With so many options available, selecting the best food for your pet is very difficult. It is crucial to keep in mind that each pet is unique and has a wide range of nutritional requirements. Because veterinary brands have undergone thorough testing and study, the majority of veterinarians promote them. This article will discuss the nutritional requirements of pets and the pet food recommended by vets.
Why to use pet food recommended by vets?
Vets frequently recommend veterinary-brand feeds like Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canine, and Hill’s. These pet food brands make significant investments in research and development to guarantee that their food products fulfill pets’ strictest dietary requirements. To guarantee safety and effectiveness, they conduct extensive testing and formulate their foods using the most recent scientific discoveries.
Since these companies conducted in-depth testing and studies of their food on pets, vets have trust in them. In these conditions, pet food recommended by vets is the best choice to use;
Food allergies
Animals with food allergies or sensitivities require hypoallergenic diets, these diets are less prone to cause food allergies.
These foods contain new proteins (from animal sources like deer or alligator) that the animal has never been exposed to, thus decreasing the chance of developing an allergic reaction.
Diabetes
Diabetic animals need food that helps control their blood sugar level more effectively, so pet food recommended by vets has high fiber content, and low levels of easily digestible CHO are preferable.
Urinary tract problems
Pets with urinary tract issues like the fast formation of extremely painful stones in UT need a customized pet food recommended by vets with low levels of minerals and acid/base balance.
Kansas state pet food recommendations
Vets of Kansas State University always recommend checking the food label carefully before using it with your pets. Vets advise pet owners to check the ingredients mentioned on the label and read it carefully to see if they suit their pets’ health condition or not. But some labels can be deceptive. According to the vets of Kansas State University’s recommendations, some ingredients that should be avoided by pet owners in choosing their pets’ food;
- Flaxseed in cats’ diet products may be added as a source of omega-3; cats can’t make use of these flaxseeds.
- Onions and garlic have destructive effects on the red blood cells in felines and canines, leading to anemia and, eventually, toxicity in the pet in the long term.
- Unusual ingredients like kangaroo or other exotic animal meat or lentils; these ingredients are not well studied and their nutritional value and interaction with other nutrients are not studied enough to be added to pets’ food.
- Grain-free food is preferred by a lot of pet owners although grains are not a popular cause of food allergies in pets especially dogs as their digestive system now can efficiently digest grains and also grains are considered a good source of protein & CHO. So if your pet is not suffering from grain allergy, using grain-free pet foods is not healthier than those containing grains and it is not a pet food recommended by vets.
The label of pet food recommended by vets must include a statement saying “complete and balanced, AAFCO statement; this product meets the requirement”, make sure to double-check the chosen food meets the requirements of the current life stage of the animal “adults or puppies”.
Good nutritious pet food for puppies recommended
A balanced mix of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals should be included in a puppy’s meals during the first growth stage of life to support healthy consistent growth, immune system function support, and homogenous skeletal development.
Puppy food is more nutrient-dense than adult maintenance food to meet the puppy’s increased nutrient needs as they grow.
The pet owner should take into account many factors before choosing their pet’s food. Among those factors are; the pet’s current size and expected-to-reach size, the breeds (small or large breed), and the pet’s age to match the pet food recommended by vets
pet foods recommended by Nzymes
Nzymes recommend meals that fit the healthy requirements of pets. High-quality standards are used in the formulation of pet food recommended by vets
This indicates many things;
- They are “meat-based”, and avoid using any type of by-product meat
- They are more beneficial, balanced, and nutritious.
- They mainly add vitamins and minerals supplements that improve the absorption by the pet’s body.
- Stay away from high-glycemic carbs to prevent a fast sugar rush.
Pet food sugar level is a major concern. Additionally, sugar worsens inflammation, which is the main cause of most canine health problems, particularly arthritis and itchy dog skin problems.
Many commercial pet foods available in local markets and discount stores contain carbohydrates with high glycemic index, producing high sugar amounts upon consumption, and do not match the criteria of pet food recommended by vets.
Carefully check the ingredients of the meal mentioned on the label, and if you see one of those foods, “sweet potatoes, corn, wheat, potatoes, or any gluten-containing food,” you need to change this food for sure.
Pet cat food recommendations
Cats need a good balanced diet plan to have a healthy long life with no health issues. Cats mainly depend on animal products to get the needed nutrients like most carnivores. Cats as hunters used to eat prey with high protein and moderate amounts of fat with low CHO and so that’s provided in pet food recommended by vets.
Cats also need daily supplements of minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids. If you give your cat a whole balanced meal, you don’t have to add minerals and vitamin supplements as more of them don’t necessarily mean better but can be harmful if taken without vet consultation.
