FOOD & DRINK
Healthy nutrition for your pets Choosing the right food for your dog or cat and ensuring it gets everything it needs to stay fit and healthy can be the hardest challenge. With new pet foods constantly coming onto the market all claiming one thing or another, that can sometimes make it sound better than your current food, can often make you re-think, or question your dog or cat’s needs. Searching through the internet for the right food can be even more confusing. This is where the knowledge and expertise of your local independent pet shop comes into its own, especially those that actively advertise natural feeding. The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing your pet’s food is, will it meet its nutritional needs? And will it help my dog if it has any special requirements such as joint aid, intolerances, skin and coat problems etc? If you can satisfy this, then you are on the right road to having a happy and healthy pet for a very long time. So what are we looking for?
• A natural wholesome diet with minimum ingredients. • A quality protein source not exceeding 60% total, this should be an animal protein which is highly nutritious and easy to digest. • A good source of carbohydrates such as sweet potato not exceeding 30%. • Oils such as linseed, sunflower oil or chicken oils - this will give
GRAIN FREE MADE IN THE UK
your pet the fatty acids that it needs. • Fruits and vegetables which will add natural vitamins and minerals. • Consistency in quantities when looking at the composition on the label to ensure the ingredients are the same each time you buy the same food. • Look for words on the packaging such as hypoallergenic or natural . What to be wary of and to avoid
• Artificial additives and preservatives - these often come with E numbers and can upset your dog’s behaviour. • Meat and animal derivatives - this could be anything belonging to the animal including feathers, beaks, offal, skin and other nasties. It is also telling you the ingredients are inconsistent. • Vegetable derivatives could include potato peelings, roots and off-cuts. • Cereals as a main ingredient is not a natural diet for carnivores. • Vague listing of ingredients - this allows the manufacturer to change the ingredient for cheaper ingredients in the next batch they make. • Read the label carefully, it might say chicken and rice, but manufacturers only need to include a minimum of 4% of each to make that claim. Remember, because it’s expensive, doesn’t make it the best food for your pet. For more information on pet nutrition please do not hesitate to contact us for advice - with over 30 years in the pet industry we have some very wise words. Gavin Ayling, Rons Pet Supplies - Tavistock
YOUR FRIENDLY LOCAL INDEPENDENT PET STORE
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Unit 5 West Devon business Park, Brook Lane, Tavistock • 01822 611110 • www.ronspets.co.uk 36
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