What are the tips for buying pet food?
American Animal ProtectionInstitute API Standards and Recommendations:
1. AAFCO stands for Association of American Feed Control Officials; its certified pet food broadly conforms to NRC National Research Council standards. standard? The National Research Council NRC has also certified pet foods that meet the NRC standards.
2. Don’t choose products that use meat and bone meal and by-products. API believes that pets are entitled to the same level of meat as humans. To save money, if you’re using more meat and bone meal and by-products, try using real meat products.
3. Meat is best as the first ingredient. As a rule, the more ingredients in front, the more verum naphthalene pits. It is not always true that more meat is better; for example, adult dogs need low protein and meat is not necessarily the first ingredient; older dogs and obese dogs should even further reduce their meat intake.
4. Look at the ingredients of the grains used. Rice is the most digestible grain. If corn is too much of an ingredient, consider another brand. In fact, corn is also a good grain, but it is too low in ionic acid and must be added additionally; using too much may not be easily digestible.
5. API Natural preservatives recommended for use with natural preservatives include mixed fertility tinctures, vitamins C and E. There are chemical preservatives Ethoxyquin, BHT, and BHA.- Chemical preservatives are generally considered to have potential health effects; in contrast, vitamins C and E not only replace chemical preservatives but also have health benefits.
6. Check the expiration date. When opening the package, remember to smell it to determine its freshness. Return to the original store of purchase if necessary. Generally, import manufacturers can accept returns for products that have just been unpacked
7. When starting a brand change, first mix one-third of the new product with two-thirds of the old product, then increase the proportion of the new product a little each day until it is completely replaced; to avoid unnecessary gastrointestinal discomfort. Most adverse reactions are caused by this.
8. Pay attention to your pet’s feces when changing foods. The feces should not be hard and should not have a pungent odor. When changing foods, foul-smelling stools mean that the digestive system is temporarily unable to adjust to the new product and will usually return to the camel color in a short time.
9. Observe your pet’s coat and weight. Make sure that the new product meets your pet’s individual needs and does not cause excessive weight gain or loss. The pet’s coat is the most sensitive indicator of nutritional status; loss of coat luster, dullness, and dryness during a food change may indicate improper product nutrient composition. Itching and rashes may be a food allergy. The change in weight after a food change is an important indicator; it is most common for pets to gain a lot of weight after changing to a more advanced diet, due to the higher nutritional content, so be sure to follow the instructions on the package to reduce?j Conversely, if weight loss occurs, more food is needed to maintain a normal weight.
10. Don’t choose to exaggerate by exaggerating fashion. Store pet food in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. In addition to proper nutrition, be sure to provide fresh drinking water, proper exercise, and wholehearted love throughout the day.
