A wet nose, a wagging tail, breath that isn’t too smelly, small stools, and a shiny coat – these are the classic signs of a well-nourished pet.
If your furry friend ticks all those boxes, you’re probably on the right nutritional track. But if you feel their physical condition could improve, you might want to consider ditching the traditional kibble and trying raw food instead.
One of the big perks of raw food is its high animal-protein content (at least in the good-quality stuff). It also has a naturally high water content, which is great for hydration. Plus, moving away from carb-heavy diets and sugary treats can help reduce the risk of your pet becoming overweight and developing health problems such as diabetes.
That said, high-quality pellet diets also contain plenty of healthy protein. In fact, both raw food and pellets can be excellent choices for your pet – the key is quality. Look for options that are mostly protein, with added vitamins and minerals from fruits and veggies to round things out.
Should you decide on raw food, take note of the following:
- Ensure it is made from high-quality animal protein for a nutritionally complete diet.
- You should buy from a reputable supplier so that you can have peace of mind that there is proper cold chain and quality control in place.
- The product needs to be registered with the Department of Agriculture and display a nutritional analysis, which will help you understand the nutritional value of the food. This part can be confusing for many pet parents, which is where professional advice comes in. Our Pet Care Advisors are all highly trained and can answer any questions around the topic.
- With a raw-food diet you need to be extra-vigilant about cleanliness.
- Many brands of raw foods will state that it is “complementary”, so you need to ensure that you are giving your pet a balanced diet, as raw food might not be sufficient.
- If you decide to make a change to raw food from pellets (or vice versa), then it is advised that the change in diet is not made abruptly. It is important to follow a transitioning process to minimize or eliminate any reactions in your pet’s digestive system.
Visit Absolute Pets and speak to the staff about finding the right pet food for your furry – be it dry food or raw.
