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Good pet food will keep your pet’s coat shiny, keep their digestive system healthy, strengthen their immune system and improve the general health of your pet. The options, however, seem endless. How do you pick the right pet food in the seemingly never-ending world of pellets, biscuits, canned foods and treats? Here are a few things you should consider when choosing the right pet food for your dog or cat.
March 14, 2018
High-quality and premium pet food is one of the best things you can do to keep your pet healthy. Of course you are only thinking about what is best for your dog or cat and how to keep your pet healthy, but there are certain physical characteristics that you also need to take into account, as well as behavioural and health patterns that all contribute in choosing the right pet food for your pet. Your pet’s age, activity, breed and reproductive status are all important factors as to which food is perfect for your dog or cat. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they rely on nutrients found only in animal products. Cats don’t rely on carbohydrates, like dogs do, to maintain a healthy diet. For cats to cover their basic nutritional needs, they need protein from a high-quality fish or poultry source. Cats also require more than a dozen other nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.
It’s important to know what you’re giving your dog or cat. Read the ingredients and educate yourself on what the pet food contains. Keep in mind that usually ingredients are listed by weight. Thus, ingredients containing more moisture would likely be on the top of the list as it weighs more, although ingredients featuring lower on the list could have even more nutritional value. Therefore, it is important to find a food in which meat, meat by-products, or seafood are listed among the first ingredients.
Ultimately, your vet will know exactly what food will be best for your pet. Your vet will already have background knowledge of your pet’s medical history and other health-related factors. Asking your veterinarian for a dietary recommendation will allow you to cater to your pet’s specific health needs.
The wording on pet food packaging says a lot more about the nutritional value of the product than one may first think. The keyword ‘dinner’ implies that the pet food only contains 25% of the protein. Keywords such as ‘’Beef for Dogs” or Beef Dog Food” implies that there is 95% beef protein of the total protein contents. In a nutshell, when looking at keywords, you want to find descriptive and specific words, like “chicken’’ or “fish”, instead of general terms like ‘meat’.
Finding information on your preferred pet food is a great start to establish whether or not it is a credible brand or not. All good pet food brands should happily engage with their customers and provide reliable information on sourcing and quality control in manufacturing. Do some research and find out what other customers say about a brand through testimonials and reviews.
It might also be the case that your pet prefers the certain flavour and taste above the rest. Keep this in mind and see how your pet reacts to the food you provide. Some cat’s may get bored with the constant repetition of the same flavours. (Research showed that changes in physical properties of the diet led to reduction in daily food intake) It might be a good idea to invest in a specific brand, but alternate between different flavour variations to see what your pet prefers. A veterinarian should examine any cat that refuses to eat and is losing weight.
Creating homemade pet food is a time-consuming and complex process. Most recipes will not contain the right proportions of nutrients. To keep your pet healthy, it is recommended that you purchase a nutritionally balanced commercial food, unless a veterinarian recommends otherwise.
Keeping your pet healthy is crucial for any pet owner and a big part of having a healthy pet is ensuring your pet is following a healthy diet. Family Pet Centre prides itself on loving and caring for your pets and giving them everything they need, including food that helps keep your pets healthy, strong and happy.
Have a look at our premium pet food range here:
https://barkpost.com/best-dog-food/
https://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/nutrition-center/choosing-best-dog-food
https://www.thespruce.com/choosing-cat-food-551958
https://www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/
health-information/feline-health-topics/feeding-your-cat
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