food for healthy dogs and cats

No single ingredient should be labeled good or bad for your pet. It’s important that any exclusions of grains, meats, or specific nutritional contents be discussed with your veterinarian.

The term organic refers to methods used to grow crops and raise livestock, and there are several guidelines set and supported by the USDA. However, there currently aren’t organic pet food standards or official oversight like there is for human consumption products.

Organic food also doesn’t necessarily have more nutrition than conventional foods, so when evaluating organic pet foods, the label should be checked to see if all or only some of the ingredients are labeled as organic.

Many pets eat a combination of wet and dry food.  It is important to maintain hygiene practices when feeding your pet wet food, as it does require washing dishes after every meal.  There are benefits to canned food like added water content and increased palatability.  However, wet food can cause some pets to have gastrointestinal upset.

So, just like all food, speak to your vet before changing or adding new foods.

Quality healthy pet food has a scientifically balanced ratio of ingredients that deliver key nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, and more. Nutrition is important in every pet’s diet because it literally sustains life.

These days, the options for pet food diets are nearly endless. The most common types are dry kibble or wet food. However, there are also raw diets, dehydrated diets, semi-moist diets, homecooked fresh diets, and more. Talk to your vet to find out what’s best for your furry pal.