For many people, choosing a pet food really doesnít involve a lot of thought. Itís easy to make a quick trip down the pet food aisle and grab whatever brand is on sale. But wait ñ even in tough economic times ñ is this the right thing for your pets? Are the more expensive brands better and healthier ñ and why?Remember this: 100 percent of what our pets eat (to build their body, immune system and repair cell damage) is what we feed them. Providing them with the very best can help them live longer and have less medical problems ñ itís that simple. Take a moment to understand a few key concepts and you will save on medical bills in the long run.Pet food manufacturers spend billions of dollars each year marketing and promoting brands that look really good to YOU! Unfortunately, this does not mean it is good for your pet! In that bag is either something good for your dog or cat or cheap ingredients that can make your pet chronically sick.Frankly, the Madison Avenue advertising specialists could care less as to what is good for your pet. Their job is to sell you those fancy bags and cans. They do this with expensive animation in TV commercials, colorful packaging and all kinds of coupons and sales gimmicks.With more than 3,000 brands on store shelves, how do you know whatís right for your pets?ìThe key is to try to forget the marketing hype and find an objective source of information,î says Kelly Ray, owner of Catering 2 Pets in Falcon. ìToo many times, pet owners are misled by marketing gimmicks. If someone is pushing just one brand of food and they wonít listen to other opinions, you must wonder about their true motives.”Some pet owners turn to the Internet to find a quality food, but there is even more uncertainty there! Like religion and politics, people have strong beliefs about their favorite pet foods. You will find strong supporters of very unusual nutritional theories using all kinds of faulty claims.Thomas Dock, practice manager of Mobile PetDocs and a nutrition expert, says, ìPeople forget that their veterinarian can be a fantastic source of information and advice on this topic. Not only do they have the medical background to help you sort through some of the marketing nonsense, but they also know the reputation of the many pet food companies. In this day of instantaneous information and misinformation on the Internet, that knowledge is very helpful.îSo, what should you feed your pets? First, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation. Also, if your four-legged friend has a health issue, a specific diet (or even a prescription diet) may be indicated.Next, you really ìget what you pay for.î If it costs you less than $20 for a 40-pound bag, that food cannot contain quality ingredients! Cheap ingredients mean long term health issues ñ guaranteed.Also, donít assume that a high price food is the only option either. It costs money to run all of those advertisements promoting a specific food, and those costs are passed on in the retail price. Kelly Ray says a good rule of thumb is that quality food costs about $1 per pound. So, a 40-pound bag of quality food will cost about $40.Finally, both Dock and Ray agree there is not just one food that is ideal. If your dog or cat wonít eat an expensive diet, they wonít get the nutrients. You may have to try a variety of foods before settling on one that your pet will eat well.Dock says, ìThere is a LOT of bad advice floating around about pet foods and even some foods that are harmful ñ pure and simple. Donít fall for slick advertising or unproven claims. Find a trusted source of advice.îDr. Humphries is a veterinarian and a certified veterinary journalist. He practices at http://www.MobilePetDocs.com
