The Importance of Quality Pet Food
Unfortunately, many owners do not put much thought into what they feed their pets. Foods which have been over-processed or contain plenty of chemicals are not exactly the best products to feed your feline or canine friend.
Lower-quality foods are very common in grocery and pet stores. People are attracted to them because of their lower prices. However lower cost usually means less quality. It is very important for you to feed your pet high-quality foods.
Many products use preservatives to help keep oxidation or bacteria growth at bay. Many of these artificial preservatives have been found to cause cancer in humans. Although studies have not been conclusive when it comes to pets you probably do not want to take any chances if you love your pet. It is therefore best to avoid feeding your pet foods which make use of preservatives such as ethoxyquin, sodium nitrite, BHT, and BHA.
Artificial colorings or dyes are commonly used to make lower-quality pet food too. They help to make the food look better although dogs are not interested in beautiful food like their human counterparts. The problem with these dyes and colorings is they offer no nutritional value to your pet. Moreover they may even cause allergic reactions in some animals.
Products containing filler are really a problem when it comes to nutritional value. Filler, as its name suggests, only exists to fill the rest of the package and offers no nutritional value whatsoever. You will notice ingredients listed like rice bran, hulls, and wheat mill run.
Another problem which stems from feeding your pet low-quality foods is hyperactivity. You likely already know what happens whenever you give a small child something which has sucrose, corn syrup, or sugar. The same thing happens to your small pet as they become a lot more active.
There are also serious health consequences of consistently feeding your pet foods with these ingredients over time. They may start to lose weight or even develop diabetes. Your pet may even become addicted to the food since it gives them a sugar rush.
If you have a dog you should be aware they need carbohydrates, vitamins, fat, minerals, and water, much the same nutrients we need. It is very important for you to stop feeding your pet lower-quality foods if you are doing so. High-quality foods will help keep your pet in the best of health and will not cause any adverse side effects such as allergic reactions, diabetes, or weight gain.