Today we’ll dive a little further into pet nutrition. Now that we’ve discussed measuring food portions for your animals, deciding what to feed your pet is equally important.

Cooking for your pet
Many animal-lovers have started to cook pet food, especially when several popular brands of food were recalled earlier this year. This is definitely the easiest way to keep track of what goes into your dog or cat’s system (aside from the odd book they find laying around, but sometimes you just can’t prevent the odd isolated incident). Some experts warn, however, that when cooking for your pet, you may be unintentionally excluding nutrients your pet needs. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals lists the top six nutrients your pets needs as water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. If you are more comfortable feeding your pet food you have prepared yourself as opposed to the store-bought options, make sure to find recipes that include all of the above nutrients and talk with your vet about the healthy amount of each nutrient your animal requires.

All Natural Pet food
If you barely have time to make yourself dinner, let alone cook for your pet, your best option may be choosing natural pet food options. Several companies now make food and treats that contain the nutrients your pet needs but with no preservatives added, however you will usually have to shop around at a few pet stores to find it. It may be worth it though when you consider that during the period when countless cans of pet food were being recalled, I paid a visit to my pet store – considered “higher end” because they don’t carry the brands you would find at the local supermarket. Not one of the product lines sold in the store had been included in the recall. This served as confirmation the food I give my dog was lacking a harmful ingredient – likely a filler of wheat gluten or rice protein concentrate) that some of the most popular brands contained.

Consult your vet to determine the type of food that is best suited to your pet’s needs (some may need more protein and less grains for example) and ask if they have any recommendations of premium pet food. And before you buy, examine the ingredient list to determine what the food actually contains. I can’t say enough good things about the Natura Evo line of pet food. I actually recognize most of the items on the ingredient list – chicken, lamb, beef, egg, apples, carrots to name a few. This is part of Natura’s policy to only include ingredients the owners would eat themselves.

Raw Food Diet
Though some pet owners swear this diet will strength an animal’s immune systems, the ASPCA and most vets highly advise against it. Raw chicken or beef are not what your pet would eat if they were in the wild, and raw poultry contains additional risks of illness. While salmonella is not considered as detrimental to animals as it can be to humans, it can still be harmful. Add in the risk of your pet choking on bones or a bone splintering and blocking the digestive tract, and this diet doesn’t seem to offer many benefits that can outweigh the negatives.

Above all, keep in mind that your pet is unique and there is not one simple answer that will produce the same results in all animals. I know I sound like a broken record, but I figure if I say consult your vet enough, the point will really be driven  home. They are the experts after all and if you disagree with what they have to say, you can always seek a second opinion. They’ve probably worked with their fair share of animals and (hopefully) are educated in the subject manner; therefore they are your best resource for information and advice.

» ASPCA (Official Site)