Food For Pets

Does your pet get extra cute when it’s time for dinner? It wouldn’t be a big surprise if that were the case. What can we say? Our pets are usually very excited about food, and who can blame them? We love snacks too! Even though your animal friend might eat anything you give them, it’s best to give them only healthy foods. Keep reading as a neighborhood Brantford, ON vet talks about how to feed your pet.

Which Foods Should I Give My Pet?

This relies on how big your pet is, how old they are, and how active they are. A couch potato Pug will have very different food needs than a Labrador baby that likes to play, and an older Chihuahua will not need the same food as a Border Collie that likes to run.

Still, here are some very general rules of thumb. Fluffy, if she weighs about ten pounds, will need to eat about 200 calories every day. As with people, dogs are very different, but a 50-pound dog will need around 700 to 900 calories. Still, a bigger dog might need a lot more food than that.

What Shouldn’t I Give My Pet?

Each of our pets has a different list of safe and unsafe food options. This varies a bit from pet to pet. However, there are some things that almost all pets should never have.

These are the foods that are typically unsafe:

Chives, Onions, Garlic, And Scallions
Meat On The Bone
Xylitol (Birch Sugar)
Yeast Or Dough
Chocolate
Caffeine
Liquor
Grapes Or Raisins
Macadamia Nuts
Anything High In Salt, Sugar, Or Fat

What Is The Best Food For My Pet?

It can be hard to choose the right food. You can choose from many items, and each business aims to make their name look its best.

Reading the label is the most important thing. Ingredients in pet food must be listed in order of how much of each they make up. In other words, the first thing listed on the box has the biggest amount of all the ingredients. The second one has the next biggest, and so on. Pets should eat meat, fish, or chicken first and most of the time.

In order to keep your pet healthy, it’s best to slowly change their food over a few days when making adjustments. Your pet could get sick if you move too quickly.

Your Brantford, ON veterinarian will always be the best person to ask about this. Ask for specific tips, such as how much to feed your pet and how long to wait between meals. You’ll also want to reach out when it’s time to switch from baby or kitten food to adult food and then, when the time is right, to senior food.

What Does The 25% Rule Mean for Pet Food?

According to the 25% rule, an item must make up at least 10% of the product’s total weight if it is listed on the label. (Water shouldn’t be in this list.

How Do I Pick Out Good Food For My Pet?

Look for a name that has the seal of approval from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Pet food companies are required by the AAFCO and FDA to put certain details on the label, such as the full name of the product; name and address of the manufacturer; list of ingredients; and guaranteed analysis.

Of course, that still leaves a lot of products to choose from! Your Brantford, ON vet can help you pick the best for your pet.

Do I Need To Give My Pet Vitamins?

A study done in 2020 found that 30% of pet owners give their animals vitamins or supplements. For example, glucosamine or fish oil may help your older dog who is getting gout. Vitamin A may help pets with skin problems and vitamin B is often given to dogs with stomach problems. Vitamin E can help with pain and swelling, and cats with kidney problems may be given vitamin D.

A few tips:

Don’t give your pet any vitamins or supplements until you talk to your vet. This is even more important for people whose pets need to take medicine, since some vitamins might not work with some drugs.
Supplements for your pet should only come from well-known brands. It would have been best if the product had been studied.
Just because something is natural or says “herbal” doesn’t mean it’s safe. Even natural ingredients can have effects on medicines.
When you give someone something new, keep a close eye out for signs of problems or allergic responses.

Schedule A Trip To Our Brantford, ON Pet Clinic

Do you have questions about what your pet should eat? You can get in touch with us at any time. We are committed to giving your pet the best care as your Brantford, ON pet hospital.