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PETS | Health and wellbeing
WHAT TO AVOID FOR
BOTH DOGS AND CATS?
That’s a lot of information about what your
dogs and cats can eat, but how do you know
what to avoid?
First of all, some common foods are
poisonous to your pets. For example, grapes
(raisins, sultanas, currants), chocolate (especially
dark chocolate), onions (leeks and garlic) and
certain nuts and seeds can all cause a lot of
health problems and even death.
Aside from this, the best rule to follow is
the same as for humans: look for the least-
processed options you can fi nd. Also consider
including ‘life stage’ foods — for example,
puppy versus adult, as well as those tailored to
help disease states such as urinary tract issues
and preventative options such as dental health,
furball and brain diets.
“Your animal’s needs change as they age,”
says Dr Leigh. “It’s important to discuss with
your veterinarian at each yearly health check
your pet’s diet and if any dietary modifi cations
are recommended. As our pets age they require
less calories and often levels of healthy fats and
oils are increased, while salts and carbohydrates
and proteins are decreased depending on
clinical needs.”
Dr Leigh’s ‘avoid’ list for dogs includes
cooked bones and small bones, as well as
food that does not meet AAFCO standards or
is not manufactured by reputable companies.
“When in doubt, call your veterinarian. Theyunderstand your pet’s health and individual
needs. They can advise on what diet is
appropriate for your pet’s life stage and how
much to feed. If you think your pet is showing
signs of illness related to its pet food, call your
vet,” Dr Leigh advises.http://www.petsmagazine.com.au
Make sure a good protein source is the
main ingredient in your dog’s meal.Dr Leigh’s general tips Dr Leigh’s general tips
on dog and cat foodon dog and cat food
Dr Leigh Davidson, veterinarian and
founder of Your Vet Online, provides
a handy reference guide for choosing
the best foods for your pet.- Don’t confuse complete and
balanced. Complete means the food
is appropriate for that species (cat
versus dog), while balanced refers
to the particular ingredients that are
appropriate for the life stage and
clinical health of the individual. - Know who has manufactured the
food. Is it ‘manufactured by’ or is it
‘manufactured for’? The latter means
that quality control may not be
adhered to closely. You want to look for
manufacturers that use higher-quality
ingredients, that conduct preproduction
testing, that test for food safety on the
lines and in the end product, and who
are responsive to questions. - Don’t get swayed by marketing
hyperbole. By-products are not
unhealthy and are actually just the
off -cuts from the human food chain. It
is a sustainable and eco-friendly way of
feeding your pet a high-quality protein. - Human grade: this is a myth.
Once something leaves the human
food-inspected facility to go to a pet
food manufacturer, it ceases to be
human grade. - Organic: there is no quality control to
determine whether something is truly
organic in the pet food world. Any sort
of claim is self-professed. Be wary.
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