Dogs Plate Knowledge hub
Maths in the bowl
IntroductionWhen we decide to buy or adopt an animal, we are usually aware of the new responsibilities involved. We need to ensure our pet’s safety and well-being. It seems obvious that a dog or cat needs a place in our home, a full food bowl and constant access to clean water. We often spend a… Continue reading Maths in the bowl
Quality of ingredients used in pet food production and their impact on animal health
In recent years, the pet product market has grown rapidly. The number of companion animals, particularly dogs and cats kept in households, continues to increase. There are currently approximately 7.6 million dogs and 6.4 million cats in Poland, resulting in steadily growing demand for commercial pet food.Regulations governing pet food productionFollowing Poland’s accession to the… Continue reading Quality of ingredients used in pet food production and their impact on animal health
Nutrition in kidney disease
SummaryChronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the major challenges in companion animal care, affecting both animal welfare and quality of life. Appropriately planned nutritional strategies play a key role in alleviating clinical signs, supporting kidney function and improving patient comfort. This article reviews current dietary approaches to CKD management, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary… Continue reading Nutrition in kidney disease
Selected parasitic diseases in cats
Internal parasites remain a significant health threat to cats, and some are also relevant to human health. Understanding how to recognise clinical signs, how infections occur and how parasitic diseases can be prevented is therefore important. This article discusses four important parasitic diseases in cats: giardiasis, toxoplasmosis, lungworm infections and opisthorchiasis, together with key information… Continue reading Selected parasitic diseases in cats
Dietary management of enteropathies in dogs: Effective nutrition and treatment of chronic intestinal disorders
Gastrointestinal diseases are among the most common reasons dogs are presented to a vet. Sometimes these are isolated episodes occurring once or twice a year, while in other cases owners report that their dog has a “sensitive stomach” and ongoing digestive problems. Many owners return repeatedly to the veterinary practice because of various problems related… Continue reading Dietary management of enteropathies in dogs: Effective nutrition and treatment of chronic intestinal disorders
Overview of selected parasitic diseases in dogs
Parasites are among the most common health threats affecting dogs. Both external and internal parasites can pose a risk, and parasitic infections may lead to a wide range of serious health problems. This article discusses selected parasitic diseases occurring in dogs: toxoplasmosis, cardiopulmonary and subcutaneous dirofilariasis, hepatozoonosis, thelaziosis and angiostrongylosis.ToxoplasmosisIn most cases, Toxoplasma gondii infection… Continue reading Overview of selected parasitic diseases in dogs
What’s new in dog and cat nutrition: Key takeaways from ECVIM-CA 2025
The annual ECVIM-CA scientific congress is one of the most important events in European veterinary medicine. It is where some of the latest research on nutrition, gastroenterology, nephrology and endocrinology in dogs and cats is presented.Our latest webinar reviewing this year’s findings provides a collection of practical insights that may have a real impact on… Continue reading What’s new in dog and cat nutrition: Key takeaways from ECVIM-CA 2025
Gastroenterology in dogs and cats in practice: Key takeaways from the VET KU Texas A&M Conference in Pattaya
The latest findings from the international gastroenterology conference in Pattaya provide new insights into the practical diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in dogs and cats. Lectures by Prof. Janis M. Tolbert, Dr Emily Gould and other specialists from Texas A&M focused on food-responsive enteropathies, differences between species, management when a dietary trial fails, and… Continue reading Gastroenterology in dogs and cats in practice: Key takeaways from the VET KU Texas A&M Conference in Pattaya
Avian influenza: A threat to human and animal health
IntroductionAvian influenza virus is an important emerging zoonotic virus with pandemic potential. It has caused significant economic losses in the poultry industry and disruptions to food security. The highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 virus has attracted particular scientific attention.It was first isolated on a goose farm in southern China in 1996. One year later, the… Continue reading Avian influenza: A threat to human and animal health
Adverse food reactions in dogs and cats: What really matters in diagnosis and nutritional management – Part 1
Introduction and definitionsAdverse food reactions encompass a broad group of disorders with different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, which are often confused or treated as synonymous in clinical practice. The most common distinction is between food allergy and food intolerance, although the boundary between the two can be unclear and their clinical presentations overlap considerably. The terms… Continue reading Adverse food reactions in dogs and cats: What really matters in diagnosis and nutritional management – Part 1
Adverse food reactions in dogs and cats: What really matters in diagnosis and nutritional management – Part 2
The role of an elimination diet in diagnosis and treatmentAn elimination diet plays a key role in the diagnosis and management of adverse food reactions because it is the only method that allows the relationship between diet and the body’s response to be assessed directly. Unlike laboratory tests, which provide only indirect information, elimination followed… Continue reading Adverse food reactions in dogs and cats: What really matters in diagnosis and nutritional management – Part 2
Tick-borne diseases in dogs and cats
Ticks are vectors of many serious diseases, and a single tick can carry several pathogens. Tick-borne diseases remain a growing threat to both animals and humans. They can cause severe and chronic clinical signs and, in some cases, may even be fatal.Tick activity is increasingly observed in early spring, autumn and even winter, which is… Continue reading Tick-borne diseases in dogs and cats
Heart disease in cats.
Heart disease in cats can be divided into congenital and acquired conditions. In this article, we will focus primarily on cardiomyopathies, which are among the most common heart diseases in domestic cats. These are serious, progressive and incurable conditions that may ultimately lead to death. After leaving the veterinary practice with medications, recommendations and a… Continue reading Heart disease in cats.
