Dog Food- Avoid Their Health Problems

It is always a bit daunting to have to purchase food for your pet, but with the economic crisis nowadays, it's even more difficult and raises further questions. Given all the inexpensive dog foods out there, and the more costly ones, and the wealth of different manufacturers (like Sojos), how do you ever figure out what's your best alternative?

Of course, price is foremost on buyers' minds. They might ask if it is truly worth it to pay more for organic, healthy, or premium dog food. The answer all depends upon how much you care about the pet. Would you give your child any bad food? Certainly not. So why should it be any different for your dog?

Always read the label and especially the ingredients when you buy dog food. You will often find things in there that you wouldn't feed your dog yourself. These are called fillers and they contain no nutritional value and may even be dangerous to your pet. Here are some things to watch out for.

Corn is likely the main filler in dog food, and people food as well. It is inexpensive, non-digestible and merely fills up space. It can be in various forms such as ground corn, corn meal, corn husks and corn syrup. Not a bit of this is beneficial for your dog and ought to be avoided whenever possible, particularly if it is listed as one of the first few ingredients.

Other ingredients to watch out for include anything labeled as a "by-product." This basically means anything deemed unfit for consumption, including feet, brains, diseased meat, and even roadkill! There is no way to tell what you're getting. Why take the risk? "Mill run" is another phrase you might see, and it's almost as bad; it's waste from mills. Best case scenario, it's just hulls.

Anyone buying any dog products should always pay attention to their quality. In many instances, dog treats are packed with more filler than their regular food and since it's considered a treat, manufacturers can claim it doesn't have to be that healthy. However, this is going to be eaten by your dog and should still be of the highest quality.

You might wonder why it's worth it to spend so much time scrutinizing your pet's food. After all, other dogs eat the cheaper food and do just fine. These dogs, however, tend to have a higher risk of health problems, especially digestive problems. This can make you pay more in the long run for veterinary bills. And, besides, your dog is your best friend. It's worth it to find quality dog food so he or she can be happy and healthy.

In these trying times it is important to remember that your pet is a part of your family and you are responsible for them having a healthy diet. It is essential to learn how to read dog food labels, as well as other dog products, to ensure your pet is not getting harmful or unnecessary fillers or additives. There are so many options out there for pet food, such as sojos food, that you need to be sure to understand what you are looking for. Common unnecessary things you will find on these labels are corn, in any form, and by-products. These are just fillers and provide no nutritional value.

-Melinda Smith