How to Determine if Your Pet Food is All-Natural

It's no secret Sawyer has allergies. It can often be difficult to determine what is causing those allergies. Through trial and error, Sawyer's vet here in Houston, recommended I switch his dog food. To backtrack a little- I have always been told that switching the food should be the last resort, because it can be rough on the animal. I was hesitant at first, but finally came to terms with it. Dogs demonstrate allergies a bit differently than humans- the allergies can often appear as hot spots- or skin allergies as the body tries to rid itself of the irritant. He was not able to kick those skin allergies, so I finally made the decision to switch his food.

Sawyer before the food switch. Look at how thin his fur is!

 

Sawyer today. This is two years after switching over his food. Look at the difference in his coat.

Choosing a food can be overwhelming. The pet food industry is alive and well. In 2013, sales for dog and cat food alone totaled approximately $20 billion.

"As you might know, there is no requirement that pet food products have pre-market approval by the FDA."

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), however, does "require that all animal foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled."

So what does this all mean to the average consumer? It means finding a quality pet food might be pretty confusing. Luckily, there are more and more people who have a desire to provide quality, healthy, natural products for our pets.  Here are some tips I've learned along the way to determine whether or not your pet food is all-natural.

1. By-Products

If the term "by-product" appears on the ingredient label, the food is not really all natural. "By-product," translates into the "leftover" parts of the animal. The leftover ingredients are the parts of the animals not even consumed by humans.

2. Wheat, corn and soy

These are common ingredients, often found in pet foods that can certainly lead to allergies in your animals.

3. Read the ingredient list

As you might know, the ingredients are listed in order by what appears in the food the most. You want those very first listed ingredients to be the whole product (i.e. fish, chicken, beef, vegetables) - or things you recognize.   


These natural foods help aid in digestion, since they have to do less breaking down of the processed ingredients, as well as consuming the natural, healthy part of the product. This can lead to improved skin, healthier coat and the overall longevity of your pet.

 

And again, my go-to product has been Taste of the Wild for several years now, but I've been seeing more and more natural products to choose from!