The right food in the right amount is one of the biggest levers for your pet’s long-term health. We’ll help you find it.
Yorktown Heights, NY • Dogs, Cats & Exotics • See our Google reviews
Overfeeding is the most common mistake loving owners make. Those extra treats add up, puppy eyes are very effective, and before long a perfectly healthy pet is carrying weight that shortens their life. Nutrition is also where many chronic conditions (allergies, diabetes, kidney disease, pancreatitis) are either controlled or made worse.
What Is Nutritional Counseling?
Nutritional counseling is a structured conversation about what, how much, and how often your pet should eat. We assess body condition, review current diet and treats, account for life stage and any medical conditions, and build a realistic plan you can stick with at home.
Why Is Nutrition Important?
Healthy Weight, Longer Life: Studies show lean dogs and cats live nearly two years longer than overweight peers.
Prevention Is Cheaper Than Treatment: Diet-driven diabetes, pancreatitis, joint disease, and heart conditions are largely preventable.
Therapeutic Diets Really Work: Kidney disease, urinary crystals, allergies, and GI disease often respond dramatically to a prescription diet.
Species Matters: Rabbits, reptiles, and other exotics have very specific nutritional requirements. Getting the diet wrong is a major cause of exotic illness.
What to Expect at a Nutrition Visit
Before Your Visit
Bring the brand and exact amount of every food, treat, chew, and supplement your pet eats in a week. Photos of your pet standing and from above help us score body condition.
During the Appointment
Body Condition Score: A quick physical assessment of your pet’s fat and muscle.
Diet Review: We look at calories in, calories out, and any medical conditions that change the math.
Plan & Transition: A written feeding plan with specific amounts, schedule, and how to gradually switch diets if we’re changing food.
Follow-Up and Aftercare
Weight checks every 4 to 6 weeks during active weight loss (free drop-in weigh-ins). We adjust portions as your pet progresses.
When to Talk Nutrition With Your Vet
- Puppies & kittens: One dedicated nutrition conversation at an early wellness visit sets the diet up correctly from day one.
- Adult pets: Annual check during wellness exams. Reassess any time diet, weight, or activity changes.
- Senior pets: More frequent conversations, since muscle loss, dental issues, and chronic senior conditions often require new formulations.
Schedule a Nutrition Consultation in Yorktown Heights, NY
Heights Hospital for Animals builds personalized nutrition plans for dogs, cats, and exotic pets in Yorktown Heights, NY. Small changes at mealtime often mean the biggest change in your pet’s health.
