When you choose a pet food, you should start your selection by checking the list of ingredients in it. This is usually mentioned in the packaging and is one of the most critical aspects to look for very carefully. Be informed that most of the commercial pet food typically contains highly processed by-products and fillers. It also contains flavours and colours that are artificially prepared in a lab. Stay away from these types of food items because these can be unhealthy for your pet. This is because they contain certain chemicals that are not ‘food’ and are not suitable for pets.
Look for the order
When you look at the list of ingredients, you must also look at the order of the list of entries in the packaging. According to Federal law, every manufacturer is required to list the ingredients according to their pre-cooked weights. In simple words, it means that the ingredient of the most substantial quantity should appear at the top of the list, followed by the second largest volume and so on. However, there may be a few stores that sell Homemade Pet Food online in India that may practice ‘ingredient splitting.’ Know and beware about it to avoid manufacturers that encourage such ‘sneaky’ practice.
The items to look for
The federal law also requires that the essential ingredients of the pet food appear at the top of the list. This is because it comprises most of the food content. Ideally, meat or fish must be listed as the first two-three ingredients always. Whole meats such as lamb, chicken, beef, duck, salmon, or turkey are included first. Look in the list for animal organs such as chicken liver or turkey heart. These are extremely nutritious and provide the most critical nutrients. However, specific whole meat meals such as chicken or lamb meal should not feature as the first few main ingredients because these are exceedingly processed.
Other ingredients to look for
The next thing to look for is the fruit or whole vegetables content. All added minerals and vitamins should feature at the end of the ingredient list and sourced naturally. Finally, check for the natural preservatives used in the food. These include vitamin C or ascorbate, lemon juice, vitamin E, or mixed tocopherols and different oils of clove, rosemary, and other spices. The shelf life of such food may be short, but it will not affect the life and health of your pet.