"Proper nutrition is among the most important considerations in the Cornerstones of Health maintenance for your pet.  In addition we considered it vital in the management of many common diseases."
The Doctors and Staff of Redmond Veterinary Clinic 

The Right Food For Your Pet
Would you feed a baby steak? Or eat salty potato chips if you had high blood pressure? Of course not. And just like people, every pet has special nutritional needs. For example, a pet food formulated to meet the requirements of a growing puppy would not be appropriate for an older dog whose heart is stressed from age.

Too little or too much of certain nutrients can be detrimental to a pet's health. And nutrients of importance, and the amount that is ideal, vary by life stage, activity level and health condition. 

Pet nutrition can run the gamut from being something that merely sustains a pet's life to foods that can actually help manage certain health problems. We recommend that you strive for the optimal balance of nutrients for your pet's individual needs.

The Best Way to Compare Pet Foods
Your best source for finding the ideal pet food is to talk with an expert, your veterinarian. But the choice is ultimately up to you, so be an informed consumer. A couple of tips to keep in mind when pet food shopping:

• It is VERY important to compare foods on a dry matter basis, not by the Guaranteed Analysis on the package.  It's best to obtain dry matter information from the manufacturer. If the manufacturer won't provide the information, one can "estimate" Dry Matter by calculating from the Guaranteed Analysis, but actual amounts can very greatly.
  
• Make cost comparisons on a "per feeding" basis using feeding directions rather than a cost "per bag". This is important because pet foods recommend different feeding amounts based on the amount of energy in their food.
  
• Talk with your veterinarian about nutrient control, quality of ingredients, clinical research, and get a professional recommendation.
  
• Compare manufacturers' expertise, as well as their commitment to delivering nutritionally superior products.

Understanding Labels
While not all nutrition information can be found on pet food labels, they are extremely helpful for knowing what kinds of ingredients are used in the food.
However, the ingredient list does NOT provide the nutritional content -- it simply displays the ingredients that supply the nutrients. This list will not help you determine if the food is right for your pet's age and breed, nor will it guarantee the quality of ingredients.

Also, understand the simple function of guaranteed analysis -- its only real guarantee is that minimum or maximum amounts of the nutrients named can be found in the food. The actual amounts can vary widely. We recommend comparing foods' dry matter value, which is not on the label, but usually available from the manufacturer. If the information is not available from the manufacturer, click here to learn how to calculate dry matter using information from the label.

Pet food labels and claims can be confusing, but Redmond Veterinary Clinic recommends taking the time to get to know the food you give your pets. We're confident that when you do, you won't have to look any further than Hill's® products for your dogs and cats.

Sample Label
INGREDIENTS: WHEAT FLOUR, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, MEAT AND BONE MEAL, GROUND WHEAT, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA AND CITRIC ACID), SALT, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM SORBATE (A PRESERVATIVE), VITAMIN A ACETATE, D-ACTIVATED ANIMAL STEROL (SOURCE OF VITAMIN D3), VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, BIOTIN, ZINC OXIDE, ETHYLENEDIAMINE DIHYDRIODIDE, SODIUM SELENITE. GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
CRUDE PROTEIN CRUDE FAT CRUDE FIBER MOISTURE	20.0% MINIMUM 7.5% MINIMUM 4.5% MAXIMUM 12.0% MAXIMUM
NOTE: ANIMAL FEEDING TESTS, USING AAFCO PROCEDURES SUBSTANTIATE THAT THIS PRODUCT PROVIDES COMPLETE AND BALANCED NUTRITION FOR GROWTH AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DOG.