The Different Types of Pet Food
Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash
There are so many different types of pet food and brands on the market that it can get overwhelming when trying to decide what is best. We understand that sometimes with healthier choices comes more substantial prices. So, what is the best choice when choosing a dog or cat food?
Our pets are very susceptible to many more chemicals in the environment, home, and food compared to us, which is why it is so crucial for your pet to have the healthiest food possible. Feeding the healthiest food possible doesn't mean that your pet is going to live the healthiest life for its whole life but, it will help their bodies fight off infection, sickness, and other health issues throughout their lives.
Let's get started with the different types of pet foods and making health-driven decisions for your pet.
1.) Raw
It's plain and simple. Raw is the best way you can feed your dog or cat. It is not processed. It doesn't have added chemicals. It has the proper amount of moisture. It contains all the enzymes and phytonutrients, thus making it easier for your pet to consume and use them properly. All of which are destroyed during dry food (kibble) processing.
But, with raw comes increased prices. Getting any amount of raw into your pets' diet is better than nothing; give one raw meal a day, give raw for treats or a couple of cubes in with kibble (Northwest Naturals is excellent for this), any addition helps!
If you would like more information in regards to switching to raw, making your own raw, or any questions, in general, feel free to contact us!
Brands: Raw Bistro, Answers, Tuckers, and Steve's Real Raw Food.
2.) Freeze-Dried
Next in line is freeze-dried food. Freeze-dried is the same thing as raw, but all the moisture has been taken out. Another important factor is no additives are needed in the process of freeze-drying. When feeding this food, you must add the moisture back into the food.
Freeze-dried is excellent for anyone leery about contamination. Owners with small dogs that tend to be picky or for any pet that needs more coaxing to eat their food, you can sprinkle a little on top, add some water, and they will have a flavorful, nutrient-filled meal!
Brands: Stella & Chewy's, Bravo, and Open Farm.
3.) Dehydrated
Dehydrated food is also a great way to get the proper amount of moisture in your pets' diet. However, heat is used in dehydrating food, along with additives to preserve the shelf life. Nutrients are lost in this process, but dehydrated food still has benefits in keeping your pet healthy.
It's not as expensive as raw or freeze-dried food either, making it more economical to feed. It's also great for older pets, pets that need to lose weight, etc.
Brands: Grandma Lucy's, Sojo's, and The Honest Kitchen.
4.) Canned Food
Canned food is another good choice since it also contains a proper amount of moisture. It should always say human-grade, which means the ingredients have passed quality inspection.
Buying canned food can get a bit tricky, though since it has been cooked and there are added preservatives. Many preservatives can be detrimental to your pets' health; these include:
BHA (cancer-causing preservative);
BHT ((cancer-causing preservative);
ethoxyquin (cancer-causing preservative) and
propylene glycol, which is closely related to antifreeze (ethylene glycol).
Canned food is another excellent choice for smaller dogs, picky pets, or for the older ones!
Brands: Weruva, Fromm, Wild Calling, and Zignature.
5.) Dry Food (Kibble)
The reason why kibble is last on this list is that of the high amount of heat, additives, preservatives, and low amounts of moisture. All of the foods listed above have one thing in common, moisture! Kibble has zero moisture.
As we have discussed in previous months, kibble should always be grain-free, but, just because the package says grain-free does not mean it's a clean or high-quality product. Choosing a clean brand is very important when feeding this type of food. Click here to learn more about high-quality food choices.
Kibble is a very common way to feed, the least expensive, and widely available. When feeding kibble, adding other supplements, or adding different types of foods (listed above) that are high in moisture, are great ways to aid in increasing a pets' overall health. We will discuss supplement options in later articles.
Brands: Nature's Logic, Zignature, Pure Vita, Wellness, Open Farm, Acana, Fromm, NOW, and Orijen.
In the end, we all want our pets to be the healthiest possible and live the longest life possible, and we want to help everyone's pet stay healthy and happy! The more we study and learn of better avenues, the better their diet, their health, and their overall life will become. Have a topic you'd like us to discuss? Send an email to info@itsallaboutthepaws.org.
Most of this information is researched, read, or learned from; Dr. Karen Becker, Dr. Vivian Grant, Dogs Naturally Magazine, NCBI, and other research articles.
