Ads, fake statements, colorful packages, perhaps that's what makes us buy a certain pet food, yet when it comes to a healthy choice, we need to look more carefully. A lot of pet foods, especially as dog and cat -claim to be real healthy. However, they may just be tricking you to buy their product.
Though pet food companies can over exaggerate, they cannot make fake claims about their food. This is thanks to the AAFCO or Association of American Feed Control Officials."The use of terms "all" or "100%" cannot be used if the product contains more than 1 ingredient, not including water," according to bornfeeusa.com. This means it cannot be labeled 100% chicken if it really isn't. Another regulation of the AAFCO, is that pet-food companies can't label their food "complete and balanced" if the food is not approved by them.
The AAFCO regulates the food, but it does not actually tell if the food is nutritional for your pet. So what you might like to do is simply pick a food approved by them, and make sure the food is appropriate for your pet's life stage.Another simple thing you can do is smell the dog food. If it has a pungent odor, it has been sprayed with fats not healthy for your pet. Probably the most important part of all, is to check the guaranteed analysis and see if it provides the amount of nutrient value your dog/cat needs according to breed, age, weight and other special needs.
So what is really in pet food? The most common ingredients are glucose, corn, preservatives and by-products. Corn is a filler protein source but may not be tolerated by some pets. Preservatives such as BHA and BHT are used to make the food last longer."Some consumers avoid them because they believe they're toxic", stated woodhavenlabs.com . These people usually try to substitute these with Vitamin E and C. By-products can sound gross, but can be real healthy for your pet. They consist of animal left-overs like spleen, lungs, intestines, brains, kidneys and liver.
Pet food can be a little complex, but with the help of the AAFCO, and some further research like contacting the food company or asking your vet for suggestions, you can choose the adequate food for your pet.
Though pet food companies can over exaggerate, they cannot make fake claims about their food. This is thanks to the AAFCO or Association of American Feed Control Officials."The use of terms "all" or "100%" cannot be used if the product contains more than 1 ingredient, not including water," according to bornfeeusa.com. This means it cannot be labeled 100% chicken if it really isn't. Another regulation of the AAFCO, is that pet-food companies can't label their food "complete and balanced" if the food is not approved by them.
The AAFCO regulates the food, but it does not actually tell if the food is nutritional for your pet. So what you might like to do is simply pick a food approved by them, and make sure the food is appropriate for your pet's life stage.Another simple thing you can do is smell the dog food. If it has a pungent odor, it has been sprayed with fats not healthy for your pet. Probably the most important part of all, is to check the guaranteed analysis and see if it provides the amount of nutrient value your dog/cat needs according to breed, age, weight and other special needs.
So what is really in pet food? The most common ingredients are glucose, corn, preservatives and by-products. Corn is a filler protein source but may not be tolerated by some pets. Preservatives such as BHA and BHT are used to make the food last longer."Some consumers avoid them because they believe they're toxic", stated woodhavenlabs.com . These people usually try to substitute these with Vitamin E and C. By-products can sound gross, but can be real healthy for your pet. They consist of animal left-overs like spleen, lungs, intestines, brains, kidneys and liver.
Pet food can be a little complex, but with the help of the AAFCO, and some further research like contacting the food company or asking your vet for suggestions, you can choose the adequate food for your pet.
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