Today I had Kraft Dinner for lunch. I am a big fan of Kraft Dinner from time to time and I enjoy it with a little bit of ketchup and pepper. When I am feeling extra indulgent, I will add grated cheddar cheese and stir it in until it melts. Yum. I know that this is not an ideal lunch.
Yes, there are worse things I can eat; but there are definitely lots of things I could have chosen that would have been a healthier option. It is important for me to have a balanced diet; one that will provide me with the proper amount and balance of vitamins and minerals. I need enough calories to fuel my body’s needs and not more. This is not meant to be an exhaustive account of reading food labels and ingredient lists. Most of us have enough on our plates already (pun intended). So why am I writing this?
Pets do not read. Left to their own devices, they would probably not make the best choices. My dog Wilson would eat treats all day if he could. He would, however, look a bit like a coffee table as a result and ouch, those extra pounds would be hard on those joints. How do we know what is best to feed our furry friends? There are so many pet foods available; hundreds probably, if not more. Those hundreds of options are available in canned varieties, dry kibbles, raw diets, homemade diets and the list goes on. My head just spins, does yours?
It can be difficult to sift through the latest trends and data. Remember when eggs were good for us? Then bad? Now I think they are good again. Gluten is the enemy now. Do we trust wheat? Butter is good. Butter is bad. Guess what? It is good again. Pet parents are faced with the same confusing data and opinions. Raw diets are bad. Raw diets are the best. Corn is terrible. Corn is a highly digestible source of nutrients. Grain free… The list goes on.
Your Veterinary hospital is a great source of information. Not sure what to feed? Talk to your Veterinarian. Yes, Veterinary hospitals often have pet food available to purchase. You may go into a veterinary hospital and find they primarily sell Royal Canin diets, or maybe it is Hill’s Prescription or Science Diet. Or perhaps you will find Eukanuba or Purina. Remember, there are hundreds of diets out there. So how do they choose which one to have in their hospital? At our hospital, our Veterinarians choose which diets we will carry. Why do they choose these diets? Because they believe in them. They feed them to their own pets. We may carry a dental diet in one brand and not in another. I feed my dogs a hydrolyzed protein diet due to food allergies. Which one of the hydrolyzed protein diets did I go with? The one my Veterinarian recommended. He knows my pets, has managed their medical issues and knows me and my quirks. Together, we discussed the options and chose a diet that would work for me and my family.
Do you prefer to purchase your food from the grocery store while you get your weekly grocery order? Or maybe you like to pick up food at your favourite pet supply store. Our Veterinarians are happy to help you choose a diet from those locations as well.
When it comes to nutrition, for us it is all about the pet. We want your beloved companion to live a long, healthy, energy filled life. Proper nutrition is integral to the wellbeing of your pet. Sure, Kraft Dinner is good from time to time, but we all know how important a complete and balanced diet is for us. Let our Veterinarians help you navigate the science behind the nutrition of pet food.
Written by Jen Kendrick, Site Coordinator
