Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
If your pet has been scratching more than usual or dealing with occasional digestive issues, it may be easy to write it off as normal. But according to veterinarians, many pet parents could be missing early signs of skin and stomach sensitivities.
Veterinarian Shawna Varitek said some of the most commonly dismissed symptoms in pets are actually worth paying attention to.
"Probably the most common things I see as a veterinarian that pet owners think are normal, but actually aren't, are dry, flaky skin and itching, sensitive GI tract issues such as diarrhea, as well as mobility issues in our senior pets. Those are all things that I think we can really help with different nutrition options," Varitek said.
Nutrition, she said, is one of the most powerful tools pet parents have direct control over.
"Nutrition is a huge, huge factor in our pets' overall health and something us as pet parents have control over," Varitek said.
For dogs with dry, itchy skin or a sensitive digestive tract, Varitek pointed to Hill's Sensitive Stomach and Skin as a diet specifically formulated to help maintain the skin barrier and support easier digestion.
For pet parents considering a food change, Varitek said patience is key.
"Slower is better in general. We recommend transitioning over about a seven-day period, where we're adding a little bit of the new diet every day in bigger and bigger increments. So by day seven, we're fully transitioned to that new diet. And that way we're not shocking the GI tract, and we're allowing a nice smooth transition to that new diet," Varitek said.
Varitek also encouraged pet owners to work closely with their veterinarian, who can offer personalized guidance based on a pet's specific health needs. For more information on pet nutrition and wellness, visit hillspet.com.
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