The Chilliwack Progress Friday, April 24, 2015
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PETS - AIREDALES TO ZEBRA FISH
what should you feed your pet?
T
Meghan & Chai - an adoption success story. P. 18
here is so much choice when it comes to choosing pet foods that it can become very confusing. Everyone you talk to will surely give you advice, but learning a few basics before you shop can ensure you make the best choice for your pet (and your budget). Kibble is the most popular, so what makes a good kibble? Look for foods with no by-products. Although any part of an animal has some nutritional value, when listed as a “by-product” we are unsure of WHAT by-products and what quality is included, so it’s best to avoid them altogether to be safe. You should avoid foods with chemical preservatives. Chemicals like Ethoxyquin are also used as pesticides, plus BHA and BHT are possible cancer causers. These chemical ingredients are used to increase the shelf life of pet food but are completely unnecessary for nutrition, so avoid those completely. Ingredients like meat meal, animal fat and animal meal are other easy ones to skip as they don’t even tell us what animal they came from… Yuck! Corn is probably the most controversial ingredient out there. Corn is an inexpensive carbohydrate and like all carbs is necessary in the production of kibble. Corn comes in many different forms like corn gluten meal, corn meal, corn etc. Corn is usually found in the
grocery store pet foods because it helps keep the price down, the more corn the less meat. There seem to be a lot of dogs with weight issues and itchy smelly skin issues that are on a food high in corn ingredients. Even some of the more expensive foods on the market have an abundance of corn these days. The second or third ingredient of a good pet food should be fresh meat. If the second item on the list of ingredients is corn… steer clear of this one. A low price does not always mean a good value. Always pay attention to how much you feed your pet. A feeding guideline lets you know how nutritious a food is as they base the guideline on how much your pet will need to eat to obtain maximum nutrition. If Food A costs $25 and claims 4 cups of food will feed a 50 lb dog and Food B costs $40 but claims only 2 cups are necessary; you will save in the long run with Food B as you’re using half the amount. The bottom line is: pets are a captive audience and eat what we give them every meal, every day. It’s an important decision and worth doing some research. Once again, check with your veterinarian or your favourite pet store. With files from Reuben Koreman, owner operator of The Scruffy Tail Pet Food and Supplies Ltd.
Did somebody say ADOPT? The Fraser Valley Regional District is currently looking for people interested in fostering or adopting dogs in our care. To learn more, please call us today.
1-855-495-CARE
4-15F FVRD24