Feeding Cheaper Pet Food Can Cost You

In light of difficult economic times, many Pet Parents are looking for ways to trim their budgets. While it may be tempting to switch to lower-cost pet foods, feeding your pet a quality diet is essential to ensuring that he/she receives the proper nutrition and can actually save you money in the long-run.

“Nutrition is the foundation of good health, and a quality diet can actually decrease your pet’s chance of developing costly health problems in the future,” says Karen J. Johnson, DVM, Banfield.

Feeding pets a high quality diet can save Pet Parents money in the short term, as well as in the long term, because high quality food tends to include less fillers. As a result, more of the nutrients are directly absorbed and utilized by the pet’s body. Additionally, feeding pets a high quality diet decreases the amount he or she needs to be fed.

Banfield, The Pet Hospital offers Pet Parents the following tips about proper pet nutrition and how it can ensure that Pets will live longer, healthier lives with their human family members.

General feeding tips:

• Make sure your pet’s food is fresh by minimizing the time period food is stored. Feed your the right amount according to their weight, and avoid feeding as much as they want, or feeding large amounts at one time.

• Maintain a consistent daily feeding schedule to help your pet keep normal elimination habits, as well as avoid indoor accidents.

• Pay close attention to the first three ingredients on the label of your pet’s food. The most nutritionally-rich pet foods contain whole ingredients in the top ingredients, instead of “meals” or ground skeletal meats, organs or connective tissue. By-product “meals” do have nutritional benefits, but are more beneficial to your pet when not among the primary ingredients of the food.

• Avoid feeding your pets “people” food. Your pet’s digestive system is simpler than yours and can be easily upset by feeding table scraps.

• To keep your pet healthy, see your veterinarian at least twice per year.

Banfield veterinarians are specially trained in pet nutrition and can answer questions about your Pet’s diet. If you have specific questions, please visit your veterinarian.