How credible is the brand of the pet food?
There are just 3 easy measures in selecting a suitable brand for your pet. First, understand the demands of your pet by distinguishing his/her lifestage. Second, find if the packaging carries AFFCO nutrition adequateness statement. Third, check if the packaging has out AFFCO feeding trials.
STEP 1 First see the demands of your pet:
a) Breed - Small breeds compared to larger breeds need higher protein levels to sustain their higher energy demands b) Size - Lower calories for overweight dogs/cats and more calories for thin dogs/cats (See body condition system chart to reach perfect body condition) c) Vitality Levels - Active (Exercises a lot) dogs/cats need higher protein levels to keep their higher energy needs as compared to less active dogs/cats. d) Age-Puppies/kittens need higher protein levels as they are still growing as compared to big dogs e) Special needs: Allergies and health problems Study the component list to ward off formulas that contains components your pet is vulnerable to. Pick Out a suitable formula that can help your pet if it has any health problems. Example: PRO PLAN cat urinary tract formula is produced with lower PH and magnesium levels to help in promoting urinary tract health
After understanding the demands of your pet by answering the questions above, you will then need to determine which brand is best suited for your pet, assuming many different brands appear to suit your pets needs. As you likely know it is very tough to decide which pet food is the best considering the number of brands that are flooding the market. There are so many impressive claims that different brands are making but which brands really can be believed?
STEP 2 One simple way is to find on the packaging of the pet food if it has the AAFCO nutrition adequacy statement . AAFCO stands for Association of American Feed Control Officials. It is the single pet food regulatory body in the world at this point in time.
a) Determines that the pet food has complete and balanced nutrition b) Determines which life stage it is suitable for Development (puppy) Pregnancy (pregnant) Sustenance (adult) all life stages c) It supplies a written nutrient road maps (minimum/maximum) based on present knowledge. d) A written profile doesn’t ensure an animal will receive enough amounts of nutrients due to certain variables
Factors not reported for by AAFCO nutrient profiles
a) Potential for lower digestibility b) Potential losses during processing and storage c) Potential for varying ingredient effects d) Insufficiency of nutrients not recognized as necessary.
STEP 3 The next step to take is to check if the packaging indicates that it carries out AAFCO feeding trials. Only a few brands in Malaysia and PRO PLAN is one of them that really conduct feeding tests. AAFCO feeding trials are carried by trying the pet food by feeding them to actual pets while AAFCO nutritional profiles are accomplished by only fulfilling a lab test. Feeding trials are a much more creditworthy way to determine the nutritional completeness of a pet food and show the calls it makes.
Benefits of AAFCO animal feeding tests Better at evaluating palatability/acceptablity by dogs Better able to evaluate digestibility of nutrients Able to evaluate performance of food
Cons of AAFCO animal feeding tests Some assessments are subjective and test length is short relative to life span; subtle signs of deficiency could be overlooked. (PRO PLAN is the single brand that has done a 14 year life span study on Labradors that proves that PRO PLAN can deliver sufficient nutrition for life)
Advantages of having AAFCO authorized nutrient profiles Sample lab analysis easily sustains compliance Deficiencies or extra nutrients versus profile easily known and corrected
Short-change of AAFCO approved nutrient profiles Deficiencies or extra vs real animal needs not easily established and corrected Can’t account for digestibleness or other elements
So remember when selecting a trustworthy brand that demands are established, look out for the words “Animal Feeding Tests” on the packaging. PRO PLAN is one brand that has this and is the only brand that has done a 14 year life span study on Labradors that proves that PRO PLAN can deliver sufficient nutrition for life!
Check out on Caring For Your Dog: http://www.purina.com.my/DogCare/
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