.jpg)
Hippocrates is often quoted as saying, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Through its component nutrients, food provides the building blocks the body uses to build, maintain and repair tissues, as well as nourishes our digestive system and the microbes that live there (the microbiome), which has impacts on immune system function, gut health, and even behavior. For pets, nutrition is a fundamental component of good health and longevity.
With a recent explosion in the pet food industry of brands, buzzwords and clever marketing, choosing a pet food these days can be a difficult and frustrating proposition for most pet owners. It is also a decision that can be emotional because food is a way we show love to and nurture our pets. For many of our dogs and cats, feeding is a highlight of their day, and we love to see tail wags and excited meows when it’s dinnertime.
When we’re considering what best nutrition means for our pets, we need to go back to basics. While there have been many trends in human nutrition over the last few decades, the time-tested core recommendations remain the same - eat whole foods, as minimally processed as possible, and incorporate variety. Despite what even many veterinarians will tell you, the same applies to our pets.
Unfortunately, conventional kibble - by far the most popular diet choice for most pets in the United States - is a highly processed food. And when we feed ourselves or our pets highly processed food as a sole source of nutrition, we are likely to see less ideal health outcomes. Diets high in processed foods in humans carry a much higher risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
The good news is even a little change in the direction of incorporating more whole foods can make a big difference in slowing aging change for your dog or cat by reducing the effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the inflammatory nature of processed foods while providing more bioavailable nutrition. Read below to learn more about the nutritional needs of each species and ideas on how to start tweaking your pet’s diet to support longevity.
Dogs
Dogs are not truly carnivores, nor are they omnivores. Dogs are most correctly classified as facultative carnivores, which means their bodies prefer meat as a source of nutrition but can incorporate other nutrients in small amounts from plant and carbohydrate sources.
Kibble diets are very high in carbohydrates relative to the nutritional ideal for dogs and are very low in hydration (<10%). Kibble is often the choice for most families because it’s easy to feed (since it is shelf-stable for a time) and it’s relatively less expensive than other types of food. If feeding an entirely whole foods diet is not possible for your budget, you still have good options for improving the overall nutritional composition of your dog’s food.
Replacing even 25% of your dog’s kibble with whole foods can make a big difference. You have several options to achieve this. If shelf-stability is important for your lifestyle, a dehydrated whole foods diet, such as Honest Kitchen, can be an easy way to up your dog’s diet. Just rehydrate the food with water and add that in place of 25% (or more) of your kibble.
Other options for minimally processed whole foods toppers (or complete diets, if you’re able) include:
- Fresh human-grade cooked foods such as Just Food for Dogs or Farmer’s Dog
- High-pressure processed raw frozen raw foods like Primal Raw or Darwin’s
- Gently cooked (pasteurized) raw foods like Smallbatch
- Freeze dried raw food such as Northwest Naturals
If those choices aren’t right for your situation, you can also do some home cooking. Most simply, you can rotate dog-safe vegetables (steamed or cut into small pieces) as toppers to incorporate phytonutrients and fiber. You can also utilize resources such as balanceit.com, where you’ll find vet-checked recipes for complete and balanced home cooked meals - especially important if you’re planning to feed a majority home cooked diet.
If you are still feeding part of your dog’s diet as kibble, consider adding moisture before feeding to increase your pet’s hydration levels. You can simply use warm water or - for added benefits - bone broth, kefir or goat’s milk.
Unless your pet has a specific health condition, consider rotating brands and protein sources regularly. Variety feeds microbiome diversity as well as avoids putting all our nutrition “eggs” in one basket. Plus, most dogs love to experience different tastes, flavors and textures.
Cats
While dogs have adapted in some ways to the diets of their human companions, cats are still obligate carnivores, meaning they have a strong preference for meat-based diets with no true carbohydrate requirements.
Additionally, cats descended from desert animals who got most of their hydration from the prey they ate. So cats aren't used to drinking sufficiently to maintain good hydration. As kibble is high in both carbohydrates and low in moisture, it is not an ideal way of eating for cats long-term.
If kibble is what works best for your budget and feeding style, you can still utilize whole food toppers to incorporate more minimally processed nutrition. See the dog section above for more information on how to do that successfully. If your cat is used to meal feeding, and it is possible for your budget, treated raw or gently cooked commercial diets are great options for cats.
Cats can be notoriously picky, so try small amounts of different types to find what your cat prefers. It can be helpful to serve the food at room temperature or slightly warmed - which increases the aromas and more closely resembles prey temperature - to encourage a cat to eat a new food.
At Petspan, we’re on the forefront of longevity interventions for pets. Want to learn more about what options are available to help your pet live a longer and healthier life? Schedule a consultation with one of our Petspan veterinarians.
