Feeding your pet cheap food is just like you eating fast food for every meal. It’s not a balanced diet, it contains too many bad ingredients and your health will suffer over time. This is the same for your dog, feeding them cheap pet food can affect their teeth, coat quality and overall health.
The pet food industry does not have adequate food package label requirements and therefore labels can be deceptive, or plain misleading. Statements such as ‘100% Balanced and Complete’, ‘Contains Beef and Vegetables’ or ‘Grain free’ may sound good, but are they really, and does it mean the best for your pet? At times the answer is no.
One example is protein, a building block essential for many functions in your pet’s body, such as building muscle. It’s not only the overall levels of protein but the type of protein that can affect how it is metabolised—or broken down—and used in the body. Some types are indigestible, or of lower quality, even thought the overall percentages used in the food is quite high. Did you know dogs and cats have a very different requirement for protein percentages and types? Better quality foods will get this right, does your current food?
Take the statement; “With Beef and Vegetables”. You wouldn’t be wrong if you thought the main ingredients were in fact beef and veggies, and it sounds pretty nutritious, right? However, on closer inspection of the ingredients the manufacturer may state something like; “Meal derived from beef, chicken, lamb or pork”. So really the pack should say “With any meat we can get and maybe some veggies if you’re lucky”
Producing high quality food does come at a cost and this is reflected in the higher price of a bag of premium food. However, wouldn’t you be happy knowing you’re getting the best diet for your pet? Unfortunately, some of the most popular and trusted budget brands use ingredients that merely meet the minimum requirements for an average dog or cat. Is your dog an average dog? What is an average dog?
Simply, the more you pay for your dog food, the more you can rely on the integrity of the manufacturer, the quality of the ingredients and the investment in your pet’s long term health.
At MyPetZone we recommend feeding your dog and cat super-premium food. The more dry food, the better your pet’s teeth will be long term. See our range for the best food for your pet, because we know how special they are.