keep the charity running during these unprecedented months. Thank you all for your continued support. Take care and stay safe. Waggy Tails Rescue is a
registered charity based in Dorset. We rescue and rehome dogs that have been abandoned, neglected or otherwise in need of a new home. We also find homes for other small furries that may be in our care, so to find out more you can contact us on the number above or send donations or letters to: For more information, call 01202 875000 or Donations for Waggy Tails can be sent to: Helen’s House Waggy Tails Rescue 143 Magna Road Wimborne BH21 3AW
