PETS
Meating your pets needs
with Debbie Fryer of Pets are Pals
Every year we’re becoming more conscious about what we put into our bodies. But when was the last time you thought about what you’re feeding your pet?
Junk food and sugary snacks are known causes of health problems and obesity in humans. Yet the same can be said for processed and convenience pet food. While tins and pouches are quick and easy in satisfying your hungry dog or cat, what’s in the tin might be causing your pet a myriad of health problems, too.
Made up of poor quality ingredients, high fat content and questionable additives, commercial pet food can lead to a build up of toxins in your pet’s gut causing digestive, urinary and kidney problems.
It wasn’t that long ago that domestic pets lived on a diet of scraps and off-cuts from the butcher such as raw meat, bones and offal. Yet today, it is legal for pet food to contain very little meat product, instead being made up of animal by-products and meat derivatives such as hides, horns, feathers, feet, insects and even shells. As with humans, a poor diet can obviously lead to weight loss or gain, along with bad breath or a build up of tooth tartar. With pet food often bulked out with grains, particularly wheat, pets can also develop intolerances. If you’ve noticed your pet shedding more than normal, their skin seems dry and sensitive, or they are licking their skin and feet more often, this can also be a sign of a poor diet. Wet food may have very little nutrients that are essential to keeping your pet’s coat healthy.
Additives which have been banned for human consumption are still often used to preserve processed pet food; so it’s no wonder that behavioural problems such as hyperactivity and eating their own faeces arises due to these colours and chemicals.
So how can you help your pet? Start by always checking the food you are buying. For dogs, the first three or four ingredients should be meat. Cats are carnivores and so need around an 80 percent meat- based diet.
A good specialist pet food can combat any issues related to your pet’s diet and a reputable pet shop such as us here at Pets are Pals will offer advice on what you should be feeding your animal to help ease any symptoms they may have. Adding a probiotic to their daily feed can aid digestion and boost immunity, while salmon oil is rich in omega 3 and 6 which helps with skin, coat and joints.
Give your pet a DentaStix six days a week to clean teeth, following this once a week with a DentaFlex which is like having a scale and polish. A weekly general health check will help you look out for any underlying issues. Clean their ears, keep a check on poo consistency and regularly groom and brush them to enable you to check for lumps and changes to the body.
Speak to your local pet specialist about any concerns you may have and if symptoms persist, seek veterinary advice.
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aroundtownmagazine.co.uk
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