Does the quality of your pet’s food matter to you? It should. Just like what we put into our mouths and stomachs determine our overall health, the same is true of our pets. What we feed them matters. If people tried to live on potato chips, cookies, and cupcakes, our health would be negatively affected in many ways. What our pets digest can also negatively, or positively, impact their health.
 
Obesity and cancer are two major health concerns in both humans and pets. Therefore, both species need proper nutrition to combat these, and other, health issues. According to the Pet Nutrition Alliance, our pets “need over 30 essential nutrients including protein, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals.” Even though their needs are the same, dogs and cats have different nutrient requirements.
 
There are many and varied pet foods on the market. Some are less expensive but also possess the least amount of quality nutrition. Ingredients such as corn and wheat have become less acceptable due to several factors, including that, in the wild, canines and felines don’t eat such products. Coyotes, wolves, bobcats and cougars and carnivores; therefore, our dogs and cats require protein. Reading labels is an important way to know what’s in your pets’ food. For example, is the food comprised of meat or meat by-product? There’s a difference. According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials, meat is “the muscle tissue of the animal, but may include fat, gristle and other tissues normally accompanying the muscle, similar to what is sometimes seen in raw meat sold for human consumption,” and meat by-product is “the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially de-fatted low temperature fatty tissue and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents.”
 
How do you choose your pet’s food? If you don’t want to read hundreds of labels, or if you want a place to start, there are many online reviewing sites. One such site, PetFoodReviewer.com, started last year and doesn’t contain information on all dog and cat foods, but could be a good resource starting point. DogFoodAdvisor.com and DogFoodGuru.com are two other good sites to research. These sites also provide a listing of recalls. For cat food, check out Reviews.com, We’re All About Cats, and Catological. The American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) also maintains a list of pet food and treat recalls. Check their website to find out about any recalls: https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals/default.htm.
 
Nearly all experts tell us to not feed human food/table scraps to our pets. However, some people prefer to make their own pet food at home. Although that’s a subject for another newsletter, with Christmas on the horizon, there may be plenty of leftovers you’re not sure what to do with. The folks at Personal Creations, who shared a post last month, created a guide on using leftovers to create pet treats; in that guide, they also have a list of foods that are good for pets (such as pumpkin and turkey) and foods to avoid giving to pets (mushrooms, turkey skin, and onions). If you didn't see that publication previously, you can find it by clicking here: https://www.personalcreations.com/blog/thanksgiving-pets.
 
As you shop for your pets and for pet lovers on your Christmas list, look for nutritious foods and treats to keep your beloved animals healthy!
 
 
In related news, PetCo recently announced it will stop selling pet food and treats which contain artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Read more here: http://www.petproductnews.com/News/Petco-Plans-to-Stop-Selling-Food-and-Treats-with-Artificial-Ingredients/

I wrote a blog post earlier this year regarding keeping our pets healthy by feeding them quality food. Whether you’re just adopting a new pet or you have lived with your furry friend for many years, proper nutrition is a good way to ensure a healthy pet. Since that post back in January, I’ve been approached by a few pet food reviewing sites with added information; therefore, I’m re-posting part of that article and adding some information they provided.
 
Obesity in pets, like humans, is on the rise. Activity, or lack thereof, plays a role; so does food. Additionally, pet food and treat recalls are, sadly, very common. The ingredients in pet food has become more and more questionable, especially for products made outside of the United States; however, even pet food and treats made in the USA have problems. Purina, a well-known company based in St. Louis, Missouri, had a large class-action lawsuit brought against it in 2015, and Diamond, which has incorporated many small brands, experienced many recalls, including a large one in 2012. How can we as pet owners ensure our beloved animals are receiving quality nutrition? By reading research.
 
