A good diet is the best way to prevent health problems in our pets. The harmful effects that a poor diet can have on our pets translate into higher costs for veterinary services and a poor lifestyle.

Manufactured dog food is not right for all dogs, although this is a myth most people believe. Dog food is supposed to be made for dogs, but what goes into manufactured food is often unfit for human consumption. Although pet foods are advertised as nutritionally complete, they are not complete foods that can cover all of your pets’ basic nutritional requirements. Another myth is that the bigger the size of your pet, the more food you should give it.

Manufacturers claim that modern pet foods are formulated based on science and balanced to provide complete nutrition that maintains health. It is believed that feeding your pets leftover meals can upset the balance that scientifically formulated diets can offer.

Another myth that many dog ​​food manufacturers promote is that you should feed your dog the same type of food because variety causes health problems. Animals can adapt to diets that are nutrient deficient to a certain degree, but health problems will develop over time. Some of these conditions are not always related to improper diets, but can be cured with proper diets and supplements. Some examples are obesity, diabetes, allergies, or more serious conditions related to the immune or endocrine systems. Animals enjoy variety in their diet, just like carnivores and omnivores living in the wild. Feeding your pet different animal proteins can help you identify sensitivities to certain types of foods or allergies, but it’s also a good way to reduce nutrient deficiencies or imbalances caused by one type of pet food.

If you think your pet doesn’t need vitamins, minerals, and other supplements because there’s so much in the pet food you buy, you’re wrong. Nutrients in pet food can be easily destroyed by the processing methods involved in producing it. Synthetic additives added to correct nutrient deficiencies, along with chemical preservatives and colorants. The science of pet nutrition is not as developed as the profit margin interests in the industry.

Substandard pet food is just as much on grocery store shelves as junk food and soft drinks are for humans. Although there are brands that offer certified organic ingredients, raw, canned, or freeze-dried foods, they get less attention than brands that advertise heavily on TV.

Regular dog foods are all too often made using human food by-products, sometimes imported from third world countries to maximize profit margin for their producers. Testing of such foods can never be done for every batch of product because the costs would be too high. Recalls are frequent with such products due to bacterial and fungal contamination that occurs in poor quality ingredients.

Good nutrition can be a better way to avoid expensive treatments and offer better insurance against serious illness.