Common Myths About Pet Food

​Nutrition is a huge part of your pet's life - they need to eat every day and their food provides them with the nutrition they need to thrive. Did you know there are over 65 companies making pet food? It's insane! How are we supposed to know what is good for your pet and what is marketing? Your veterinary healthcare team is the best resource for determining the right diet for your pet.
 
Here are a few common misconceptions about pet nutrition:
 
"Corn is just a filler and not digestible" - when the covering of the corn (the hull) is broken, it allows digestive enzymes to break down the fat, carbohydrates and protein and converts it into a great energy source for your pet.
 
"Grains are bad for pets/cause allergies" - a lot of "grain-free" diets contain another carbohydrate source such as sweet potatoes or tapioca which contain even higher starch than grain. Food allergies are caused by an ingredient with a protein, and most allergies we see are caused by animal proteins. Grains have been studied to be no more allergenic than any other ingredient (fruit, vegetable or animal protein).
 
"Raw food is natural/good for my pet" - it can be very difficult to make a balanced meal using raw ingredients. It can be hard to ensure your pet is receiving the same/correct amount of nutrients and minerals in every meal. In addition to the nutritional concerns, raw food possesses a health risk to both yourself and your pet in terms of bacterial contamination. Pets can carry food-borne pathogens from eating raw food and can contimate any animal or human that comes into contact with them or their feces. Raw food diets are not supported by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association or the Public Health Agency of Canada.
 
"By-products are low-quality" - the term by-product is not an indication of quality. They are a secondary product to the principal product. For example, the breast of a chicken is the principal product, making the wings, thighs and legs by-products. By-products, when coming from a high-quality facility, are selected from clean, fresh parts of a healthy animal.
 
"Foods that list a meat as their first ingredient are best" - some brands advertise that the first ingredient in their diet is real chicken, fish, or beef because the food contains more of this ingredient by weight than anything else. However, this weight also includes the water that is contained in the ingredient before cooking. By the time the kibble is made, that food ingredient is no longer the top ingredient according to weight. A food that lists an animal meal contains the most nutrition. A meal means the food has been dehyrdrated (the water has been taken out), making it the true weight included in the recipe and more nutritious than its counterpart.
 
If you have any questions regarding the diet your pet is currently eating, contact one of our team members today.