Types of commercial cat food
Cat food comes in many shapes: kibbles, “dry”, canned, or semisolid. It differs in nutritional value, protein content, fat & CHO content, caloric density, and digestibility.
Dry food contains 6-10% water. The ingredients are mixed, dried out, and shaped into small pieces that may be coated by animal fat as a flavor enhancer. It may contain;
- Meat or meat by-product.
- Chicken or chicken by-product.
- Fibers.
- Fish meal.
- Vitamins and minerals.
Dry food may be less palatable to cats than moist food. Pet owners must be careful to choose the right dry food, especially when the cat has urinary stones, so it doesn’t worsen the pet’s condition. Kibbles are not a pet food recommended by vets in this condition. It must be stored in a dry and cool spot.
Semi-moist food contains nearly 35% water and consists primarily of meat and meat by-products with the addition of soybeans, cereals, and grains. It is more tasty than kibble food for cats.
Canned food consists of at least 75% water, so it is considered a good source of water. It is more expensive and palatable than dry food for cats. It can last for a long time if unopened, but if used the rest of it should be stored in the refrigerator so it is not spoiled.
WSAVA global nutrition committee recommendations on selecting pet foods
Pet food labels contain a lot of useful information that should be carefully read before being selected and bought. Labels contain nutritional information and marketing phrases as well. So when “premium” or “holistic” phrases are seen, they may not be useful for nutritional assessment. It would be great to know the pet food recommended by vets that are suitable for your pet.
WSAVA criteria to look for in a brand
- If they have a nutritionist in their staff with high certification from a veterinary college or PhD holder in animal nutrition.
- Who makes the diet formula; is it developed by a vet, pet owner, breeder or trainer, or experienced formulator with MS or PhD in animal nutrition? Is it pet food recommended by vets?
- Trained and experienced formulators have enough knowledge of the nutritional requirements of a pet (dog or cat), how to formulate it from raw materials, and the complex process of developing a balanced meal.
- The quality control strategies applied from raw materials to the final products. The formulated recipes should match the AAFCO guidelines. The quality control should be applied to the ingredients (food and additives), nutrient analysis of the final product, toxins and bacterial analysis, and packaging quality to ensure the pet and owner’s safety.
- The number of research and studies conducted on nutrition and products proves the company’s commitment to developing a good diet for the pet.
WSAVA criteria to look in a label
- Comment on nutrition value; the label must mention if this meal is complete and contains the needed nutrients. And if life-stage feeding trials or nutrient requirements are used to formulate it. If it is noted that this diet is complementary or short-term, it should be used beside the real main diet in a small portion(~10%).
- Do the nutritional values in this diet meet the nutritional requirements in the pet food recommended by vets and AAFCO for both cats and dogs in different life stages ( growth, reproduction, maintenance)? If the product is labeled as (all life stages), it means this meal is for reproduction and growth life stages.
- The amount of calories per gram in the served meal to avoid obesity and overfeeding.
- The contact information of the company should be provided on the label.
Gary Richter’s pet food recommendations
Dr. Gary Richter always mentioned the danger of canned and dried pet food and the bad effects of regular use of it.
What you feed your pet could be the reason for having a healthy long life or having diseases like; arthritis, allergies, heart & kidney diseases, or even cancer just like humans.
He also stated that canned and dry foods are very processed foods that have various hazardous inflammatory effects on pets unless it is pet food recommended by vets.
On the other hand, using a natural diet helps the animal to have a healthier coat and good digestion, the animal is energetic, and less occurrence of GIT and allergy problems.
Is Hills a vet-recommended brand of pet food
Hills is a well-known brand of pet food recommended by vets that provides superb formulas for dogs of all sizes, ages, and conditions.
In addition to meeting the dog’s nutritional requirements, Hills’ Science Diet Dog Food has various health advantages such as boosting immunity, supplying antioxidants, and being preservatives-free.
They ensure that the ingredients they use are of the highest quality by putting them in strict safety inspections.
The protein sources they use are lamb and chicken. The formula of puppy food is similar to that of adult dog food but higher in protein and fat to help the growth process.
Do vets recommend Vitakraft pet food?
Vitakraft is an international pet food brand that offers a high diversity of tasty food and treats for pets. Dietary ideas emerged from scientific research conducted on various animals spp and breeds (dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, birds,…etc).
They provide innovative, high-quality, and natural requirements-based formulations and products so they are considered pet food recommended by vets.
PETA-recommended dog food
PETA is an abbreviation for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and it is an international nonprofit vegan animal food brand that doesn’t use any animal source in their food formula. They deeply work on developing very delicious nutritious plant-based formulas.
Their research is not conducted on animals as they were first found to defend animal rights. They believe that animals are not for experiments, eating, wearing, entertainment, or abuse.
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