Learning to read labels will help you determine whether that higher price tag
means more nutrition for your cat or dog -- or just more profit for the
pet-food
company.
Despite what you may believe, it seems this recession did in fact go to the
dogs.
A recent survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association suggests
that
pet owners will spend more than $18 billion on pet food in 2010. So, while some
may have gotten rid of their pets due to economic constraints, owners haven't
stopped spending on their animals, even on high-end meals.
But is paying top dollar for premium pet food actually worth the expense? The
short answer, it seems, is yes. But the whole story is not so simple.
"It's comparable to a human being living off of fresh, whole foods as opposed
to
eating fast food all the time," said Dr. Ernest Ward, the chief of staff at
Seaside Animal Care and the author of "Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting
Fatter -- A Vet's Plan to Save Their Lives," explaining that cheap, processed
food can lead to obesity, disease and shorter life spans in animals just like
in
humans. "Nutrition has a major effect on your dog's physical health and
behavior," said professional dog trainer Traci Murdock. However, she adds,
"expensive isn't necessarily better."
A bag of pet food can cost anywhere from $6 to $75, depending, of course, on
the
product type and size. According to Ward, the adage "you get what you pay for"
holds up in the pet-food business, meaning that those who pay close to $75 for
a
30-pound bag of kibble probably are giving their pet a premium meal while those
paying $10 for the same amount of product are essentially buying the animal
equivalent of street meat.
However, products in the middle price range (typically between $30 and $40 a
bag) represent a mixed bag when it comes to their actual nutritional value.
Fortunately, there are ways to easily distinguish quality, which can keep your
pet healthy and prevent you from overspending. For starters, pet owners need to
know how to read a product's nutritional label. Ward suggests scanning for the
following:
* A recognizable meat product listed as the first ingredient, as that
means it
is the chow's major ingredient.
* Little to no grains listed and, when included, they should be
higher-quality
carbohydrates, such as potatoes or whole grains. Words like "cornmeal," "wheat"
or "gluten" should be considered red flags.
* No byproducts. For example, a higher quality or more expensive pet
food
should contain "apples" as opposed to "apple extract."
* No artificial chemicals or preservatives, such as Yellow #5, BHA or
ethoxyquin. Look instead for products with natural preservatives such as
vitamin
E on their labels.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/is-pricey-pet-food-worth-it.aspx
Waggin' Tails in The Dog Park,
Deanna
and
The Dog Park Pack:
Nugget, Shuai-Li, Mouse, Myrtle, Mable,Madison and Caleb
and honorary non-dog members of The Dog Park:
Stella-Macaw, Stanley-Amazon, Miles the cat
www.joys4toys.com
