Why I Can't Answer Your Nutrition Question in a Facebook Comment

"What should I feed?" is probably the nutrition question I receive most often. Usually it's attached to a photo with a short description such as, "My dog is overweight," "My horse needs more topline," or "My cat won't eat." I completely understand why people ask these questions. Nutrition can feel overwhelming, and social media has made it seem like there should be a quick answer for everything. The reality is that there usually isn't, and if I gave you one, I probably wouldn't be giving you my best advice.

The reason isn't that I'm trying to be difficult or hold information back. The reason is that I simply don't have enough information to make a responsible recommendation. A photograph tells me very little about what is actually happening nutritionally. It doesn't tell me what your animal weighs, how active they are, whether they've recently gained or lost weight, what medical conditions they have, what medications they're taking, what supplements they're already receiving, or what they eat throughout the entire day. It also doesn't tell me what your goals are, and those goals matter just as much as the current diet.

When I complete a nutrition review, I start with the intake forms because they tell the story behind the animal. I review body weight, body condition, muscle condition, age, lifestyle, activity level, medical history, medications, treats, supplements, and the complete feeding program. For horses, that also means evaluating hay, pasture, forage products, concentrates, ration balancers, and everything else that contributes nutrients throughout the day. For dogs and cats, I want to know every food, topper, treat, chew, and supplement because they all contribute to the overall diet.

Once I have that information, I compare what the animal is actually eating to established nutrient requirements. That allows me to identify where the diet is meeting those needs, where it may be falling short, and where changes could improve overall health. Sometimes the answer is adding calories. Sometimes it's improving protein quality or balancing vitamins and minerals. Sometimes it's simplifying an overly complicated feeding program.

I know quick answers are appealing and everyone is asking great quesitons….I love owners that want to learn and grow. Nutrition is very important…..Social media is a very easy way to “jump in and ask”….

That siad, on social media it creates more noise and often times does more “harm than good” mentally….Someone recommends a feed, another person recommends a supplement, and before long there are fifty different opinions in the comments. The problem is that none of those recommendations are based on your individual animal. They are based on someone else's experience, and while that experience may be genuine and helpful, it doesn't automatically mean it applies to your situation nor are they running “the numbers” as professionals.

Every dog, cat, and horse is an individual.

Two Labrador Retrievers can have very different calorie requirements. Two indoor cats can require completely different feeding strategies. Two Quarter Horses with the same body weight may differ by thousands of calories per day depending on their metabolism, workload, and medical history. That is why nutrition can never be reduced to one product recommendation or one quick comment on social media. It’s a TRUE ANALYSIS…. I can’t just “guess”.

There is certainly a place for asking other owners what products they like or what has worked well for them. I think those conversations are valuable because they help us learn about different options that are available. Emotional support is very important when people have a sick or injured animal.

However, there is an important difference between sharing experiences and providing individualized nutrition advice. One is a conversation between owners. The other is a professional evaluation built on data, science, experience, and the complete history of the animal.

At the end of the day, my goal has never been to give the fastest answer. My goal is to give the most accurate answer I can. That requires information, careful evaluation, and looking at the whole picture instead of just one photograph. Your dog, cat, or horse deserves a nutrition plan that is built around their individual needs, not around a guess made in the comment section. There is also a need to support the professionals fincially as this is our job and we invested thousands of dollars and hours into our expertize.