With so much information floating around, it can be hard to determine the right food that your pet needs. Brands will falsely advertise “natural ingredients” or “#1 pet brand.” These things don’t matter. Research is the key to success, and speaking to your veterinarian is a great source to take advantage of. Health issues occur when you don’t offer the right nutrition to your pet, just as it does with people. So, how do you know what path to take? Let’s discuss the topic further.
Why Is Pet Nutrition Important?
The main components of a healthy diet include water, carbs, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. It’s a balancing act, so knowing your pet’s unique health situation is important. Age, species, and activity will change the outcome of your choice. If you, as a person, avoid eating vegetables, then you’ll feel run down and develop health deficiencies. It’s the same for animals. The risks for cancer, orthopedic issues, and cardiovascular problems can develop just as easily. These developments can shorten your pets life, and make their day-to-day activities difficult to perform.
Decipher The Label Correctly
Deciphering the food labels on our own food packages is difficult. Most of us don’t want to take the time to research every ingredient on the list, as there is controversial research to each one. However, it’s important to do so if you want to live a long and healthy life. Why wouldn’t you do the same for your pets? There are many websites that assist you in this matter. Before deciding on a brand, explore the ingredients and details involved in the creation process. You may just save your pet from suffering at the hands of over-processed food.
· Ingredients
The ingredients list on the food label explain what the food actually contains. This can range from meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and much more that can be helpful or harmful. Perhaps your pet has an allergy? Pay attention to their habits after introducing a new food. They’ll tell you if they like it with their actions.
· Guaranteed Analysis
The guaranteed analysis lists the minimum and maximum nutrient percentages. Keep in mind that moisture content varies greatly when it comes to various diets. It’s difficult to compare one percentage to another with this variable involved. To make an accurate comparison between brands and food types, you’ll need to convert the numbers into a dry matter basis, and then decide which numbers favor your goals.
· AAFCO Statement
The AAFCO or “Association of American Feed Control Officials” is the list that determines whether or not the diet meets the set nutritional guidelines. They have been tested and proven, meeting standards set by this association, or the food has been formulated to meet preset standards. This involves growth, maintenance, pregnancy, or “all life stages.”
· Contact Information
If your pet food doesn’t have contact information, that’s a red flag. All credible companies will provide contact numbers and addresses. If you have a concern about the quality or ingredients, then you need to be able to reach out to these people for help. The veterinarian may detect an allergy, but you have no way of knowing exactly what’s causing it without checking your sources.
Understand The Contents
Despite all the research you do, the food label can be a confusing list to understand and analyze. So, when in doubt, you need to explore three main components of the brand’s provided diet. Doing so will make it easier to compare companies, which means a happier, healthier pet.
· Meat
Meat sources should be one of the first ingredients listed on the label. Keep in mind that manufacturers can manipulate the ingredients so that meat is the first on the list. You can’t count on transparency, sadly, when it comes to this. So, look for those that list the meat as the second or third choice.
· Grains
Grains are not to be feared. There’s a lot of blame being passed around for grain, such as allergies and icky fillers. However, grains are an important part of your pet’s diet. This is where they get their source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A regular pet is a happy pet.
· Quality
Every brand varies in quality, just as all ingredients vary in quality. For example, by-products are often dismissed as soon as they’re discovered on the ingredients list. However, by-products are a great source of nutrition. Things like organ meats and chicken necks can add much-needed nutrition to your pet’s diet. Don’t dismiss brands, simply because you heard a rumor about their ingredients.
There’s a lot to learn when it comes to nutrition, especially your pet’s nutrition. Companies will falsely advertise and pet owners will spread inaccurate information. When in doubt, research it on your own and speak with your pet’s veterinarian. They’ll have the right information for you, and having it will make it that much easier to analyze the back of the pet’s food bag. With that said, we hope your pet stays healthy and happy.
