Pet Food Basics
With the vast selection of pet foods available both on store shelves and on the internet, it’s tough to choose the food that’s the best for your pet and your budget.
Read our list of FAQ’s and see if we can cover some pet food basics in choosing a great food for your pet:
Q. What is the reason in the price difference among pet food brands?
A. It’s a proven food industry fact that anything created from manmade chemicals and cheap by-products of other production or manufacturing operations will always cost less. For example, a Big Mac made from lots of chemicals and cheap processed meats and grains will always be cheaper than a real top round beef burger freshly made on a whole-grain bun. Which one will be a healthier food choice? It’s the same principal with pet foods.
All of the cheapest brands will include corn meal, wheat gluten, soy, and meat by-products (feet, feathers, hooves, hair and all the parts of the animal not fit for human consumption) as the main ingredients of the food, artificial colors by dye numbers, artificial flavors and toxic preservative chemicals like BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin. The cheaper ingredients are the reason for the cheaper price. Another determining factor is the processing method. There are many different processing methods that can be used; some are cheaper than others.
Q. Does taste really matter?
A. Most dog owners will attest to the fact that their dog will eat anything, but just because they would, doesn’t mean they should. That’s up to you whether you believe that food chemicals and additives are toxic to your pet. After all, we feed these to ourselves and our babies and children on a daily basis in the form of fast food, candy, junk food, soda, cigarettes and alcohol. So you need to decide whether that’s important to you.
Cat owners swear that their cats are “finicky” eaters, a term coined by the company that was addicting cats to its food with caffeine, at the exclusion on all other foods. Many, many companies make a huge assortment of flavors for all pets. Taste really only matters if your pet will not eat the food, in which case you’ll need to switch the taste. Don’t worry though, there’s no shortage of taste choices offered!
Q. What are the basic nutrition requirements of dogs and cats?
A. The basic nutrient requirements for pets are determined and measured by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and they include: water, protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. All dog foods on the market are inspected by these quality controls to ensure that they contain the basic nutritional elements required.
Many owners and manufacturers alike believe that dogs and cats emulate their wild cousins in nutritional needs for protein and fat from prey they would have killed and a mix of vegetation and grain they might acquire through assimilating that prey’s stomach contents. Aside from that, nutritional requirements can also change depending on the pet’s breed, size and life stage.
Q. What does “Easily Digestible” mean in terms of pet food?
A. Not all pet foods are created equal and the use of cheap ingredients can make the food hard for your pet to digest, so the nutrients are not absorbed into his system. For example, corn meal and the like only stand to fill up the kibble, but your pet’s stomach cannot break down grains the same way human systems cannot digest corn kernels. Chicken by-products fall into that same category as do preservatives and manmade chemicals. Your pet’s system has no use for these substances so all they create is more waste, gas and possibly digestive distress. Pet foods made without these wasteful ingredients will provide nutrients your pet’s system can easily absorb and use immediately for healthy body systems, skin and coat.
The basic mantra from FDA in choosing food for your pet is “read the label…read the label!”