We love our pets and want to do what's best for them, right? Why then do so many of us carelessly feed our pets leftover scraps from the table when such offerings are often harmful to their health? Many times, pet owners don't think about the extra calories in treats, or worse... harmful ingredients that can physically take years off their lives!
We think that just because our pet likes them, they can't possibly do them any harm. This dangerous belief is the farthest thing from the truth. We often are influenced through advertising on treats that look appealing to us, but we need to be more discriminating than that when it comes to our pets.
Did you know that commercial dog and cat treats are not even required to meet nutritional standards of pet food? It's true. And as such, we need to get in the habit of reading the label on any commercial pet treat prior to buying any treats for our companions. Aside from the high prices of most commercial treats, the contents of these pet snacks-whether from multinational companies or local manufacturers-contain alarming amounts of fat and additives as well as the hidden dangers of contamination. Take, for example, pigs ears which are a popular dog snack and are readily available. More than any other dog snacks, they have been found to be contaminated with the salmonella virus. Also, many natural treats, often imported from third world countries, have tested positive to e.coli, and purchasing them without knowing where they're from is a modern form of doggie-roulette. Even treats like rawhides, dried beef and jerky can be home to bacteria, fungus, molds and toxins if not properly prepared or dried long enough. Sunlight exposure can often cause them to sweat and turn rancid. Interestingly, rawhide snacks also have little to no nutritional value: many are high in fat and often have large amounts of sugar, salt and harmful preservatives or flavorings. Further adding to the problem, corn, wheat and soy flours, popular fillers in many pet treats, can contribute to food allergies.
So, what can you do to protect your pet's health? First, don't panic! Pet treats, like everything else your pet consumes, is usually commercially-produced and as such, will usually have nutritional labelling. From these labels, you can ascertain whether the the treat has excessive amounts of sugars, salts, fat or preservatives, and you can make appropriate choices through performing side-by-side comparisons with other, name-brand pet products. If a pet snack does not provide a nutritional label, put it back! You don't want to risk your pet's health on unlabeled food. For the most part, it is often argued that pet treats are junk food. How much they are "junk" as compared to "food" is in analysis of the label. Of course, it's important to realize that not all pets treats [http://www.petstreatsblog.com] are unhealthy; many are very nutritious and can aid in the health of your pet when given as a reward, and in moderation. For those who are uncomfortable with even the healthiest commercial pet treats, there is a modern movement towards home-made pet treats, and there are many good articles and books on this subject.
Curt Zilbersher writes for the Pets Treats Blog at [http://www.petstreatsblog.com]
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