How Important is Pet Nutrition?

Like yourself, your pet needs a good combination of nutrients to function optimally. They require enough minerals, proteins, vitamins, fats, and carbohydrates. Most commercial pet food manufacturers detail the contents of their foods to ensure that you know the right formula. Pet nutrition is not standard for all ages and depends on the pet. 

Important Nutrients for Pets

A balanced diet for your pet needs all the vital nutrients to sustain its growth. Some of these nutrients include:
 

• Vitamins and minerals. Depending on your pet, you can include grains, vegetables, fish, meat, and chicken. They are a good source of minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium. Vitamins promote healthy vision and blood clotting.

• Carbohydrates. These are fiber-rich and help power the animal’s brain and energize its nervous system.

• Fats or lipids. These can improve your pet’s skin and coat in the right portions. They are also an ideal energy source.

• Proteins. These benefit the animal’s skin, muscles, and coat.

Here are several reasons you should pay attention to your pet’s nutrition. They include:

Disease Prevention and Immunity

Good nutrition from homemade meals or commercial pet foods helps sustain your animal’s immune and metabolic system. Vitamins help curb the daily damage to their body’s cells. Minerals maintain their health by promoting the normal functioning of the same cells. These nutrients come from various types of meat and plants. Insufficiency of these two increases the chances of the animal falling sick.

Physical Condition and Muscle Tone

Each cell in your pet’s body comprises a protein. It is the building block of the organs, skin, muscles, hair, and numerous tissues. In addition, it is crucial in the rebuilding and regeneration of cells and in maintaining strong muscles. Protein is the primary nutrient in the growth of young pets and those that are pregnant. 

Digestion and Excretion

These two bodily functions are crucial to all animals, including humans. The best nutrient for this is carbohydrates since it contains fiber. Fiber is vital for the process. Most commercial pet foods formulate this in their ingredients to ensure that the animal absorbs it without complications. 

Digestion helps your pet use all the available nutrients in the food and comfortably rid itself of waste. The ideal pet food ensures the animal gets all the benefits with minimal excretion.

Hair and Skin Health

A vet or animal health professional can tell your pet’s state of health by looking at its skin and coat. A proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids ensures that their hair looks shiny and rich. Without these, their skin becomes dry. 

It also results in hair that breaks, splits, and falls off. The animal may look shabby and sickly, which is not a good sign of a responsible pet owner. Omega 3 in fatty acids has additional anti-inflammatory benefits that reduce itchiness due to allergies or environmental factors.

What to Choose Between Commercial and Homemade Foods

The choice here comes down to you as the pet parent. Scraps from your dining table may work but ensure that the nutritional content is appropriate. Commercial pet foods are readily available and have all the vital nutrients since they must pass government approval.

For more on the importance of pet nutrition, visit Community Veterinary Medicine at our office in New York, New York. Call (646) 912-9513 to book an appointment today.