Diet for cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Overview of the key principles of dietary management in cats with CKD – a practical approach considering disease stage and the patient’s conditionDietary management in cats with chronic kidney disease is one of the most important factors influencing disease progression and quality of life. At the same time, clinical decisions in this area are rarely… Continue reading Diet for cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Hepatology in dogs and cats: The importance of diagnostics and dietary management in clinical practice – a summary of the webinar with vet Aleksandra Szuba
Liver diseases in dogs and cats remain one of the more complex groups of internal medicine disorders, both diagnostically and therapeutically. Their non-specific clinical presentation, the liver’s considerable functional reserve and the frequent coexistence of gastrointestinal and pancreatic diseases or endocrine disorders mean that diagnostic results must always be interpreted within the broader clinical context.… Continue reading Hepatology in dogs and cats: The importance of diagnostics and dietary management in clinical practice – a summary of the webinar with vet Aleksandra Szuba
Nutrition for dogs and cats with pancreatic disease
Pancreatic diseases in dogs and cats require a highly individualised nutritional approach. There is no single universal dietary strategy suitable for every patient with acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Species, clinical condition, body condition, appetite, body weight, fat tolerance, concurrent diseases and whether the problem primarily affects the pancreas itself or the… Continue reading Nutrition for dogs and cats with pancreatic disease
Reflux in dogs as a clinical and nutritional problem: A summary of the webinar with vet Aleksandra Szyguła
Reflux in dogs is one of those gastrointestinal conditions that has been diagnosed and discussed increasingly often in recent years. On the one hand, this reflects greater awareness among owners, who are beginning to recognise signs beyond classic vomiting. On the other hand, reflux remains diagnostically challenging because its clinical presentation can be non-specific, variable… Continue reading Reflux in dogs as a clinical and nutritional problem: A summary of the webinar with vet Aleksandra Szyguła
From dysbiosis to lymphoma: Key takeaways from EuroGut 2026 for veterinary practice
The following article summarises the webinar “From dysbiosis to lymphoma” with Veterinary Technician Angelika Gałkiewicz, a qualified Animal Nutritionist and member of the European Society of Comparative Gastroenterology and the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition. The webinar covered selected findings presented at EuroGut 2026, including chronic enteropathies, dysbiosis, the microbiota, faecal microbiota transplantation,… Continue reading From dysbiosis to lymphoma: Key takeaways from EuroGut 2026 for veterinary practice
Nutrition for dogs and cats with urinary stones: Why is a “urinary diet” not enough?
Urinary stone disease in dogs and cats is not a single diet-related condition. It encompasses a group of clinical problems in which similar signs or similar urinalysis findings may have entirely different causes, consequences and nutritional requirements. For this reason, dietary decisions should not begin with the question: “Which urinary diet should I choose?” but… Continue reading Nutrition for dogs and cats with urinary stones: Why is a “urinary diet” not enough?
The impact of diet on behaviour in dogs and cats: What should vets consider when assessing a patient?
Behavioural problems in dogs and cats rarely have a single cause. An animal’s behaviour is influenced by genetic predisposition, previous experiences, environment, relationship with the owner, sleep quality, health status, pain and nutrition. Diet is not a behavioural therapy in itself. However, it can significantly affect the biological factors that influence how a patient feels… Continue reading The impact of diet on behaviour in dogs and cats: What should vets consider when assessing a patient?
Nutrition for puppies and kittens in practice: How to monitor growth and prevent dietary mistakes
The growth period is one of the most nutritionally demanding stages of life. A growing animal must not only meet its maintenance requirements but also obtain the nutrients needed for the development of bones, muscles, organs, the nervous system and the immune system.Because young animals have a more limited ability to compensate for nutritional deficiencies… Continue reading Nutrition for puppies and kittens in practice: How to monitor growth and prevent dietary mistakes
Nutrition for dogs and cats with cancer: What really matters in clinical practice?
Nutrition for oncology patients is an area surrounded by many oversimplifications. “Cancer feeds on sugar”, “carbohydrates must be eliminated”, “the diet should be high in fat”, “as many antioxidants as possible should be added” – pet owners frequently encounter recommendations like these.In clinical practice, however, rather than searching for a single “anti-cancer diet”, it is… Continue reading Nutrition for dogs and cats with cancer: What really matters in clinical practice?
Bladder stones in cats – why does identifying the type of urolith change the entire treatment approach?
Urinary stone disease in cats is not a single disease entity and should not be managed according to a single protocol. The presence of crystals, urinary “grit”, or even a stone in the bladder is only the starting point for diagnosis. The composition of the urolith, urine pH and specific gravity, the presence or absence… Continue reading Bladder stones in cats – why does identifying the type of urolith change the entire treatment approach?
Omega-3 in dogs and cats: Why does the source matter clinically?
Omega-3 fatty acids are now among the most commonly used supplements in dogs and cats. They are included in recommendations for dermatological, orthopaedic, nephrological and cardiology patients, and are also used as nutritional support in oncology and during growth. However, the term “omega-3” alone tells us very little about the actual value of a supplement.… Continue reading Omega-3 in dogs and cats: Why does the source matter clinically?
Kidney and Ureteral Stones in Cats – Diagnosis, Clinical Consequences and Prevention of Recurrence
Upper urinary tract urolithiasis is a significant clinical concern in cats, not only because of the potential for renal parenchymal damage, but particularly due to the risk of nephrolith migration into the ureter, which may result in partial or complete obstruction. Cats with nephrolithiasis may remain asymptomatic for prolonged periods; however, migration of a calculus… Continue reading Kidney and Ureteral Stones in Cats – Diagnosis, Clinical Consequences and Prevention of Recurrence