Feeding your furry family used to be so easy. Dump some kibble in a bowl, repeat when empty. Whatever was on sale at the grocery store would work right? Yes and no in this confusing time of feeding pets. Grain free, kangaroo, crawfish, cranberries, “raw life bits”, flax seeds, pre and probiotics…the list goes on. Should you feel guilty if you are not paying $100 for a 20 pound bag of dog or cat food from a local boutique pet store? Absolutely not. So what should you feed your pet? Honestly, I have no idea (you can stop reading now if you like but I promise I will offer some useful info!) but I can offer some broad suggestions.

 

No B.E.G. diets (Boutique. Exotic. Grain free). Research suggests a link between these types of diets and cardiac disease. The research is still ongoing at Tufts Veterinary School, but at this time the recommendation is to feed diets from Purina, Hills, Iams, and Royal Canin.  Wait?? Aren’t those the big companies we should avoid?? Actually, no. They test their diets extensively and use ingredients from reputable sources.

 

Still not convinced and are over commercial pet food AND you have extra time? No problem. Why not cook for them! But you have to do it right. Visit balanceit.com for complete diets that also include recipes that help to manage issues like renal disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, food allergies, and the list goes on…

 

At your next visit to RGAH bring a photo of what you are feeding your pet because as much as I love the answer, “the food in the tan bag from the pet store”, not super helpful. We are here to help you navigate the now complicated question of what to feed your pets. Just ask!