As we all know, dogs will pretty much eat anything they can get their paws on – from trash on the sidewalk to scraps from your dinner table.
They’re not particular when it comes to food. So how can you tell if the food you’re buying for them is healthy?
The food that makes up a canine’s primary meals should have an AAFCO statement on the label that the product is “complete and balanced nutrition” or that it “meets the dietary levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.”
The FDA regulates all commercial pet food, so most items on store shelves are actually safe and nutritious.
However, it’s still important to check labels and do your research to make sure you’re feeding your dog the best possible food.
What you choose to feed your dog be it chicken, lamb, beef, or something else ultimately isn’t that important, says Sherry Sanderson, DVM, an academic administrator at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. In fact, they can eat most things without any issues.
Grains and cornmeal are common ingredients in commercial dog foods, and that’s perfectly fine, says Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, an associate professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. “Gluten-free diets might be trendy for people, but we rarely see dogs with gluten sensitivities.”
Be careful not to exclude results or grains from your buddy’s food. Chicken and meat results get negative criticism, on account of organizations that case “genuine chicken” or “genuine meat” fixings are better.
The expressions “side-effect” and “result feast” allude to ground-up pieces of the creature corpse, including bones and organs. However, they can be extremely nutritious, Sanderson says considerably more nutritious than the muscle meat that we, as people, appreciate.
Assuming you really do figure your buddy may be hypersensitive to something in their food, don’t make a finding yourself.
The best thing you could do is ask a medical professional or get a second opinion before you go ahead and make any changes to what your buddy is eating.
