I’m thrilled to introduce another Guest Post here on the blog! I asked Norma & John, the owners of Earthwise Pet Supply and North County Pet Nanny, to give my readers a few tips on pet nutrition. It’s a topic that’s been in the news quite a bit lately, and as the managers of a shop that specializes in healthy pet goods, as well as pet sitters who see the daily effect that food has on pets’ lives, I knew they’d have plenty of expertise on the topic! So take a look, and I bet you’ll learn something new – I definitely did!  ~Allison

I was asked by Allison Shamrell if I wanted to do a guest post for her blog, and I jumped at the opportunity. I wanted to share the experiences I have had with my pet store and pet sitting. I have seen many dogs and cats with many health issues, and most of them can improve with proper nutrition. I have seen dogs with tummy issues, and it’s difficult to pick up after a dog with tummy issues. You know what I’m talking about. I have seen dogs that need encouragement to eat their tasteless food, cats that are overweight and diabetic because their food contains sugar. So I wanted to share some nutritional information to assist pet owners on how to read their pet’s food labels.

The first thing I wanted to mention is that the first five ingredients listed in the food are 90% of what’s in your pet’s food. The first five ingredients should be a specific meat meal, such as chicken meal, then a specific meat, such as chicken, followed by a starch, such as sweet potato or peas, then a fat, such as chicken fat, then followed by more specific meats. If the label just mentions “meat” it can be anything, make sure it names the specific meat. Stay away from meat-by products as that could really be any kind of meat and I mean any kind. If you feed a grain kibble for dogs, the grain should preferably be oatmeal or brown rice. In the case of cats, they are obligate carnivores, therefore they don’t need grains in their diet. They need a high meat diet and lots of water. If you feed your cat kibble, make sure that they always have plenty of water available to avoid any bladder issues.

Secondly, if sugar is in the top five list of the ingredients, then it has a really high sugar content. Sugar can cause dental issues, ear infections, obesity and diabetes. Ear infections are caused by a buildup of yeast in the ears when there is too much sugar or grain in their diet. Yes your dog or cat will love the food, but that’s because it filled with sugar!

The third item to mention is allergies caused by grains and gluten. Grains can cause yeast build up, gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, colitis and irritable bowels. Additionally, grain and gluten allergies can cause hot-spots and chewing at the feet, and in some cases they can even cause vomiting if your pet is highly allergic. So if your pet is showing any of these symptoms, start by removing grains from their diet.

Finally, the last thing to mention is that a better quality food with better ingredients gets absorbed by your pet’s body better. If the nutrients of the food are absorbed, then there is less waste coming out of your pet. Less waste means less to clean up in the yard, on your walk or in the litter box. Who doesn’t like that idea?

So start reading those labels and if you have any questions email me at sandiego@earthwisepet.com or contact your local pet store. Support Local – they are more knowledgeable anyway. :)

Thanks for sharing all these great tips, Norma & John! You can visit Earthwise Pet Supply (located off Hwy 56, at the Camino Del Sur exit) and ask them your pet nutrition questions in person. They’re open from 10 am – 7 pm Monday – Friday, 10 – 6 on Saturday, and 12 – 5 on Sunday. 

Tags: pets, San Diego