What is in a balanced dog food?
Balance in food and nutrition is very important in dogs as an excess or insufficiency can upset their system causing various health problems. Readily available dog foods usually state that they provide a ‘balanced meal’ to your pet. If you are wondering what exactly goes into preparing the perfectly balanced meal for your pet then here is what you need to know!
What is a balanced dog food?
A balanced meal must have protein (animal protein), whole grains, vegetables, fats and water. They require key vitamins and minerals especially vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and phosphorous. A perfect balance of all these ingredients makes for a healthy meal and a happy pet!
Plan meals according to your dog’s life stage
In every stage of their life dogs need different nutritional requirements. So, it is better that you modify their diet according to their nutritional needs. For instance puppies and their lactating mothers need a diet rich in calcium and magnesium for their bone health and growth as opposed to senior pets that need less of these minerals in their diet to avoid unnecessary damage to their kidneys.
If your pet has arthritis or kidney disease then you can only make it worse by serving them an imbalanced food through a lack of knowledge of not knowing what to feed them. So, there are readily available dog foods that cater to these issues and your pet can safely consume them.
Watch out for the packaging
Reading the label while opting for a readymade dog food is very important. The first thing that you must find is the presence of a high quality protein followed by natural vegetables. Artificial ingredients are a strict no-no. It must contain healthy fats such as Omega 3 fatty acids that are essential for a healthy diet. But make sure that the food does not contain too much fat especially the low quality kind.
Consult your vet
It is a good idea to consult your vet before choosing a particular dog food. It is also necessary that you plan your pet’s meal based on their life stage. Your vet will help you figure out the right diet for your pet.
