Pet Diets…. And why they are important.
THIS TOPIC.
*I'm a little harsh and very straight-forward with this discussion. Apologies.*
I hear so much from the internet about pet diets; raw diets, grain-free, etc.
Here is my professional opinion (and I personally know hundreds, if not thousands of other veterinary professionals who will agree.)
First and foremost if you're randomly seeing this blog, my name is Emily and I'm a RVT/LVT with 9 years in the industry.
I could probably have hundreds of articles and statistics thrown into this, but I will keep it simple.
Vegetarian Diet:
Your pet (dog or cat) is NOT supposed to be eating strictly grains, grass, vegetables or fruit.
They are primarily carnivores, hunters & gatherers. Google that term if you have questions. If you can't stand the thought of your beloved pet eating meat, adopt a rabbit!
Raw Diet
If you've spoken with a Veterinarian and KNOW all the supplements and nutrients your specific dog needs to have each and every day- go for it. It will be very tedious and pricey I will add.. Also the diet changes over time, therefore constant research, small tweaks and changing supplements are a must to keep your pet healthy and happy!
The down side to a raw diet- if there's any contamination during any part of the processing, handling and serving, your dog could get salmonella, E. coli or Listeria, which are life threatening bacterial infections and I have, unfortunately, witnessed several deaths due to this during my time in the ICU and ER.
I am all for the homemade diets…. cooked meats + veggies + grains + supplements your pet requires to stay healthy.. it’s hard work, pricey but very good! My dog Ollie gets a mix; I would say 85% of his diet is Purina Pro Plan dog food, and then he gets some cooked meats, veggies, yogurt, fruits as well… he would like to remind me that peanut butter is his favorite, so I will add that in haha!
Grain-Free Diet
This sounds pleasing and perfect for a carnivore, however, all the research and studies are showing it leads to heart disease in both cats and dogs... Now to make it complicated- we aren't for sure how this is happening, studies are supporting the idea that increased legumes in the diet are affecting the absorption and bodily utilization of essential nutrients, leading to cardiac disease...
Long story short, I lost my own sweet baby Chester, an allergy train wreck Shih-Tzu, due to this…..stay away from it!
Fancy Diets
Fancy diets are what I call the celebrity pet foods... Stay away.. Celebs don't know what they're talking about and like to think that they do. "Racheal Ray"... talk about the law suits and all the gastric discomfort we're treating in clinics... They also are getting bought from huge, gross companies, making a few marketing tweaks, adding in more preservative and fake foods….
Need I say more??
Cheap Diets
I get it, life is expensive, especially these days. Don't get a pet if you can't afford its food.
Cheap diets are full of fillers. It's the McDonalds version of dog food. The nutrients aren't in it or they're made to be in-absorbable by the body. If you're dog eats 4 cups of food a day and 3.75 cups come out the other end...that should tell you what you're doing to them. Now with veterinary grade foods, your dog eats 4 cups a day and 1 cup comes out the other end.. thats GOOD QUALITY food!
Looking at labels
Your top 5 ingredients should be EASILY IDENTIFIABLE PROTEINS! Proteins... not corn meal, wheat meal, etc. Look for chicken, beef, venison.. you can have chicken meal or other animal protein meals in the top 5 ingredients.. but make sure you can identify them.
Find the AAFCO statement on the package, this tells you there's good quality control and the research has been done on the food- guaranteeing its at least safe for your pet to consume.
Nutrients needs: Amino acids and taurine are HUGE. Your food must contain these.
Life Stages
Don't get a food that lists "for all life stages", that's not a thing guys! We don’t need the same calories our babies need, or what our parents/grandparents need… same thing goes for our pets!!
Puppy food is great for growing puppies, pregnant dogs or breastfeeding dogs. It contains higher levels of vitamins and supplements that help a pet "grow".
Adult food, it is what is says it is.
Geriatric/Senior food, just like humans, your dietary needs change a bit once you get older, so does your pets! These foods decrease what is no longer needed & what may cause age-related illness, while increasing certain nutrients that are vital to maintain a healthy geriatric lifestyle.
Brands I LOVE
Purina ProPlan (my favorite)
Purina One is decent if you truly cannot afford anything else.
Hill's Science Diet
Royal Canin
Iams is another okay-ish brand if you're financially concerned.
For cats, I was shocked when reading in depth studies about this food, but Meow Mix isn’t super awful…. not great but not bad!
Here's a good link covering more in depth over a good quality food:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/best-dog-food-choosing-whats-right-for-your-dog/
