Animal Nutrition: What to Consider When Choosing Pet Food

 

Communicated Content- We all want our pets to stay well and healthy. However, we are no veterinarians. We can’t always know what will be best for our furry friends. This is why all pet owners need to take some time to educate themselves on some basic animal health issues. For one, pet food should come as the number one priority when it comes to animal’s health. However, with the wide variety of pet food products on the market, it is merely possible to find something healthy, affordable, and yet desirable to your pet. We will show that you can find the best budget puppy food or cat food that is both healthy and delicious for your pets. Our suggestion is to learn where to pay attention when it comes to choosing pet foods. Once you learn some serious no-no’s along with the most recommended standards, pet food shopping won’t be such a problem anymore. Here are things you need to consider before buying pet food for your furry family members. 

Breed and other individual specifics

First and foremost, there is no food that can suit all pets’ needs at once. Most pet food brands make their food specifically for certain breeds, ages, and even lifestyles. Thus, before buying any food, you need to learn more about your pet. If they are very active, you need food to keep them going. They spend a lot of energy and need their food to restore balance. Pets of certain ages also can’t eat just anything. Puppies and kittens, along with older pets, have certain nutritional needs that they should acquire from their food. Hence, you have to consider that before going pet food shopping. 

At last, different breeds have very different eating habits. First, larger breeds need a much larger variety of nutrition. Next, some breeds should eat every few hours when others can eat once or twice a day. Beyond that, many breeds have very specific dietary requirements. Especially it comes to the breeds that humans artificially selected. Hence, you can buy the best products on the market, read all the reviews on wholehearted cat food, or rely on the most popular names and still hurt your pet’s health. A wrong diet can lead to obesity, lack of energy, anxiety, malnutrition, or other health problems. 

The ingredients: what to buy and what to avoid

The quest for the best ingredients in pet foods is, probably, the hardest part of the challenge. Although many pet food regulations are finally in place these days, pet owners still need to pay a lot of attention to what they buy. Wrongly chosen food can affect not just physical health but your pets’ mood and behavior. Often, this happens due to the wrong ingredients present in the food. So let’s take a closer look at what to buy and what to avoid in pet products. 

To buy: Animal fats

Animal fats are a great product for your pets’ diet. They are responsible for the health of their skin and fur. Animal fats are also crucial for brain work and their mood. When choosing food, definitely look for animal fat instead of plant-based fats. 

To buy: Omega 6 and 3

Omega 6 and 3 are essential for the brainwork of people and animals. It is also important for building a strong immune system. 

To avoid: Pea protein 

You need to be very careful when choosing a protein for your pets. Many pet food suppliers prefer replacing animal protein with pea proteins. They look similar in the nutrition charts, though they are not the same, especially when it comes to pets. Animals react differently to any type of peas in general. Their system doesn’t do a good job digesting them. So, always pay attention to what type of protein is the prior component in the food. 

To avoid: Preservatives 

Many food brands use various preservatives to prolong the food’s shelf life. Almost always, these preservatives are not something you want to give to your pets. Ingredients like sugar or salt are among the most popular supplements that you better avoid in pet food. Things like artificial flavors are also often used to make food more attractive to your pets. A food supplier needs to ensure their food is desirable, if not even addictive, to pets. Hence, they often manipulate the ingredients, adding flavors that are harmful but attractive to your pets. 

Our advice is to look for pet food that completely avoids any of these ingredients. These items are often hidden in the section of law quantities ingredients. Look for them there. 

To buy: Carbohydrates 

Don’t let this name scare you. Carbohydrates are something you look for in your pet food. This ingredient is what provides your pets with energy and required dietary fiber. Often, carbohydrates are represented by rice or oats. These grains are good for your pets and should rather be present in their diet. Though, cat food should have a lower percentage of dietary fiber than dog food. It is all because cats are even more carnivores than dogs. 

On the other hand, most other products mentioned in the ingredient list are basic fillers that don’t give any nutritious value. These are everything that is just used to increase a product’s size, like corn, soy, potatoes, or wheat. You better avoid pet food with high doses of these ingredients.