Many owners have purchased a lot of health food for the health of their pet cats and dogs. The health care products are only used as nutritional supplements. The key to a balanced nutrition is the daily diet of pet cats and dogs. If you really want to feed pet cats and dogs with health care products, in addition to asking the veterinarian first, you should also choose legal brands and health care products for pets, so that pet cats and dogs can supplement their health rather than increase their burden.

Concept 1: Pet nutrition is mainly based on food, supplemented by health care products

Many pet owners will search the Internet for information, buy a bunch of health care products for pet cats and dogs, and always feel that they eat more Beneficial, but ignoring it can lead to other problems. As long as small animals have a balanced and healthy diet, they do not need to take special health care products, unless they need to supplement nutritional products in appropriate amounts when they are in physical condition due to age or congenital problems. The owner must clearly understand that health care products are by no means a panacea, they are only used to assist medical treatment!

From the perspective of pet preventive medicine, some health products do have their effect, such as lysine, which can inhibit the herpes virus in cats, reduce the chance of recurrence and slow down symptoms. However, there are still many health care products on the market that are scientifically controversial or proven to be ineffective. Therefore, owners should purchase health care products and use them according to the needs of their pets. For example, dogs and cats with degenerative arthritis can use glucosamine, chondroitin, etc., and It should be evaluated by a veterinarian to avoid misunderstanding the exaggerated efficacy of health care products, resulting in damage to the health of pet cats and dogs!

Concept 2: Species, diet, age and disease factors, which are related to supplementation of health products

Basically, dogs and cats have three normal calorie sources, protein, carbohydrates and lipids, and their needs There is a considerable gap in the ratio, and the daily requirements for amino acids and minerals are also very different. For example, cats must take additional taurine (cats cannot synthesize it by themselves, and normally obtain it from organ food), but dogs do not need it. And the nutritional requirements are also different for different ages, body types, etc. Owners should start from the daily diet, the key that directly affects the nutritional balance of pet cats and dogs, is the correct approach.

Different feeding methods will also affect the nutritional balance. The feed for pet cats and dogs has been prepared with balanced and appropriate nutrients at the factory. Therefore, dogs and cats that normally eat feed generally do not need additional nutritional supplements. If it is known that your pet is a breed at risk, such as a Labrador, Corgi or fold cat with joint genetic diseases, it is recommended to supplement joint health products in advance. Need to pay attention to the skin care method, schnauzer, etc., you can use fish oil. Others are usually when pets enter old age and are accompanied by diseases, and health products are used to assist medical treatment to improve the quality of life, such as kidney function conditioning.

Similar to human health products, animal health products also need to be marked as health food, and details such as ingredients and uses should be clearly listed in the description, and then used by pets according to veterinarians' recommendations. In addition, the owner should avoid buying separately packaged health products or home remedies or products that exaggerate the curative effect. For example, lysine is a health food for herpes virus infection. The symptoms of herpes virus infection are eye and nose secretions and upper respiratory tract discomfort, but this cannot be diagnosed by the owner himself. It should be judged and recommended by a veterinarian. However, many owners feed their cats daily without the need for additional supplements.

Concept 4: The intake of health supplements should be in moderation, and human nutritional supplements should be avoided

Health supplements are food, is it okay to eat more? Many owners buy a variety of health care products for their pets with this idea and attitude, but ignore that most of them are compound ingredients, resulting in the duplication of nutrients in pet cats and dogs, which is not worth the loss. Owners need to have a basic idea of what nutrients they are feeding and why they are feeding them so that they know if there is any repetition. It depends on the type of health care products to eat. For example, water-soluble vitamins and amino acids will not be a problem, but those that will accumulate in the body, such as iron supplements, calcium powder, etc., should not be over-consumed.

In addition, many owners question whether it is food for humans or pets? Many human health products are compound formulas. For example, the most common joint care products may contain glucosamine and chondroitin, as well as organic sulfur, calcium and human multivitamins. These minerals and vitamins may not be suitable for pets. , It is recommended to consult a veterinarian whether it is suitable and the amount to be used before using human skin care products.

Theoretically, human-use health food is also obtained through animal experiments. It is impossible to generalize that there will be differences between human-use and pet health-care products. However, some people may add additives to make healthy food taste better. However, these additives are not necessarily suitable for pets, but may increase the physical burden of pet cats and dogs. Therefore, it is recommended that owners should consider pet physiology when choosing healthy food for pet cats and dogs. Mainly choose healthy food for animals.