Good Quality Pet Food: what to look for when it comes down to it
When you have a pet, it’s normal to worry about providing them with a good quality of life. There are many factors you need to take into account when it comes to taking care of them. Among them, without a doubt, is the type of food you feed your pet. Therefore, today in this article, you can learn how to recognize good quality pet food.
Your pet is what they eat
Beyond the type of food — homemade or store-bought — that you pick out for your pet, it’s important to provide them with a balanced diet. Their diet should be appropriate for their age and any particular trait: size, amount of exercise, any diseases, etc.
In any case, your dog or cat has their own way of telling you they’re getting enough nutrients from their food. An animal that is eating properly will appear to be healthy and happy.
Therefore, a pet that’s eating a good quality pet food that meets all of their nutritional needs will have the following:
- A lively and cheerful appearance
- Enough energy to play and go out for walks
- Soft and shiny coat
- Firm stools that are small and not too smelly
For your furry companion to be happy and healthy, you’ll to provide them with good quality food, along with other components of a happy life. Therefore, you need to learn to recognize good pet food.
Look at the ingredients
Your pet is the best judge of their own food. However, if you decide to go with store-bought food and want to change brands, you can take a look at the following advice on buying food or canned food.
The pet products industry is a big business and everyone knows that not everything that glitters is gold. Therefore, you need to beware of ingredients listed on the label to find out which one’s veterinarians and animal nutrition specialists consider not to be healthy.
Although you might believe what the package says is true because it has been verified by state-controlled agencies. However, when it comes to your pet’s health you can never be too cautious.
Good pet food
So, what is the most suitable composition for good quality pet food? Let’s start with the essentials: Cats and dogs are, mainly, carnivores. For this reason, their diet should be mainly based on animal protein.
Therefore, you need to choose dry or wet food that, according to their labels, prioritize ingredients such as beef, chicken, pork, or lamb. It’s important to specify what type of meat was used and how it was processed: concentrated, dehydrated, etc.
Keep in mind that it’s a good idea to avoid pet foods that use animal proteins in powder form. Likewise, you should definitely avoid ones that use them as by-products. Carbohydrates are not essential for a pet’s diet. A good quality pet food will not feature carbs as a main ingredient.
There are also cereals, both in form of grains and flour. While these can provide protein, they are not the proteins dogs and cats need. Usually, rice seems to be the most recommended ingredient.
What else to look for on the package
In addition to protein, good quality pet food should contain lipids in the form of animal fats and vegetable or fish oils. Of course, they should also have the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals. Regardless, you can always consult with a specialist for specific requirements for your pet.
Fiber is important for the proper functioning of the intestinal tract. The best sources of fiber are found in pulp made from beets, tomatoes, and apples.
If you have cats, also make sure that the food you buy has taurine. This is an essential amino acid that felines are not able to synthesize by themselves in the amount that they require. Food that’s lacking taurine can cause blindness or heart problems.