Know Essential Food For Your Dogs and Cats

It is necessary to select the right quality of food for fulfilling the nutritional requirements of your pet such as dog or cat. There are many essential dietary components that must be present in the food that your pet dog or cat consumes everyday. Nutritional deficiencies can lead to poor health of your pet which must be avoided at all costs.

Protein

Vegetable proteins are hard to digest for dogs. Thus, it is essential to find a dog food that is rich in animal proteins. 18% is the minimum protein requirement for an adult dog. Similarly, cats also require animal proteins and should be fed meat, fish and other animal products. Plant based proteins are not beneficial for cats, thus strict vegetarian diets are not recommended for cats. The dietary proteins provide 10 essential amino acids which cannot be produced by cats and dogs on their own. Deficiency of a single amino acid leads to serious health problems. Therefore, protein is very crucial for the good health of cats and dogs.

Fats

Fats provide essential fatty acids that cannot be produced by the body. Fats provide twice more energy than carbohydrates and proteins. Fat free dog foods should always be avoided for your pet dog. Adult dogs require at least 5% of fat in their diets to remain healthy. Cats can consume high amounts of fat without adverse effects. The minimum fat content in cat foods should be 9% of the dry matter. Many cat foods provide more than 50% of the energy from fats.

Vitamins

Vitamins are required for various metabolic activities and their deficiency can lead to serious health problems. Vitamins must be present in the diet of your pet dog. Vitamin supplement can also be given in consultation with a vet. Cats also require vitamins especially Vitamin A. Cats suffering from deficiency of Vitamin A usually lose weight and die eventually. Canned fish products containing fat lack many vital vitamins and must not be given to your pets.