Things to Remember When Purchasing a Food
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Always feed for ideal body weight- follow package guidelines based on ideal body weight if your pet is over- or under-weight.
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Select an appropriate food for your pet’s life stage and breed.
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Try to look past the graphics and marketing.
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Ingredient lists don’t tell the whole story.
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Don’t just evaluate cost per bag, consider cost per calorie. Some foods require that you feed a smaller amount. Sometimes, the more costly food saves you money in the long run, when fed in the appropriate amount.
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All foods have variable calories. Make sure to monitor body weight after changing foods.
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Check with your veterinarian before you purchase a product if your pet has special medical needs. Not all foods are ideal for diseases!
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Signs that a pet is doing well on a food include good coat quality, stable healthy body weight and enthusiasm for the food.
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While often helpful, pet store employees may not understand all your pet’s needs. Please understand that they do not have medical training and cannot make diagnoses or treatment plans.
Recommended Pet Foods
The brands listed below all meet the following rigorous requirements:
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100% transparency- nutrient levels can be readily provided to both veterinarians and clients.
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Great customer support- a good contact page on the website or phone number with people to answer detailed questions.
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Feeding trials- foods produced have been through testing and have actually been fed to pets for several weeks, rather than verified mathematically without feeding trials.
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Direct involvement from a board-certified veterinary nutritionist; this individual is a veterinarian with advanced specialized training focused in nutrition; requires many years of study and specialization.
LISTED IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
Purina (Pro Plan, ONE)
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Pro Plan is the highest-quality over-the-counter variety and is available at many big pet stores.
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ONE is another facet of Purina that is recommended.
Royal Canin
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Sold at major big pet stores.
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One of the brands typically carried in pet hospitals since they offer a prescription line as well.
Hill’s and Science Diet
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Sold at big pet stores.
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One of the brands typically carried in pet hospitals since they offer a prescription line as well.
Natura (includes California Natural, Innova, Evo, Karma Organics)
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Specialty ‘natural’ pet food.
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California Natural has limited ingredients.
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Innova has novelty items such as berries.
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Evo is a high-protein diet which focuses on incorporation of large amounts of muscle meat.
Wellness (Super5Mix, CORE, Simple Solutions)
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Specialty ‘natural’ pet food.
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Simple Solutions has limited ingredients.
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Super5Mix has novelty items such as berries.
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CORE is a high-protein diet which focuses on incorporation of large amounts of muscle meat.