Are You Buying Your Pet Food Based On Your Needs Or Your Pet’s Needs?

Our pets provide us with something that makes the world a better place, Unconditional Love! They show us their love despite our imperfections and shortcomings. Medical studies have shown the positive health benefits these animals have on our lives. Yet when it is time to buy a bag of pet food, decisions are sometimes made not on the basis of our pet’s health needs, but our needs. 

Whether it is for economic reasons or mere convenience, our pets sometimes get the short end of the stick. Because they appear healthy, we rationalize buying that 40lb bag for $19.95 at the local mega discount store. Unfortunately, these foods have very little nutritional benefits and it is just a matter of time before health problems occur. In human terms, this would be like feeding our children a fast food meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday and expecting them to become a healthy adult down the road. 

Sometimes people buy their pet food based on where they do their normal grocery shopping.  This may save a little time for the pet owner, but does it benefit the needs of the pet? The bottom line is that your dog or cat deserves quality pet food.  You owe it to your pet to take the time to buy food based on actual dietary needs, like you would do for any member of the family.

To save money, 4-D meats (dead, dying, diseased or disabled animals) are commonly used in pet foods.  As disgusting as this sounds, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the quality of pet food ingredients.  So when choosing a pet food based on your pet’s needs please investigate the following:

-Do they use Grade A or B (human grade meat)?
-Does it contain Omega 3-6 fatty acids?
-Is it free from fillers and by-products?
-Is it naturally preserved and fortified with essential vitamins or minerals?
-Many companies claim “healthy ingredients” but can they prove it?

Fresh, wholesome ingredients are important to your pet’s health and the diet’s flavor.  There should not be an unpleasant odor when the bag is first opened or within 45 days of feeding from the same bag.  If there is an unpleasant odor, this indicates that rancid or moldy grains, and/or fats and decaying or putrid meats were used to manufacture the product.  

Fresh, healthy food smells and tastes like recently prepared meals. Many owners believe their animals have lost their appetite for a particular product, when in fact, the pet turns away after being offered the food for a few weeks because the diet was not very tasty to begin with and now is simply inedible.  The owner changes brands which work initially, until that particular product is no longer fresh and tasty.

The next time your reach for that bag of pet food, ask yourself whether you are buying it for your needs or your pet’s.  Keeping our furry friends around little longer keeps us happy and makes the world a better place. 

If you would like information on the ingredients of your current pet food please visit LoveYourPetLonger.com or email us at support@LoveYourPetLonger.com