Choosing your dog food
Choosing your dog's food is probably the most challenging thing to do. Yes, we know, as we are dog owners too. With so many choices in the market now, we keep asking ourselves, what food is best for my dog? Are they nutritious and healthy? Food that works well for one dog might not necessarily work for the other.
We have listed some general dog food considerations that may help your decision.
We have listed some general dog food considerations that may help your decision.
Whole Meat
Choose food with quality whole meat like chicken breast or beef shank as the first listed ingredient instead of unlabelled or poorly identified "meat meals". Chances are these foods contain unwanted meat from many types of animals.
By-Products
Animal by-products are unused parts of the animal carcass after all the meat and bones are taken. They are often cheaply sourced. However, not all by-products are bad. Organ meats are considered by-products which are healthy ingredients in pet food.
Choose foods that use named animal parts like liver or lung instead of unnamed "by-products".
Choose foods that use named animal parts like liver or lung instead of unnamed "by-products".
Vegetables
Dogs are omnivores, so they can eat a wide variety of foods, not just meat. Feeding vegetables is a great way to keep your dog healthy. They are rich in fiber, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and phyto-nutrients not found in meat.
Artificial Additives
Artificial additives are commonly used to enhance the taste of the food when inferior quality ingredients are used. Foods with high-quality ingredients do not require artificial additives.
Artificial Preservatives
Chemical preservatives like BHA, BHT and TBHQ are widely used in dog food. These synthetic preservatives and cause serious health issues to your dog. The best way to avoid synthetic and artificial preservatives and chemicals in dog food is to feed your dog a fresh, whole food
Non-Meat Protein
Non-meat protein like soy is commonly used in many low-quality pet food. While it contains necessary amino acids, soy should not be one of the main ingredients as a protein percentage booster.
Salt
High-level salt is harmful to your dog. Manufacturers add excessive salt to pet food to enhance the taste. Too much salt can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, lethargy, incoordination, excessive thirst or urination.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian.