There is a growing desire to learn more about healthy eating, but what works for people doesn’t necessarily work for pets. Here are some common myths about feeding our animal friend
1. My pet can survive on table-scraps
Dogs and cats have different nutritional needs than people. It’s okay to occasionally feed your pet leftovers from healthy foods like meat and vegetables, but avoid giving your animal highly-processed foods loaded with sugars and fats.
2. Too much pet food contains corn as filler
Corn can actually be a good addition to a pet’s diet. It is a source for several useful nutrients such as essential fatty acids, carbohydrates and proteins.
3. All commercial pet food is bad
While some brands of pet food may be inferior to others, members of the Pet Food Association of Canada undertake a lot of scientific research in order to design products that are 100% complete and balanced. They also accurately label their products, so take the time to read the ingredients list to know what you are buying. Find out more at http://pfac.com/
4. If I follow a vegetarian diet, so can my cat or dog
Dogs are non-obligate carnivores. The bulk of their diet should consist of protein from animal sources, however they can thrive off of and often enjoy plant-based proteins, fruits and vegetables. Cats on the other hand are obligate (by necessity) carnivores and need animal protein to survive.
5. Grain-free foods are best for my pet
In some cases, pets can develop allergies to grains, but for most animals, grains can be a useful source of nutrients that pose no health problems.
6. It’s okay to feed my pet only dry food
While dry and wet foods are nutritionally complete and balanced, a regular diet of both types of food for dogs and cats is the best way to keep pets healthy. Each offers unique and complementary health benefits. For more information, visit petmixedfeeding.ca
7. I avoid feeding my pet anything containing too much fat
We often project our human preferences and dietary needs on our pets and think of fat as bad, but dogs and cats aren’t as susceptible to cardiac diseases as humans and are better adapted at digesting all types of fats.
8. Raw foods are best for pets
Raw food diets emulate what animals ate before commercial pet foods were created. They can be an alternative for pet owners, but it’s difficult to know whether your animal is getting all of the nutrients it needs. Store-bought pet foods are formulated to provide a complete and balanced diet.
9. Dry pet foods won’t keep your pet’s teeth clean
The crunchy texture of dry pet food can help maintain good oral health due to mechanical abrasion, but some are more effective than others. Look for pet foods that are specifically designed to help clean teeth.
10. Avoid pet foods with meat by-products
A meat by-product simply describes any part of an animal that isn’t muscle meat. Would a wolf or a lion pass up any part of an animal to eat? There are plenty of nutrients in the meat by-products found in store-bought pet foods.
