by Jennifer Sharpe
Nutrition — the science of food and how it affects health and well-being
— is just as important for pets as it is for humans. Pet owners have several things to consider in choosing what foods are best for their dogs and cats.
Wet or Dry Food?
A common question about pet food is what type is best — wet food, commonly thought of as canned but also available in containers or pouches, or dry food, also called kibble. The answer depends on a variety of factors.
“In general, canned or dry food that is nutritionally complete and balanced should be adequate for most pets,” said Dr. M. Blake Murray, assistant clinical professor, primary care, at Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
“Wet versus dry food really depends on your dog’s own needs and preferences,” said Emily Bollinger, owner of Dog Dish Tulsa, a retail boutique that offers counseling in pet nutrition. “The most important factor you should consider is inclusion of quality ingredients and exclusion of junk.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a Center for Veterinary Medicine whose duties include overseeing animal food and feed, including pet food. The FDA works closely with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a regulatory group for animal food laws that was established in 1906. Together, the two agencies strive to ensure safety and control in the pet-food industry.
Murray suggests checking packaging for an AAFCO nutrition label, specifically one that states, “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that [diet] provides complete and balanced nutrition for [life stage of pet.]”
“As pets age, it is important to make sure that we are feeding them an appropriate diet for their life stage,” said Murray. “It is also important to discuss specific nutritional recommendations with your veterinarian, especially if your pet has an illness that may benefit from a specific type of diet.”
Dental Drama
Some pet owners believe that dogs need to eat kibble to help with oral hygiene. “There is a common misconception that feeding only wet food will rot a dog’s teeth and that they need kibble to keep their teeth clean. That’s like assuming a bag of crunchy chips will clean your own teeth! Plus, if you’ve ever seen a hungry dog eat, you know that food isn’t being chewed anyway,” said Bollinger.
“To my knowledge,” Dr. Murray said, “there really isn’t any substantial difference in the development of periodontal disease” between canned and kibble diets, although specific kibble diets are designed to promote dental health.
Go Canned for Cats
Murray recommends that cats eat wet food. “Often, but not always, feline canned diets are lower in their carbohydrate
content and higher in protein than kibble,” he said.
“Cats are obligate carnivores, and while complex carbohydrates in appropriate amounts are useful, simple sugars are not. Wet food is also higher in moisture than kibble, which can help with hydration. These might not be issues for a young, healthy cat, but often when certain diseases (diabetes, chronic kidney disease) are diagnosed, veterinarians may recommend feeding a canned prescription diet. Cats that have historically eaten kibble for their entire lives may be difficult to transition to a canned diet in adulthood.”
Tracking the Trends
Pet wellness is a huge focus right now, said Bollinger. “At Dog Dish, we have always focused on healthy nutrition by way of food and treats, but it is becoming more mainstream.” People have realized that their pet’s potential life span is affected by nutrition, Bollinger said. “You can’t stop all disease, but having a healthy foundation is something you can control.”
Just like human nutrition, Murray said, pet nutrition is subject to trends and fads, such as grain-free diets and commercially prepared raw-food diets for animals. “I feel that these companies are fantastic at advertising, and this can be misleading to well-intentioned pet parents. Advertising that a diet is grain free implies that grains must be bad for our pets, which is not the case for the majority of pets,” Murray said. “Advertisements that suggest our dogs should be fed like their wolf ancestors are also inaccurate. Dogs are not wolves — thousands of years of selective breeding in our dogs have resulted in a species that has different nutritional requirements than their wolf ancestors. Feeding our pets raw food can put both the pet and the family at risk for developing food-borne illness, and the American Veterinary Medical Association discourages this practice.”
Homemade Pet Food
Some pet owners are making their own pet food.
“I see a subset of my patients that receive homemade pet foods, but they are in the minority,” Murray said. “This practice may have its place for some of our pets, but the recipe should be formulated with the help of a veterinarian specializing in nutrition. Without taking this step, we can put our pets at risk for nutritional deficiencies. Pets
with identified, specific food allergies may benefit from a home-cooked diet if a commercially prepared option is unavailable or is not tolerated by the pet.”
Bollinger said “dietary necessity” is generally what prompts some of her customers to make their own pet food. “There are options out there to make cooking your pet food easier,” she said. “One item is a base mix that contains the plant-based ingredients needed to make food balanced. This is usually a dehydrated or freeze-dried mix that ranges from finely ground to a chunkier consistency that is then rehydrated using water or bone broth. For protein sources, people can use a chub, which is usually a two-pound to five-pound roll of raw meat that can be thawed and portioned.”
Just like people, dogs and cats have different dietary needs that are unique to them, said Bollinger. “If you have a pet that has some intolerances or allergies, which are becoming increasingly prevalent (just like in people), finding a food is usually a process of elimination. That can be tedious but ultimately very fulfilling once you’ve solved the puzzle.”
