Your pet is an extension of your family. He or she is your animal baby. Of course you want to make sure you know what is in their food. One of the most significant decisions you will make regarding your animal baby is what you will feed them.
Your pet’s diet may significantly influence both their short and long-term health. Of course you will take your pet for walks and make sure they get their well check ups. Apart from all of this, feeding your pet a healthy, balanced diet might help prevent them from getting sick and increase their overall well being.
Obviously, this process isn’t as straightforward as you may think. Its not like you can walk into the pet store or grocery store and grab a bag of kibble and call it a day. Both new and seasoned pet owners alike understand that deciding what to feed their pet and the way to best feed their pet may be challenging. How can you know what food is best for your pet?
Unfortunately, pets don’t have a food pyramid like adults do. This is why things are a bit more ambiguous when it comes to nutrition guidelines for pets. Here are some things to consider when picking food for your animal baby.
- Every pet has their individual dietary needs. It is not a one size fits all type of deal.
- The ingredients on the package aren’t as important as you think they are.
- Be cautious of buzzwords.
- The additives you think are bad aren’t really that scary.
- The words “meal” and “byproduct” do not necessarily mean fake food.
- “Human grade” isn’t necessarily superior.
- The serving size guidelines on the bag aren’t one-size-fits-all. Your pet maybe larger or smaller than the serving guideline.
- Keep dry food in its original container to maintain its freshness.
- put all opened wet food in the refrigerator.
- Pet food is best kept away from hot and cold temperatures. Inclement temperatures break down the pet food and make it go bad.
- When it comes time to feed your pets, handle with care. Just like you handle your own food with care. Handle your pets food with care. Wash your hands!
- Always try to use any open food as soon as you can. The longer it sits open, the more chances of bacteria growing on it.
- Do not feed your pet raw meat as pet food.
- Don’t give your pet any food that’s meant for a different animal. There is specific food for each animal. By giving the wrong food, your pet can get sick.
- If the food looks or smells unusual, you probably shouldn’t feed it to your pet.
- You should always report any unexpected food reactions to your vet and the FDA.
There is a lot to know about pet food. You should definitely follow the guidelines above. Also, get to know your pet and his or her needs. Another good idea is to visit a pet store to get familiar with all of the pet food available for your animal baby.
