Since cats and dogs are carnivores, the first 3 ingredients should be meat, such as poultry, lamb, beef, or fish, or meat meal.
Since meat usually contains a combination of animal sources, the label usually won’t say which types of meat are in the product.
Meat and poultry by-products can be just as nutritious for pets as meat or poultry, so it’s fine to choose pet foods that contain these ingredients.
Vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, selenium Amino-acid additives, such as DL-methionine, L-lysine, DL-tryptophan, taurine, and DL-arginine
For the healthiest dog food, choose products that are flavored naturally with herbs like ginger, chamomile, fennel, and rosemary. Avoid products that list artificial flavors, such as chicken flavor or beef flavor.
Manufacturers of cat food also have to list the maximum percentage of ash, taurine, and magnesium.
For example, list the protein and moisture percentages for dry food. Then subtract the moisture percent from 100. Divide the protein by this result and multiply the answer by 100 to get the adjusted protein level.
Your pet’s age, weight, activity level, and health all determine how many calories it needs in a day. This is why it’s important to talk to the vet about a personalized calorie recommendation.
Talk with your veterinarian about what nutritional percentages to look for when choosing a pet food. For example, a healthy average dog might need 30 to 35% protein, 35 to 45% fat, and 10 to 15% carbohydrates.
If you see a product labeled as “organic,” you should also see the official USDA seal of approval on the bag.
Instead of focusing on marketing and labels, read up on the nutrition of pet food.
For example, you may see “(Name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO or National Research Council (NRC) food nutrient profiles. "
For example, a low-calorie dog food can’t have more than 3,100 kilocalories per kilogram if it’s labeled “light. "
