Protein:
The first ingredient listed should be a protein source. You should be able to identify the ingredient as a whole food such as chicken, duck, beef, etc. A red flag should go up if a protein source is listed as “meat” or “poultry” followed by “by-product”. These can be any number of things including rendered/euthanized animals. The same rule should be applied to looking at the source of fat on the ingredient list. “Animal fat” can be from any source including recycled restaurant grease. Oils, such as salmon oil and coconut oil are also a good source of fat that also provide Omega-3 and essential fatty acids which provide a healthy coat and help with joint health.
Grains/Starches:
Next on the ingredient list is the source of carbohydrates. Quality sources include oatmeal, rice, barley, millet, lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc. Healthy Tails does not carry any foods that contain corn, wheat, or soy. These ingredients are inexpensive fillers and should be eliminated from your pet’s diet. Many pet food companies use these cheap fillers to keep their cost down.
Fruits and Vegetables:
Even though our pets are primarily carnivores, fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins and minerals that are essential to a healthy diet.
Additives/preservatives:
Items that should not be listed are BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. These chemicals are known carcinogens. Propylene glycol, used to keep some foods and treats chewy, is the primary ingredient in wiper fluid. Animal or poultry digests are essentially animal waste used to make low quality foods more palatable to pets. The foods sold at Healthy Tails are all naturally preserved and palatable due to the fact that high quality, nutritious ingredients are used.
Once your pet is on a healthy diet, you will notice many changes. They will eat less due to the higher quality ingredients. Since more of the food will be absorbed, your pet will not need to eliminate as much as before. Your pet’s coat should shed less and feel softer as well.
The “dog smell” should also disappear since that is usually caused by poor quality diets.