December 7, 2023

The ABCs of Pet Nutrition: A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing a Balanced Diet for Dogs and Cats

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It is a common for people to adoringly look at their pets and wonder if they are giving them the best they can. This often brings up the question of food with so many brands and types available on the shelf to choose. Many whom come through our doors will ask if the food they are feeding their animal is a “good one” or if they should switch foods. As a general rule, most dog foods are well balanced and safe to feed. There are many varieties of food because depending on your individual animal’s need, you can use food as a medicine.

What is a “Balanced Diet”?

A balanced diet is one that provides your animal with all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs to maintain normal bodily functions. This will vary by the individual animal based on activity level, metabolism, and life stage.

How do I know what to buy at the store?

Unless your pet has a specific medical condition that you are looking to purchase a food to help treat, any well-balanced diet should work well. The major name brands of food are usually a good choice as they have the research behind their diets to prove that they are not deficient in any essential area. You should be able to see an AAFCO food trial label on the bag showing that it was tested for deficiencies.

Examples include:

  • Purina- The Purina brand of dog foods is very popular and widespread. Their foods have all been tested for deficiencies and found to be complete. Within this brand I have noticed a difference clinically between their basic Dog Chow and their more expensive lines, such as ProPlan. The more expensive line within this brand tends to lend itself to a more luxurious haircoat and typically overall healthier weight.
  • Royal Canin- Royal Canin has a wide variety of foods available that tend to be more tailored for specific breeds and/or conditions. This can be nice as English Bulldogs can have trouble picking up some different sizes of kibble due to their mouth shape and Royal Canin did research in shapes of kibble that are easier for them to pick up.
  • Hill’s/Science Diet- Science Diet foods tend be nicely palatable to dogs making them a good, approachable food that is also well-balanced. I have not noticed any real difference between any of their specific over-the-counter foods.

What about “Good vs. Bad” Ingredients to look for?

Every ingredient in a food needs to be balanced with the rest of the ingredients which will determine whether something is a good vs. bad ingredient. Balance is the key to a long, healthy life. The following are a few ingredients that I get asked about a lot in practice:

  • Chicken/Beef byproduct- Byproduct or Offal refers to the parts of an animal that humans do not typically consume. This includes the internal organs such as liver, kidney, and intestines. These are very safe sources of protein and healthy fats for you pet to consume. These are “Good” ingredients
  • Feather meal- This is another protein source commonly seen on dog food labels which involves taken the skin and feathers from poultry, breaking them down and including them in the food. Feather meal is a very safe source of protein for your pet to consume. This is a “Good” ingredient
  • Rice/Wheat/Barley- These are normal cereal grains that are common stables of human diets. Our domesticated animals are separate from their wild counterparts with the ability to breakdown and ingest carbohydrates such as cereal grains like rice which wolves can not get any benefit from. We have bred our pets to be omnivores like us, so cereal grains can be a good source of energy with some fiber and are “Good” ingredients.


Signs that Your Pet May Need A Different Food:

  • Itchy Skin
  • Hair Loss
  • Dry Haircoat
  • Diluting of haircoat (black to red hair)
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lack of Energy
  • Inappropriate Urination/Elimination
  • Slow Growth

When to Call the Veterinarian:

If your pet is not growing or acting the way you feel he/she should or what would be considered “normal”, we would definitely recommend bringing them in. The list of clinical signs above is also a good place to start with evaluating your animal to see if they may need an appointment.

Our Commitment to You

At Carrollton Animal Hospital, we believe in providing a balanced, whole animal approach understanding that the food your pet eats can be used to prevent many illness or treat many illnesses as needed.

Resources for Pet Owners

For additional discussions on Canine/Feline Nutrition we recommend looking at:

In Conclusion

Nutrition is the building blocks our animals use to keep their bodies balanced and healthy. Providing our pets with a researched, balanced food is our best bet at keeping our pets growing and aging healthy. So long as your pet does not have a specific medical condition to treat, a very large number of good options are available to feed your animals. If your pet is having a problem, we at CAH would love to help you pick the best food to support them.

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