The website HerePup recently posted a review of dog food brands. The article includes other important, relevant information, such as what foods dogs should and should not eat, best types of foods for specific diets and health issues, and dog foods for specific dog breeds. You may find this information very helpful since the post is from earlier this month: https://herepup.com/dog-food/

In March 2017, Reviews.com updated a report from the previous year regarding dog food brands, interviewing pet owners and food researchers. In that report, they listed dog food brands that they believe provide the best nutrition and have the safest ingredients. Although lengthy, the report is filled with important information for dog owners. I discovered that a brand recommended by my veterinarian for my allergy-afflicted dog is NOT on the list; in fact, that brand, Royal Canin, was cut from the “good quality” list because of the ingredients. Other often vet-recommended foods, such as Hills Science Diet, was also on the “naughty list.” Two foods which are sold at one of my local pet supply stores, one at which I worked part-time several years ago, is on the “nice list;” those foods are Fromm and Nature’s Logic. I will likely explore these brands as options for my dog. Read the entire report at this website: http://www.reviews.com/dog-food/.
 
Reviews.com also produced an updated report regarding top-quality cat food. The researchers analyzed the ingredients of 1,700 cat food formulas and examined more than 100 brands. They came up with a list of top 10 cat foods, all from different companies. They eliminated foods with artificial ingredients, preservatives, and dyes. Once again, Royal Canin made the “naughty list” as did many others, including Natural Balance, Purina, Meow Mix, and Iams. Read this important report and learn what brands were given top ratings and why at this website: http://www.reviews.com/cat-food/.
 
Although many of the top brands of dog and cat food are higher priced than Purina or other grocery store-type foods, if your pet experiences health issues, such as kidney failure, due to ingredients in its food, what savings are you gaining should you incur high veterinary bills? Or worse, your pet dies?
 
Giving our pets quality nutrition is as important for their health as us eating good food is for our own health. Consider these reports and reviews to help you select the best food for your best furry friend!

A new year has dawned. Many people make resolutions at the start of the New Year; studies show that most will not continue after a few weeks or months. However, if we humans resolve to eat better and exercise more, perhaps if we engage our four-footed buddies as well, we could be more successful.
 
Obesity in pets, like humans, is on the rise. Activity, or lack thereof, plays a role; so does food. Additionally, pet food and treat recalls are, sadly, very common. The ingredients in pet food has become more and more questionable, especially for products made outside of the United States; however, even pet food and treats made in the USA have problems. Purina, a well-known company based in St. Louis, Missouri, had a large class-action lawsuit brought against it in 2015, and Diamond, which has incorporated many small brands, experienced many recalls, including a large one in 2012. How can we as pet owners ensure our beloved animals are receiving quality nutrition? By reading research.
 
In mid-November 2016, Reviews.com published a large report after studying many brands, interviewing pet owners and food researchers. In that report, they listed the top 10 dog food brands that they believe provide the best nutrition and have the safest ingredients. Although lengthy, the report is filled with important information for dog owners. I discovered that a brand recommended by my veterinarian for my allergy-afflicted dog is NOT on the list; in fact, that brand, Royal Canin, was cut from the “good quality” list because of the ingredients. Other often vet-recommended foods, such as Hills Science Diet, was also on the “naughty list” alongside Royal Canin. Two foods which are sold at one of my local pet supply stores, one at which I worked part-time several years ago, is on the “nice list;” those foods are Fromm and Nature’s Logic. I will likely explore these brands as options for my dog. Read the entire report, and learn which foods Reviews.com recommends and why at this website: http://www.reviews.com/dog-food/.
 
Reviews.com also produced a report last November regarding top-quality cat food. The researchers analyzed the ingredients of 1,700 cat food formulas and examined more than 100 brands. They came up with a list of top 10 cat foods, all from different companies. They eliminated foods with artificial ingredients, preservatives, and dyes. Once again, Royal Canin made the “naughty list” due to ingredients; so did Friskies and Fancy Feast. Nature’s Recipe, Meow Mix, Diamond, and others also made the “naughty list” due to numerous recalls and low-quality ingredients. Read this important report and learn what brands were given top ratings and why at this website: http://www.reviews.com/cat-food/.
 
Although many of the top brands of dog and cat food are higher priced than Purina or other grocery store-type foods, if your pet experiences health issues, such as kidney failure, due to ingredients in its food, what savings are you gaining should you incur high veterinary bills? Or worse, your pet dies?
 
Taking care of ourselves with proper nutrition in this new year is a good goal, especially if we also resolve to take better care of our beloved furry friends with better nutrition.