THE BEST PET FOOD IS A SERIOUS HEALTH MATTER

The evidence is clear that health and wellbeing, as well as virtually every disease, are influenced by nutrition. How could it be any different? People and pets are structurally and functionally dependent upon what they eat. The health of what goes in determines the health of what comes out.

Given the health impact of food, it is really quite surprising that virtually anyone can have a go at producing foods.

If pets were simply allowed to eat what they could find in the wild, there would be no nutritional concerns - provided their natural food was available, of course. Animals instinctually know what to eat and the natural food they would choose is the best pet food and satisfies their needs.

But when we remove these choices from our pet and start relying on food from a package, that is another matter. We, in effect, are thumbing our nose at nature and relying on pet food producers to know as much as nature does.

But not only are packaged pet foods by and large totally unlike what a pet would find in the wild, there is another closely guarded pet food secret: It is a rarity to find any pet food company owned and led by health and nutrition experts who put health, not market, first.

Instead, most pet food companies are led by marketers, businessmen, movie stars, stock holder boards, and venture capitalists. Although companies may use all the right buzz words about health, natural, organic, and no this or that vogue bad ingredient, the bottom line is their bottom line.

Don't rely upon words like "developed and endorsed by nutritionists or veterinarians," or the like. Any company can pay for an endorsement. Examine the company more critically to see if there is true expertise at the helm and if the primary motive is your pet's health, not marketing slogans and profit.

Only then can you judge whether you should be placing your pet's health in their hands.

Chart: Pet Food Manufacturers Comparison Chart

Pet food is a serious health matter. But you can see in this chart where various pet food companies are compared, that virtually none of them have health and scientific expertise at the helm. This chart was compiled by telephone and email interviews with pet food companies. Their names have been "X'd" out. You can interview any company using the questions here posed to see where they stand.

Thought for the day: "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." – Anatole France

Phrase for the day: 'essential fatty acids' - Fats such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 that are essential to health.