Do any of your Furry pets suffer from digestive problems or other persistent ailments such as skin allergies?
Research suggests that many of the ailments can be attributed to a pets’ diet when it comprises highly processed (dry) food. So it goes without saying that as responsible pet owners we should take a closer look at what we are feeding our dogs and cats.
Kibble (another name for dry dog/cat food) is probably the most widely used pet food in the world; sure it’s convenient. But do we know what’s in it? Or indeed how it is made.
Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients used to make Kibble; are they really suitable for pets to eat? Too much Cereal and Grain for example are not easily digestible, the source of some meat by-products used to make the meal may be questionable. What about preservatives, sweeteners and other agents, surely these are not ideal. The ingredients could vary by brand, some are heavier on Carbs other on sugar, but they all no doubt have preservatives and colourants.
Cereals and Grains
Meal made from rendered meat by-products
Fruit & Vegetables
Preservatives, Stabilisers, Synthetic vitamins and minerals
Taste Enhancers such as yeast, fat, sweeteners or concentrated flavours
Gelling agents
Is there much nutrition in Kibble? It is likely that much of the nutrition is lost during the high heat process of making this food.
The process :
Rendering – Heat is used to separate the fat and water from meat products; the meat product is heated again and dried to a powder, which is then known as meat meal.
All dry ingredients are then mixed together with water or possibly blood; that then presents as a dough which is heated once again making it pliable before being put through a machine at high pressure to form bland grey pellets.
The artificial colourants, flavours and preservative agents are then added which eventually give the dull pellets their shine and allow for a shelf life.
Some may want to stick with Kibble; if so, look for the best premium brand available within your budget; check that it has the most suitable composition of ingredients too. You can of course also boost the Kibble diet by adding a range of nutritional whole-foods like Sardines or Milk Kefir which is a friendly probiotic that aids digestive health, fights harmful bacteria, improves bone density and reduces allergies.
We owe it to our pets to offer a species appropriate diet that is nutritional in value with a healthy balance of all the right goodness. What they eat makes a huge difference to their health and well-being. AND it can be just as convenient to serve.
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