Pet Nutrition: Common Questions About Feeding Your Pets

Do your pets get really, really enthusiastic about dinner? Most of our patients certainly do. While our patients’ perspectives on most topics range greatly, the majority of them agree on one thing: they all like eating and snacking. (Some like it a bit too much, but we’ll save that for later.) Filling Fluffy and Fido’s bowls is easy, but deciding what to put in them can get kind of tricky. This page contains pet feeding recommendations from a Grange Hill East, ON veterinarian.

Making Sense Of Pet Food Labels

One of the most beneficial things you can do is make a habit of reading food labels. This is when things get a little more challenging. Many businesses employ exaggerated marketing techniques to make their items appear better than they actually are.

Stick to products that have acquired AFFCO certification. AFFCO, or the Association of American Feed Control Officials, is a non-profit organization that oversees pet food ingredients, production techniques, and quality standards. They work to ensure that pet food meets the quality standards required to keep your pet healthy, as well as that nutrients are in the appropriate amounts. A mark of approval from them shows that the brand has been thoroughly reviewed.

AAFCO-approved foods must have a few key pieces of information on their packaging.

• Brand name
• Product name
• Name of the animal for whom the meal is intended (cat food, dog food, etc.).
• Quality statement
• Ingredients list
• Feeding instructions
• Analysis. This is an important one because it shows the percentages of nutrients. While some elements can be specified with a maximum percentage and others with minimums, the list must be presented in a specific order and in measured units.
• A declaration of access to nutrients that “indicates that the food is complete and balanced for a particular life stage, such as growth, reproduction, adult maintenance or a combination of these, or intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.”
• Name and address of the manufacturer or distributor

Of course, you will want to look for the seal of approval!

Reading Ingredients

The ingredient list may be difficult to navigate, in large part due to labeling rules. For example, if a component appears in a product’s name, it must make up at least 95% of the entire amount. However, there are techniques that corporations use to get around this. Something called ‘flavor’ only needs to have roughly 3% of the element.

Pet food ingredients, like those in human foods, must be mentioned in proportion, with the first item listed taking up the highest percentage, and so on. Look for things with meat, fish, or poultry stated first and foremost.

What Ingredients in Pet Food Should You Avoid?

One of the most crucial factors to examine is what ingredients are in your pet’s diet. Many human and pet foods are highly processed and may contain fillers, preservatives, and other unwanted ingredients. These may be more than just subpar; some may be unhealthy.

Here are some things you should avoid in your pet’s food:

• Propylene Glycol: Propylene glycol,which is commonly used in dog and cat treats, improves food stability. It has also been proclaimed illegal in Europe, which is cause for alarm on its own.
• Thickening Agents: While thickening agents are unlikely to be among the most harmful drugs, they do carry some dangers. Carrageenan, guar, xanthan, and cassia gum are some of the most often utilized. They also offer stability and texture. However, while more research is needed, certain studies indicate that they may be carcinogenic.
• Artificial Food Coloring: Dyes are harmful to your pet’s health. They are frequently used to make the finished product more appealing and uniform for humans. Pets, of course, don’t care how their food looks. Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 all contain benzidine, a carcinogen.
• Rendered Fat: Rendered fat may seem sensible. However, it is frequently made by combining and boiling the residual parts of animals that have been processed for meat. Unfortunately, some of the animals might have been sick or injured.
• Corn Syrup/High Fructose Corn Syrup. Corn syrup is used in many processed foods. It has been associated with a variety of human health problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. If it’s bad for us, it’ll most likely be bad for Fido or Fluffy.
• Artificial Preservatives: Some of the most common include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and ethoxyquin. These can be found in various wet and dry foods, including snacks.

If you require any additional information, please contact your veterinarian.

How Should I Choose the Right Food?

The first thing we would suggest is that you contact your vet. While we may go over some basics here, it’s vital to remember that each pet is unique. This decision is influenced by a number of factors, including your pet’s age, health, breed, and lifestyle, as well as any medical conditions they may have. An underweight Pomeranian will have quite different dietary needs than a big Labrador, and a young St. Bernard will require different food than an elderly Chihuahua.

The AFFCO categorizes pet food ingredients and nutrients into several distinct groups.

• Protein: Protein is required for pets’ cartilage, tendons, ligaments, skin, fur, claws, muscle, and blood cells. As it degrades, it produces critical amino acids necessary for your pet’s health and survival. Animal proteins that are commonly used in pet food include chicken, lamb, fish meal, cow, and eggs. Beans, soybean meal, and corn gluten meal are all plant-based proteins often found in pet food.
• Water: Obviously, your pet should have continual access to fresh water. Pet food also contains water. The moisture content of your pet’s food may influence how well they absorb nutrients. Kitties are a fantastic example of this. Cats’ natural food consists of mice and birds. Fluffy also consumes her prey raw, when the moisture content is the highest. As a result, her optimal diet is pretty high in moisture.
• Carbohydrates (including fiber): Carbohydrates give dogs energy in the form of glucose, which is essential for keeping their tails wagging. Cats, on the other hand, require no carbs in their diet, though Fluffy will obtain trace amounts of carbohydrates and fiber from her prey in the wild.
• Vitamins: Vitamins help many of your pet’s organs and systems operate properly. Different vitamins have distinct purposes. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, iron, zinc, and calcium are all required nutrition for pets. We won’t go into detail about each of them, save to say that vitamins must be added in the proper doses. It is not safe to take either too much or too little.
• Minerals: Minerals are also useful to your pet’s health because they are necessary for the normal operation of its internal systems. Iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium are all essential nutrients for dogs and cats.
• Fat: Fat provides energy, preserves Fido’s coat and skin, and lowers inflammation. It also provides some insulation and cushioning. Linoleic acid, flaxseed, and fish oils are all sources of fat in pet food. Fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 are essential for pets.

For more information about feeding Fido and Fluffy, please see your veterinarian. We’re here to help!

Schedule An Appointment At Our Grange Hill East, ON Veterinary Clinic

Have you any questions or worries concerning your pet’s diet? Are you trying to figure out what to feed your pet? Please contact your Grange Hill East, ON animal hospital at any time.