Oakwood Hills Animal Hospital
4616 Commerce Valley RoadEau Claire, WI 54701(715)835-0112
www.oakwoodhillsanimalhospital.com
Nutrition
Our goal in providing this page of information is to direct you to the best information for choosing food for your pet.
Canine and Feline Diets Recommendations - The following considerations should be researched in choosing the best nutrition for your furry friend:
Manufacturer contact information
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) lists these excellent questions to ask of manufacturers:
- Does the company have a veterinary nutritionist or equivalent on staff and available to answer questions?
- Who formulates the diets and what are their credentials?
- Are diets tested using AAFCO feeding trials or formulation tests?
- What is the caloric value (per can or cup)?
- Will you provide nutrient analysis and digestibility of your products?
- Describe your quality control measures to assure consistency and quality?
- Have there been recalls of any of your products?
- Where are your diets produced and manufactured?
- What kinds of research have been conducted on your products? Where is it published?
Nutritional Adequacy All pets foods should have a statement indicating if nutritional adequacy has been proven through feeding trials or formulation tests. Trials are preferable to formulation tests.
Life Stage Claim
- Two profile standards are available from AAFCO: Maintenance and Growth/Reproduction.
- If the label states it is appropriate for “all life stages” it must meet the standards for both standards.
- In meeting these standards, excessive amounts of some nutrients may result in overfeeding.
- No standards exist for the senior life stage.
Caloric Content Disclosure
- Caloric disclosure in not required by law and remains optional.
- Companies that report caloric content are preferred.
- Suggested feeding volumes are usually overstated by about 25% because these values are based on sexually intact adult pets.
- Most of our pets have been surgically altered.
Ingredients Evaluation of ingredients is the most controversial aspect of interpreting pet food labels.
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