Pet Food Products

If you are a pet owner, you are probably concerned about the disturbing news regarding pet foods you buy in your grocery or discount stores. There is a good reason to be concerned. Just a few decades ago, domestic dogs and cats were living up to 18 and 20 years or more. It was with the advent of processed pet foods that the lifespans of our pets began to decline.

Unhealthy Pet Food Products

One of the main reasons for this change is the kinds of ingredients in processed pet foods and, in fact, the way the end products are processed. It all started with the production of rations for armies waging war. K-rations were meant to be eaten in fields and trenches, and they were created by major players in the food industry.

While K-rations may have served the soldiers well, one of the concerns of the industry giants was what to do with the waste. It didn't take long for the corporate moguls to imagine the amount of money they could make using the waste products as prime ingredients in pet foods. Soon the waste products were being ground into meal and included as the basic ingredients of canned and dry foods.

What Pets Used to Eat

Before World War II, most pets ate table scraps, munched on bones, and lived longer, healthier lives. They were eating essentially the same foods a their owners, who also were generally healthier than we are today. Pets were not eating sugar. They were not fed primarily with grains. Their diets were varied and could include eggs, cheese, beef, pork, and chicken, as well as the marrow in bones.

Today, the majority of our pets are fed processed food consisting primarily of grains and preservatives. Other ingredients that are commonly used include such delicacies as chicken beaks and feet, animal intestines, meat byproducts, decaying animal parts, and food coloring. It's no wonder that the average pet now lives 13-15 years instead of up to a decade more.

Finding Healthy Pet Food Products

It's not as easy as you might think to find really healthy foods for your pets. In general, even the most expensive and highly touted foods you can buy in your grocery store do not come up to par in terms of providing healthy nutrition for your pets. Many of these foods contain ingredients that you would never feed to your pet if you had a choice. Most grocery store pet foods, and some pet foods sold by vets, even include a high level of preservatives and dyes that are harmful to your pets.

The good news is that there are pet lovers who have managed to create healthy pet foods that are good for your pets and affordable as well. They do cost a little more than the awful food you are probably feeding your pets right now, but you can, in fact, save money on vet bills throughout the healthy life of your pets if you choose food that is manufactured with your pet's health in mind.

How Can You Find the Best Pet Foods?

There are many websites that offer a comparison of the ingredients and nutritional values of dozens of manufactured pet foods. You can find holistic pet foods, natural pet foods, pet foods that do not contain contaminated animal parts, and pet foods that taste so good your pets will love them. Take a few minutes to find a website that offers you pet food product alternatives with wholesome ingredients, and you will find that your pets will be active and healthy for a longer time.