Vet-recommended. Prescription. Hypoallergenic. Pet food used to be simple but it’s come a long way, and plenty of jargon and myths have come along with it!
To help you decide what’s healthy for your pet and their diet, we’ve busted four common myths about pet food.
1. Changing your pet’s food is bad for their digestion
False. Your pet can handle a little variety in their diet—and they will probably welcome it! While pet food manufacturers would love you to believe that if your pet is settled on one of their products, it’s healthier if they stick to it, this isn’t true.
Aside from being boring (would you want the same food at every meal, every day, forever?), feeding your pet the same food day in, day out can actually be bad for their health, making nutrient imbalance more likely and increasing their risk of developing allergies or sensitivities. If your dog is already allergic to grains, browse our selection of Natural Grain Free Dog Food.
However, do always make sure that you change over from one food to another gradually by mixing the foods for a few nights, gradually increasing the rations of the new food and decreasing rations of the previous food.
2. Vet-recommended foods are top quality
Not always the case! While some vet recommended foods are genuinely premium products carefully formulated for your dog or cat, many are no different to others on the market—and some may be worse, relying on the vet recommended label to convince buyers there’s no need to check the ingredients.
Don’t be convinced! Always make sure the food you choose for your pet is full of nutritional, natural ingredients rather than fillers, artificial ingredients and meat by-products (made from the less desirable bits of an animal).
3. It’s dangerous to feed your pet raw food
False. Your dog’s digestive tract is around half the length of yours (and your cat’s is even shorter!), while their stomach environment is far more acidic. This means that even if a raw food does contain bacteria, the speed with which it passes through their system, coupled with the bacteria-killing acidity of their stomach, make it very unlikely the bacteria would enter their bloodstream.
Raw food producers have stringent measures to prevent bacterial contamination and if you buy frozen raw food, the freezing process will help kill off any bacteria.
4. Cats and dogs can eat the same food
They can—but they shouldn’t. Your cat needs more protein and fat than your dog, and good sources of specific amino acids, especially taurine (essential for their heart). Your dog won’t get the carbs they need from cat food and may even develop pancreatitis.
Avoid foods that claim to be ideal for both species. They’re not!
If your dog has grabbed a mouthful of your cat’s food or vice versa, don’t panic; it’s highly unlikely to do them any lasting harm, although they may have an upset stomach. But do ensure they’re not regularly eating each other’s food.
Choose nutritionally sound, natural foods for your pet and ensure cats and dogs are fed separately to minimise the chance of them stealing each other’s food!
