Are you giving your dog the best dog food brands?

With so many dog food brands on the market like - Science Diet Dog Food, Innova Dog Food, Nutro Dog Food, and Wellness Dog Food; How do you choose the best for your dog?  And cat owner’s also have a ton of cat food products to choose from too.  So how do you begin to make a choice?

Not only are there many, many brands, but do you feed your cat, a vegan cat food or homemade cat food ?  What food do you feed your dogs?  Do you choose hypoallergenic dog food to deal with pet allergies or make them home made dog food maybe even try out a BARF diet?  How about brands of all natural dog food, high fiber dog food or vegetarian pet food?  So what is the best pet food for your furry baby?

The bottom line is we all want to feed our pets the best foods to enhance their health, happiness and longevity.  Pick the wrong food and it can adversely affect your beloved pet’s health.   As pet owners we are concerned about optimal nutrition for our pets, but the reality is that economics also plays a part in the choices we make regarding the food we buy.

Considerations like genetically engineered food, by-products, fillers, chemicals, tainted foods, etc. and their role in our pet’s health all cause concern.  Now add to that list the controversy of ‘cloned meats,’ it is enough to send your head spinning.  Nowadays, pet owners are seriously questioning if the food they are feeding their pets is even fit for their pet to eat or even worse is it harming their pet.

Depending on your budget and time constraints pet foods can be obtained from supermarkets, veterinary offices, online or can be homemade - either cooked or BARF dog food.  But remember, that ‘economy’ or ‘budget’ pet food brands tend to have less quality ingredients and more fillers - you get what you pay for.

Ingredients to look for and to avoid in your Pet’s Food

More and more Vets are beginning to recognize that nutrition actually improves and eliminates disease just as in their human counterparts.  So remember, the better food you feed your dog or cat, the better their health will be and the less time and money you will spend going to the Vet’s office and dealing with health issues - so spend now on better food, to save later on Vet bills.

Ingredients to look for in Your Pet’s Food

1. Look for pet foods that contain high digestible quality meats – human grade is better.  The term ‘human grade’ means that the product has gone through a series of trials and tests that AAFC officiates. If a product doesn’t pass ALL of these tests and trials it is illegal to put the term “human-grade” on the bag.
2. Animal protein sources that are hormone-free and antibiotic-free.
3. Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil, flax seed, pumpkin seed or soybean oil, provides healthy skin/coat support.
4. Omega 6 fatty acids derived from sunflower oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant seed oil.  Sources of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids may address specific health concerns. Research to make sure the issue you are addressing is supported by that particular source.
5. Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Joint Health and is important in older/senior pets or dogs and cats with joint issues.
6. L-Carnitine and Taurine support good heart health.
7. Fruits and vegetables provide beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Look for foods that include organic carrots, broccoli, green beans, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, apples, blue berries, cantaloupe and watermelon.
8. Enzymes assist in the absorption of digestive nutrition.
9. Whole grains - if you must feed your pets foods that contain grains, look for whole grain products like; rolled oats, barley, quinoa, millet, and brown rice. These whole grain products (when used in the proper percentages) supplies fiber, vitamins and minerals.
10. Probiotics helps to maintain a sound immune system.
11. Upgrade to ‘holistic’ labeled pet foods, they are more natural and nutritious.

See our listing of recommended Dog Food Brands

This is not a complete list and diligent research should be done to verify what is best for your pet and which foods or ingredients best fits your pet’s needs.

Is my food harming me?

Nutritional Pet foods Should NOT Contain:

1. Meat By-Products – meat by-products are commonly food animals that have been rejected for human consumption because they were dead, diseased, disabled or dying. The by-product is derived from animals, the non-rendered clean parts that are other than meat. May include but not limited to; blood, bone, brain, fatty tissue - partially defatted at a low temperature, intestines, livers, lungs, kidneys, spleen. It should not include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs. As such, meat by- products can be different from batch to batch.
2. Rendered Animal Fats – Rendered animal tissue derived from common animal sources like beef, pork, poultry and sheep can come from slaughterhouses, restaurant grease, butcher shop trimmings, expired meat from grocery stores, carcasses of dead and euthanized animals from shelters, farms, veterinarians, zoos, etc. Rendered animal tissue can include bones, fatty tissue and offal (the entrails and internal organs).
3. Meat Meal – contains parts of the animal not fit for human consumption. Fats and water are removed from the meat by a heat process to produce the meal.
4. Artificial Preservatives – Including BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butyhlated hydroxytoluene) Ethoxyquin which are used as stabilizers to keep the food from spoiling. BHA & BHT do not have to be mentioned as being utilized in food preservation. Look for foods that contain mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid (Vitamins E & C) as stabilizers or used as a preservatives.
5. Added Sugar and Sweeteners – Sugar, sucrose, glycyrrhizin and corn syrup are usually added to make a pet food more appealing and appetizing.
6. Artificial Flavors, Colors or Dyes – Artificial flavors are used to enhance the appeal of unappealing pet food. Artificial colors and dyes are used to enhance the appearance of pet food for pet owners. To make the dog or cat food look more ‘meaty’ in color and appearance. Some coloring agents have been linked to health problems. In general coloring agents, artificial flavors and dyes should be avoided as they add not nutritional value and may cause health issues.
7. Salt – used as a preservative, salt adversely affects animals just as in human counterparts.

Other Questionable Ingredients:

• Corn - can cause allergic reactions in certain pets. Used as a cheap filler. Watch the label for corn meal, corn gluten, corn syrup.
• Wheat - wheat or gluten was a source of recent contamination by melamine which caused severe illness and death in numerous pets. As carnivores, wheat or gluten is not a natural substance found in the diets of wild dog and cat. Dogs and cats systems are not equip to process plant proteins like glutens. Wheat and gluten ingestion has been linked to allergies and other health concerns.
• Raisins and grapes, Onions, walnuts, and macadamia nuts – contain substances that can be toxic to your pet and should be avoided.

See our listing of recommended Dog Food Brands

This is not a complete list and diligent research should be done to verify what is best for your pet and which foods or ingredients best fits your pet’s needs.

As with any product you give your pet, you should consult your Vet and do stringent research to make sure your pet’s specific nutritional and health needs are being met.

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