Most pet owners don't understand pet food ingredients
By By Laurie Denger
Staff Writer
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Since my dalmatian Daphne was diagnosed with severe kidney problems, I have been trying to find out all I can about her nutrition and what I should be feeding her.
Suddenly, or perhaps more accurately, since many cats and dogs were poisoned by contaminated pet foods a year ago, there is a lot of interest about what we feed our companions. Each day, it seems, I get information about companies providing healthy or organic or raw or frozen foods for pets.
A recent survey by Wellness brand of natural food and treats showed that only 38 percent of the people they questioned said they understand all the ingredients listed on dog or cat food labels.
They think they know what is in the food, but do they? The same survey said 91 percent of those cat and dog owners don't want their pets' food to contain ingredients that cause allergies or food intolerance. Another 66 percent want to only feed natural pet food.
Wellness advises some tips for pet owners looking for good pet nutrition. The ingredient should have:
Real meat as the first ingredient, not meat or poultry byproducts.
No commonly identified allergens (e.g. wheat, wheat gluten, soy).
No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Ingredients you recognize, like de-boned chicken, whole fish and wholesome fruits and vegetables.
Natura Pet Products, a company that bills itself as a "manufacturer of healthy pet food," has created Innova Flex, a canned dog and cat stew product that allows pet owners to feed their companions the food alone, mixed with dry food or with homemade pet food.
Each Innova Flex formula provides at least 125 percent of each essential nutrient's required level, according to company info. That's because when people add human or home-cooked food to pet food, it can lead to deficiencies. The company says adding chicken breast to commercial food, for example, can add protein and amino acids but could fill up the animal with protein and not enough other minerals and vitamins.
Natura has developed a feeding calculator that makes recommendations about adding human food to a pet's diet, allowing pet owners to select food and combine it with Innova Flex, dry or wet food and take into consideration the pet's age, weight and body condition.
For more information, visit innovapet.com/flex or www.naturapet.com.
And then there's Halo Purely for Pets, founded by Andi Brown, who discovered first-hand how making nutritional changes can make a difference. Her cat, Spot, had digestive issues and skin irritations until she replaced her "premium" cat food with natural ingredients, now known as "Spot's Stew" and formed her company.
The pet food is available across the nation in specialty stores, and major retail outlets. Visit www.halopets.com for more information.
And The Honest Kitchen is another company that makes nourishing products they describe as 100 percent natural, made with love and, surprise, dehydrated. The food comes in dry form that can be mixed with warm water and other ingredients like vegetables, cooked meats, fruit or raw meaty bones.
Founder Lucy Postins believes that pets deserve the same quality food as their owners so they use 100 percent human grade ingredients, which retain their color even when dehydrated. They contain no byproducts, added salt or sugar, chemical preservatives, artificial color or flavor and no beet pulp, rice, wheat, corn or soy — common allergens for dogs that cause skin, ear and hair loss problems.
For more information, call (866) 4-DRY-RAW or visit www.thehonestkitchen.com.
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