What’s in Your Pet’s Bowl?

At Patsy’s Pet Market, our nutritional philosophy is simple: to provide you with food and treats to ensure the health and well being of your pet.

You can’t buy filet mignon at a hamburger price.  Healthy pet food and treats don’t have to break the bank.  At Patsy’s, we strive to give your pet the best possible food for their health needs at a great price.

To start on the path of getting quality products for your pet, check you current pet food label and read the first five ingredients.  Ingredients in pet food and treats are listed in order of their weight; therefore, the heaviest ingredients (those that make up the largest portion of the food) are listed first.

Note the following when looking at these top five ingredients:

  • At the top of the list of ingredients should be high-quality animal proteins: chicken, lamb, beef, turkey, fish, venison, duck and bison are all excellent proteins.
  • If the protein source lists “by-products” then beware!  Your pet is eating parts of the animal that are not the healthiest option.  For example, chicken by-products would be beaks, feathers, and entrails.
  • Meats of unknown origin “Animal Meal” or “Animal Digest” could literally be anything and are almost certainly low in quality.  The proteins must always be identified: chicken meal, lamb meal, and fish meal…all of these are named sources.  Meal is the cooked down, clean parts of the meat protein and is considered to be the single best source of protein in pet foods.
  • The second ingredient on the list should be whole grains such as brown rice, white rice, and barley.  “Brewers Rice” is a lower quality rice product missing many nutrients found in white or brown rice.
  • Many commercial pet foods and treats contain wheat, corn, and soy.  Many dogs are allergic to these ingredients and they should be avoided. These ingredients are inexpensive fillers that make it difficult for your pet to digest the good stuff in the food.  Sometimes these ingredients are called “corn meal, corn gluten or corn grits”.  If the food or treats contain these inexpensive fillers, then the pet food manufacturer has found an inexpensive way to make this pet food meet basic nutrient levels.  Unfortunately very few regulations exist for pet food.
  • Pet foods or treats containing fruit and vegetables such as cranberries, blueberries, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, and spinach are top quality because they supply important nutrients, essential minerals, and enzymes that enhance and promote healthy digestion.

If you are interested in learning more about pet nutrition, come on over to speak with us.  We will design a personalized diet for each pet taking into consideration pet breeds, life stages, daily activities, amount of time indoors and specific medical and behavioral conditions.   Let’s us help you get on the path of feeding your pet healthy and nutritious foods.