Do You Really Know What"s in Your Pet"s Food?
Current pet food regulations permit manufacturers to use ingredients that you would never knowingly give to your pet.
To understand today's industry, it's helpful to understand the history of pet food production.
Pet foods were originally developed after World War II from left- over grains that were rejected from the human market.
Left-over meats were later added for increased nutritional value for animals.
However, the meat in pet food then and now hasn't been and isn't prime USDA meats but meats rejected for human consumption.
These meats often come from animals that are either disabled, diseased, drugged or dying.
Pet food also contains by-products that consist of ground up feathers, heads and bones as well as hard-to-digest grains, fillers and powerful preservatives to maintain long shelf life.
Preservatives such as BHA and BHT are chemical preservatives that permit pet food to have a shelf life of up to two years.
These foods are often mass produced and can sit in warehouses for up to 18 months before being distributed.
If you look at the list of ingredients of many pet foods, by-products will be the first or second ingredient listed.
Many foods will also contain corn, wheat or soy.
These ingredients should never be in pet food since they cause stress on a pet's kidneys.
All of this amounts to poor nutritional value for your pet.
Most of us are unaware that cats and dogs have the genetic potential to live well into their 20s yet usually die between 13 and 15 years.
Today, pets that are 7 years old are considered elderly.
All this because of poor nutrition.
When choosing the right brand of food for your pet companion, it's important to ask yourself three questions: 1)Where was the pet food made? 2)Where did the ingredients come from? 3)How old was the food when I bought it? Your pet deserves healthy, holistic food that maintains proper nutrition.
To understand today's industry, it's helpful to understand the history of pet food production.
Pet foods were originally developed after World War II from left- over grains that were rejected from the human market.
Left-over meats were later added for increased nutritional value for animals.
However, the meat in pet food then and now hasn't been and isn't prime USDA meats but meats rejected for human consumption.
These meats often come from animals that are either disabled, diseased, drugged or dying.
Pet food also contains by-products that consist of ground up feathers, heads and bones as well as hard-to-digest grains, fillers and powerful preservatives to maintain long shelf life.
Preservatives such as BHA and BHT are chemical preservatives that permit pet food to have a shelf life of up to two years.
These foods are often mass produced and can sit in warehouses for up to 18 months before being distributed.
If you look at the list of ingredients of many pet foods, by-products will be the first or second ingredient listed.
Many foods will also contain corn, wheat or soy.
These ingredients should never be in pet food since they cause stress on a pet's kidneys.
All of this amounts to poor nutritional value for your pet.
Most of us are unaware that cats and dogs have the genetic potential to live well into their 20s yet usually die between 13 and 15 years.
Today, pets that are 7 years old are considered elderly.
All this because of poor nutrition.
When choosing the right brand of food for your pet companion, it's important to ask yourself three questions: 1)Where was the pet food made? 2)Where did the ingredients come from? 3)How old was the food when I bought it? Your pet deserves healthy, holistic food that maintains proper nutrition.
