Dog & Cat HospitalCalabasas

Care

Nutrition Counseling

Evidence-based diet and weight guidance for dogs and cats — from life-stage feeding plans to therapeutic diets that actively support chronic disease management.

What a pet eats affects nearly every aspect of their health — from coat quality and energy level to kidney function, joint inflammation, and how long they live. Nutrition counseling at Dog & Cat Hospital Calabasas goes beyond reading a bag label together. Our team helps you understand what your dog or cat actually needs at their current life stage, interprets body condition scores in the context of their breed and history, and recommends diets — including veterinary prescription formulas — based on clinical evidence rather than marketing claims. When nutrition is part of managing a chronic condition, we work alongside our internal-medicine specialist to make sure the diet aligns with the full treatment plan.

What's Included

Nutrition counseling covers the full range of dietary needs for dogs and cats:

  • Life-stage feeding plans — puppy/kitten, adult, and senior caloric targets and nutrient ratios
  • Body condition scoring and weight management — gradual, safe weight-loss plans for overweight pets
  • Breed-specific considerations — large-breed puppy diets, brachycephalic (flat-faced) breed needs, breed-associated disease risks
  • Prescription and therapeutic diets — renal, hepatic, cardiac, gastrointestinal, urinary, hydrolyzed-protein, and weight-management formulas
  • Transition guidance — how to switch foods without triggering GI upset
  • Raw and home-cooked diet review — honest guidance on risks, nutritional completeness, and how to do it safely if that is the owner's preference
  • Supplement evaluation — what the evidence says about fish oil, joint supplements, probiotics, and others

Get your pet's diet on the right track

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What to Expect

A nutrition consultation starts with a body condition assessment and a review of everything your pet currently eats — including treats, toppers, and supplements — because the full dietary picture matters. The veterinarian will discuss your goals, your pet's current health status, and any conditions that make certain nutrients a concern. Recommendations are practical: the team accounts for what's realistic for your household, not just what's ideal on paper. For pets with active organ disease or other complex conditions, nutrition guidance is coordinated with their ongoing medical care to avoid conflicts between diet and treatment.

Why Our Team

Medical-grade diet options.

We carry and can prescribe the full range of therapeutic veterinary diets — kidney, cardiac, GI, urinary, and allergy — not just over-the-counter products.

Integrated with specialty care.

When diet is part of managing kidney disease, heart disease, or GI conditions, our internal-medicine team helps ensure nutrition and treatment are aligned.

No brand allegiances in the advice.

Recommendations are based on nutrient profiles and clinical evidence — whichever diet best fits the pet's needs is the one recommended.

Practical plans that stick.

The team builds feeding plans you can realistically follow, including caloric math, meal-frequency guidance, and safe treat allowances.

Frequently Asked Questions

1How do I know if my dog is overweight?
Body condition scoring is more reliable than the scale alone: you should feel your dog's ribs easily without pressing hard, and see a visible waist tuck from above and behind. If the ribs are hard to feel and the waist is absent or rounded, overweight is likely. Our team scores body condition at every wellness visit.
2What is the best dog food brand?
No single brand is best for every dog. The most important factors are that the diet meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for the life stage, is manufactured by a company with rigorous quality control, and suits your dog's specific health needs. Our team can help you evaluate options based on those criteria.
3Should I feed my cat wet food or dry food?
Both can be nutritionally complete, but wet food has a meaningful advantage for cats prone to urinary disease or kidney problems because it significantly increases daily water intake. For healthy cats, a mix of wet and dry often works well. The specifics depend on your cat's health history.
4Is a grain-free diet better for my dog?
There is no evidence that grain-free diets offer health benefits for most dogs, and the FDA has investigated a potential link between legume-heavy grain-free diets and a form of heart disease (dilated cardiomyopathy) in dogs. Unless your dog has a diagnosed grain sensitivity, a conventional diet with grains is generally preferred.
5My dog has kidney disease — what should they eat?
Dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD) generally benefit from a prescription renal diet that is reduced in phosphorus and protein, which decreases the metabolic burden on damaged kidneys and can meaningfully slow progression. Diet changes for kidney disease should be guided by your veterinarian based on the stage of disease.
6How do I help my overweight cat lose weight safely?
Rapid weight loss in cats can trigger hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), a serious and potentially life-threatening condition — so slow, steady loss is essential. A veterinary weight-management diet, careful caloric restriction, and regular monitoring weigh-ins are the safe approach.
7Can I feed my dog a home-cooked diet?
Home-cooked diets can be nutritionally appropriate, but studies consistently show that most recipes found online or in books are deficient in key nutrients. If this is your preference, our team can review your recipe or refer you to a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to formulate a balanced plan.
8Are omega-3 supplements worth giving to my dog or cat?
Fish-oil-derived omega-3 supplements (specifically EPA and DHA) have good evidence for benefits in pets with inflammatory joint disease, certain skin conditions, and cardiac or kidney disease. The dose matters — over-the-counter products vary widely, so our team can recommend an appropriate amount for your pet's weight and condition.

Related

TreatmentsWeight Management ProgramTreatmentsNutritional & Therapeutic Diets

Get your pet's diet on the right track

Whether your pet needs to lose weight, transition to a therapeutic diet, or you just want to know you're feeding them well — our team can help.

Book an Appointment