DIET

Dietary Management

Animal Factors

Taking a Small Animal Dietary History

1. Type of food(s) fed (dry, canned, semi-moist, or soft-moist) as primary (base) diet and as secondary diet? 2. Brand of food(s) fed? 3. Feeding frequency? 4. Amount of each food fed per meal (number of cans or number of cups and size of cup)? 5. Length of time on current diet? 6. Which family member feeds the pet(s)? 7. Where does the pet(s) eat? 8. Does the pet usually eat all of the food given within 5 minutes? 9. Does the pet receive table scraps? If so, how much (as a % of total diet)? 10. What snacks or treats (amount and brand) does the pet receive? 11. If other pets in household, repeat questions 2, 3, & 7. 12. Any recent changes in amount of food fed or amount of food eaten (especially if possibly due to illness)? 13. Any brands (flavors, if recalled) that the pet does not tolerate? If so, what signs does the pet exhibit when consuming the food? How soon after eating do the signs become evident? 14. How is water provided to the pet? Other questions may follow according to the nature and complexity of the chief complaint.