Are you feeding your pet the right food?

Our pets are unlike us in that they eat the same thing day in and day out.  When you examine this fact, it seems quite apparent that the cat food or dog food we’re feeding out pets is either helping them live a long, healthy life or or making them very un-healthy.

Like many pet owners, we thought that giving our cats a certain premium brand of food was doing the best thing for their health.   After all, it was one of the highest priced pet foods on the market so it had to be the best, right?

Wrong!

The reality is, cost is only one small indication of quality.  In fact, some of the most nutritious pet food is extremely low in cost.   To find out if the food that you are feeding your pets is actually good for them, you have to understand which ingredients are nutritious and which ingredients are just ‘fillers’, or, as I refer to them – junk!

So go and get a bag of the pet food you’re presently giving to your pet and compare and contrast it with this list of what is good for your pet and what is not: 

• Protein: the primary source should come from quality animal protein, not a vegetable or grain.  Are there animal by-products used in the formula? If so, they may be inferior sources of protein and difficult to digest.
• Grains: grains like soy, corn, corn gluten and wheat gluten may be difficult to digest and can also cause allergies.   Rice has the tendency to be the most digestible, least allergy-inducing grain.
• Fats: Animal, not vegetable, fats tend to be the simplest for your pets to metabolize and absorb.
• Health-promoting ingredients: Vegetables, fiber, probiotics and minerals are all important ingredients that help keep your pet healthy and strong. Does your current brand of pet food contain any of them?

If your pet is experiencing any health issues – from loss of energy and vitality, to respiratory issues, to joint aches and pains or any other symptoms – DO NOT disregard the possibility that it may be caused by his food.   Just like an adjustment to your diet can improve your health, so can an adjustment to your pet’s food! But please don’t take my word for it…do your own research, educate yourself and try out different products (we use Life’s Abundance which has certainly  helped our pets look and feel great). 

The main thing is, your pet can’t go to the supermarket or pet store to buy his own food…he counts on you! Allow your pet to live his or her best life by picking out the right food and you’ll both be so much richer for it!