Nutrition is an important and often overlooked area of pet care. In general, the better we eat, the healthier we are - and the same is true for our pets. If your pet is in overall good health, or is over/underweight, has poor skin and hair coat, or suffers from allergies, you may want to consider changing diets to a higher quality one. Ask any veterinarian - do they see less medical problems with pets being fed a high quality, premium diet? No doubt illness is avoided! Weight control, skin, hair coat, and allergies are often expensive to diagnose and by their very nature can be difficult to treat. Proper diet can make all the difference, so whether you are starting off with a new pet, or transitioning an existing one, make the switch to a premium diet - it's never too late!
Picking a diet can be difficult. There are many to choose from, many with catchy labels and claims of great nutritional content. Websites, salespeople, friends and family all give their suggestions. They share facts, information, and experiences - all with the best intentions for your pet. Honestly, many statements they say are true - but some are not, or are only partly true. In this world of instant information and sensational advertising, how do we choose what is best for our pets? Continue to be educated and informed about pet food, and proper nutrition. Consider your pet's individual needs, and always, always, always, consult with your veterinarian-they can offer a wealth of information, and their primary concern is your pet's health.
When researching pet food, there are so many variables to consider, choosing the one that is right for your pet can be a difficult decision. Some specific things to consider will make your choice much easier, including the background of the manufacturer, the balance of ingredients, and the quality of the processing. First, consider the maker of the diet. There are many reputable producers, so choose one that is well proven. We sell and recommend Hill's Science Diet and Prescription Diet. They are an excellent example of long standing, well proven, producers of pet food. There are other reputable diets out there, so choose wisely and seek the advice of your veterinarian. Secondly, think about the many different approaches to diet-carbs vs. no carbs, low-fat, high-protein, sugar-free, gluten-free, the possibilities can set your mind spinning! Most nutritionists would agree that in most cases, where there are no specific health restrictions, a healthy balanced diet, combined with exercise and proper rest, is the best medicine. If your pet is in overall good health, try to avoid the gimmicks and myths associated with diet and focus on a nutritionally balanced diet, in its least processed form. Corn or by-products are infamous examples of ingredients that have gotten a bad rap (they are a good source of nutrition and not the main cause of food allergies). Unfortunately people take these myths to heart. Ingredients and their balance and processing of them are also important. Some pet food companies can make ingredient claims, but questions that an informed consumer should ask are - are the ingredients a high quality, are they in good balance with your pet's individual needs, and is the method of processing a good one?
Another exciting move in pet food is adding certain modalities to enhance the diet. An example is Prescription Diet from Hill's; they offer prescription diets that can help your pet with certain diseases, from urinary, skin and hair coat, liver, teeth, joint and kidneys. Now a combination of these diets are placed together in one diet for optimum health called Healthy Advantage. This new trend is a great way to help and prevent disease. Ask your veterinarian what they think of this new trend, and if one of these foods could benefit your pet. Remember - listen to your veterinarian and become an informed consumer and pet owner - choose wisely - your pet's health depends on it!
No comments:
Post a Comment