As a veterinary clinic, one of the most common questions we receive is “What should I feed my pet?” There are so many pet food options on the market, and choosing a diet can seem overwhelming. Feeding our pets high-quality, balanced nutrition can have a significant impact on their overall health. As veterinary professionals, we want to guide you in making the best choice for your pet. Today, I wanted to outline a few of the factors that play into our decision.
The way we feed pets is very different from the way we eat, so making nutritional decisions for them is different too. Throughout our day, we make many decisions around which foods to consume. On average, our nutrient needs for things like vitamins, minerals, or protein will be met because we consume a wide variety of things. Our pets, however, typically get the majority of their nutrients from the same food every day. Because of this, pet food is designed to be “complete and balanced.” This means, when fed as at least 90% of your pet’s daily caloric intake, pet food will meet all their nutrient needs. All of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients required for a pet to be healthy are already included in their diet, in the right amounts and right proportions. For this reason, we typically do not recommend adding in extra vitamin or mineral supplements, as these are already included in their food. Additionally, we recommend not feeding more than 10% of their daily calories as treats or other unbalanced foods, as this can disrupt the nutrient balance already in their diet.
Because pets are getting the vast majority of their nutrition from a single source, it is very important that we choose a diet appropriate for them. When selecting a diet for a pet, we consider things such as age, weight, taste preferences, and other health concerns. For example, we would not want to feed a young puppy dog food for adult dogs, as it will not have the nutrients needed to support growth. Alternatively, we would not want to feed an overweight dog a puppy diet, as they tend to be much higher in calories.
Once we have decided on an appropriate diet type, we then consider the source of the food. Overall, we want to make sure the manufacturer of our pet’s food is meeting high standards. When evaluating pet food companies, we typically look for ongoing nutrition research and development, strict manufacturing and purity standards, and nutrition experts involved in the formulation, testing, and development of the food. We additionally like to see companies that are readily available to answer questions about their food, and share their research on formulations and diet trials. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has published a helpful set of guidelines for selecting a pet food that we have included below for more information. Additionally, there is a published review of pet food manufacturers put forward by an organization called the Pet Nutrition Alliance. Feel free to look up your pet’s diet, and see if they meet the standards we recommend.
https://petnutritionalliance.org/resources/pet-food-manufacturer-evaluation-report/
Feeding your pet is one of the most important things we can do for their health and longevity. We recommend working with a veterinarian to discuss the diet most appropriate for your pet. If you have any questions about your pet’s current diet or nutritional plan, please contact us for more information.