What is Veterinary Food Therapy?
Food therapy is the practice of using fresh, whole food based ingredients to treat specific medical conditions. If you have ever wanted to start cooking for your dog or cat but didn’t know where to start, Dr. Hartman can help!
During a food therapy consultation, Dr. Hartman will help you pick ingredients specific to your pet’s needs and preferences. Then, she will email you several recipes with cooking instructions and supplement recommendations so that you can make your pet a custom balanced diet at home.
Dr. Danielle Hartman - Food Therapy Services
Dr. Hartman has had advanced training in Chinese Veterinary Food Therapy from Chi University. In traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, food therapy involves using fresh food ingredients to feed or supplement pets to treat or prevent diseases. Food ingredients are chosen based on their thermal and energetic properties and the individual patient’s presenting condition or concerns. Dr. Hartman has access to a veterinary diet balancing software and is able to formulate home cooked diets for patients that are complete and balanced so that no nutrient or vitamin deficiencies are present. Diet balancing is achieved either by using over the counter supplements or a premixed balancing supplement available.
A food therapy consultation with Dr. Hartman is an hour-long appointment where we will delve into your pet’s medical history and current diet. A traditional physical examination as well as a Chinese medicine evaluation of your pet’s condition will take place. We will then discuss diet goals and offer recommendations for food therapy items to help us achieve those goals. Dr. Hartman will balance up to three diets for your pet and provide email support to help you and your pet along your food therapy journey.