The most important decision you can make for your dog is what they eat. While many laws and regulations exist for our food, pet food does not have the same safety assurances. Whether purchased from the grocery store, pet store, or your local veterinarian’s office, pet food may contain animal by-products.

Animal by-products may also be known as rendered meat. These are meats from animals considered unsuitable for human consumption, but are found in all pet foods, from store brands to name brand products. If you wouldn’t want to eat rendered meat, why would you feed it to your pet?

Meat from animal by-products may have been taken from animals that were brought to the slaughterhouse dead, animals that were too sick to be given to humans, or animals that were diseased. If these meats had the ability to make people sick, why would it be any different for your dog? Another fact is that it can even mean cats, dogs, horses or other similar animals that were euthanized could have made there way into your pets food dish.

The source of meat is not the only problem in pet foods today. Preservatives commonly found in pet food, such as ethoxyquin, BHT, and BHA, are toxic. Better alternatives to keep your pet’s food fresh include Vitamins E and C.

It is commonly suggested that a dog’s diet shoudl contain 50% vegetables, 40% meat, and 10% grain or carbohydrates. When shopping for the best food for your pet, price and quality should be considered. Cheap alternatives often have less quality ingrediants than Healthy Dog Food.

Holistic pet food is a better alternative. Holistic pet foods are both natural and nutritious. Ingredients are fit for consumption by both humans and dogs, and won’t contain chicken beaks or toxic preservatives. Instead, you’ll only find ingredients you yourself would enjoy.

The most assured way to know what you are feeding your dog is to make the pet food yourself. Books can be purchased with delicious Healthy Dog Food recipes for your companion. Your veterinarian can also tell you the vitamins and nutrients your pet needs.

It is important to remember not all human foods are suitable for animals. Grapes and raisins cause damage to your dog’s kidneys; mushrooms can be deadly; raw, cooked, or powdered garlic and onions can damage red blood cells and may cause anemia; raw fish on a regular basis may lead to thiamine deficiency, which can result in loss of appetite, seizures, and death. Many other examples of harmful human food also exist. If you are unsure whether a new food is safe for your pet, you should always ask a veterinarian first.