Pet nutrition products are important to keep the cat or dog in good health. There are myriad nutritional products on the market; however, you need to be able to establish if the food is suitable for your pet and whether it contains quality ingredients or the right amount of ingredients for your pet.
Finding the Nutrition Products for Your Pet’s Age
When you look for nutrition products, you will have to make sure these are appropriate for your pet’s age.
Firstly, if you read on the label that the product is created for puppies or kittens, this will mean that it will have a higher content of proteins (up to 35%), which is only suitable for pets that are in their development phase. These products may also be used in pets that are in their recovery stage after a surgery or a severe disease.
So, unless your pet is growing or is recovering, you shouldn’t get puppy/kitten food.
Senior pets may also have different nutritional requirements, so you can opt for products that are created for senior pets. However, read the labels carefully, as these may indicate the ages of the pets that should get these products and the protein contents. Typically, senior food should have a higher content of fibers, which will ensure that the dog will have a proper digestion.
Essential Nutrients in Pet Products
Whenever you are buying a product, you will need to read the labels and make sure the pet gets his energy, but the food is also easily digestible.
Pets will need a high amount of proteins, some fats, fibers and a low dose of carbohydrates.
Fillers don’t have nutritional value and you should stay away from foods that have high amounts of corn, starch or other fillers.
Protein Content on Labels
Cats and dogs are carnivores and require a high content of proteins. The amount of proteins required will vary on the breed, energy level and age.
However, you should be able to read the labels on the nutrition products available for pets.
Most products will display a total of proteins that are in the food; these will include the indigestible proteins, which don’t actually have a nutritional value for your pet. Typically, 75% to 90% of the protein amount listed on the labels is actually digestible and should be counted.
Other Nutritional Facts
When reading the labels, you should look for fats, fibers and carbohydrates. These are typically displayed on the label. However, the manufacturing and storage process may reduce the actual content of these nutrients and you should consider that the actual nutrients are only 95% of the amounts mentioned on the label.
Ingredients Used in Nutritional Products
You should make sure that the products you get for your pet contain quality ingredients. If the label indicates that there are animal or meat by products, these are typically poor quality ingredients that should be avoided. These by products may include internal organs, blood and even bones.