A top veterinary specialist has urged pet owners to be aware of the debilitating signs of dehydration and malnutrition in their animals.

Isuru Gajanayake, head of clinical nutrition at Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, in Solihull, has spoken out to advise animal lovers on the importance of food and drink in maintaining a pet’s health and wellbeing as part of National Nutrition and Hydration Week this week (March 16-22).

According to research carried out by the charity People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) last year, 31 per cent of 10,000 surveyed dog owners didn’t know their pet’s weight or body condition score.
In addition, some 56 per cent of surveyed cat owners were unaware of their pet’s weight.

Isuru, who has 15 years’ specialist experience in clinical nutrition, said: “There are many similarities in the dangers of malnutrition and dehydration in animals and in humans.
“However, we do tend to be far more mindful of this in people, whilst the general awareness of the problem in our pets is lagging behind.

“It is far easier to unintentionally overlook or ignore these issues in animals, so I would urge everyone to focus on making sure their pets are always well hydrated and well nourished, especially if they are unwell.

“A number of the patients we see at Willows are either dehydrated or malnourished, sometimes both.

“This can easily happen if a pet has been suffering from a poor appetite, continued vomiting or diarrhoea.

“At Willows, we are frequently faced with animals who are suffering from serious illnesses such as infections or cancer, where the underlying condition becomes the sole focus.

“As a specialist in clinical nutrition, I work as closely as possible with our team of multidisciplinary specialist vets and nurses to ensure we also take hydration and nutrition into account.

“As with people, animals who are poorly hydrated or malnourished are more likely to suffer complications if they are ill or injured, which will mean continued treatment, increased risk of complications and longer stays in hospital.
“For both pet owners and vets, the key thing is for every one of us to be far more mindful of this.”

A specialist in both internal medicine and clinical nutrition, Isuru has been at Willows for 10 years and has used his considerable expertise to lead the field of nutritional care in animals throughout that time.

He is now using that expertise to ensure both pet owners and his peers keep nutrition and hydration in the forefront of their minds while caring for animals.

He said: “While dehydration is something which can be counteracted and resolved relatively quickly, malnutrition is a much more complicated challenge.

“The ultimate objective is to achieve an ideal body weight and body condition - but this can take some time. The secret is not to be extreme in your approach but to be careful and controlled with a diet.

“As with most medical scenarios, the emphasis should be on prevention not treatment, which is why it’s so important to that pet owners are aware of these conditions and ensure that there is a clear process of checks for General Practice vets and referrals centres.”

For more about National Nutrition and Hydration Week, visit nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk.