Do you have a new pet or are you considering changing your current pet’s diet? Proper diet and nutrition are one of the most basic needs for our pet’s. This is the backbone of what keeps them healthy.
Choosing the best food for your pet can be a difficult decision but the final decision is ultimately up to you as the Owner.
Here are several ways that can help you make the best decision and feel secure in your choice:
*Understanding the Nutrition guidelines based on the type of pet you have. Pet’s need to eat enough calories to keep their bodies energized and maintain a safe healthy weight. Calories include fats, proteins, and carbs but animals also need the appropriate minerals and vitamins to aid in healthy joints, their coats, and various other areas of their bodies!
*Making sure the diet is a balanced meal is very important! Commercial foods should have a label from https://www.aafco.org/consumers/understanding-pet-food/ and this will help to ensure you are providing a healthy, balanced diet. If you prefer as some do, to make your pet’s a homemade diet, there is a wonderful website that many Veterinarians reference to aid in providing a balanced diet at home, https://secure.balanceit.com/.
*Always evaluate the ingredients in your pet’s food! You want to avoid foods that are heavy in dyes, sugars, corn, wheat, corn syrup. Raw diets were once believed to provide more vitamins, minerals, and proteins than dry food but RAW does not always equate to safe. Many raw diets can contain bone fragments, bacterias, and parasites so do you research.
*Make sure the food you are feeding your pet is age specific. Examples: Puppies should really be on a puppy formula that includes additional DHA’s and more vitamins and minerals to support their bones as they grow into adults. Once most pet’s reach adulthood, you can choose a food best suited for the adult years and then transition to a senior food as your pet ages. Some pet’s may need to be a specific food to manage health conditions, some Owner’s prefer a food that is breed specific.
We do want Owners to be careful in how they choose their pet’s foods, do your research, know your pet and their preferences, health conditions, etc. We do not suggest feeding GRAIN FREE diets as there have been many studies that have proven grain free diets can lead to taurine deficient dilated cardiomyopathy.
As always, contact your veterinarian with any questions you have regarding diet and nutrition!
