Know What You’re Feeding Your Pet

You're an expert at having fun with your pet, and you're looking to step up your game with pet nutrition. Good for you! Learn more about common ingredients, essential nutrients and how to make informed decisions when feeding your pet.

How To Read A Pet Food Label
Quick Tips For Top Nutrition
Feeding your pet

Banfield Nutrition GuideBanfield Nutrition Guide

Select the categories that fit your pet, and our handy e-tool will provide nutrition information to help you make good decisions for your dog or cat. Be sure to discuss these factors with your Banfield veterinarian: together you can finalize a nutrition plan for your unique pet.

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Banfield Nutrition GuideBanfield Nutrition Guide

Select the categories that fit your pet, and our handy e-tool will provide nutrition information to help you make good decisions for your dog or cat. Be sure to discuss these factors with your Banfield veterinarian: together you can finalize a nutrition plan for your unique pet.

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How To Read A Pet Food Label

On first glance, a pet food label can look like a secret code or encrypted message. Here are easy ways to decipher nutrition information.

How To Read A Pet Food Label
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WHAT'S AAFCO?


The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is the pet food industry standards board.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

They set the minimum/maximum guidelines for nutrients like protein and vitamins in pet foods.

INSIDER TIP:

In order to say a food is ‘complete and balanced’, companies follow these guidelines. That means your pet gets the right nutrients in the right amounts.

Mighty Minerals

The Mighty Minerals

Calcium
Minerals List
  • Calcium
  • Copper
  • Iodine
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Phosphorus
  • Potassium
  • Selenium
  • Sodium Phosphates
  • Zinc

What it does: Serves as an important ingredient (especially for young puppies and kittens) to develop strong skeleton and bones

Where to find it: This essential mineral is often added to foods in a specific ratio with other minerals like phosphorus to make sure pets get just the right amount.

Quick Tips for Top Nutrition

  1. AAFCO Insurance Statement
    AAFCO Assurance
    Instead of looking for specific ingredients, look for an AAFCO statement on any pet food. This will say the food is ‘complete and balanced’ and assures you the food meets guidelines for the right amount and proportion of essential nutrients for your pet.
  2. Corn Means Carotene
    Corn Means Carotene
    Corn isn’t just filler. It provides carotene, which promotes eyesight, skin health, and bone and muscle growth.
  3. Lean on lipids
    Lean on Lipids
    These fatty acids are absorbed into your pet’s blood stream and converted to energy. In small amounts, they are essential for cats and dogs, but they also provide more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates, so if you have anoverweight or sedentary pet, look for lower calorie foods with less fat to prevent obesity.
ABC of Vitamins

The ABCs of Vitamins

vitamin A
A
Vitamins Arrow
vitamin B
B
Vitamins Arrow
vitamin C
C
Vitamins Arrow
vitamin D
D
Vitamins Arrow
vitamin E
E
Vitamins Arrow
vitamin K
K
Vitamins Arrow

Awesome A

Fat Soluble

Pet cant see in dark

Without it, your pet couldn’t see in the dark!

Supplemented in Diet

Found naturally in liver, but commonly supplemented in diets to make sure it doesn’t break down before it gets eaten by your pet

Immune Problem

Vitamin A deficiency can cause eye problems, skin problems, and immune system problems

B1 Thiamine

Water Soluble

B1 Thiamine diet

Generates cellular energy and is essential for the nervous system

Found in yeast, wheat germ, kidney, liver, and legume seeds

Cats require four times the amount that dogs do, one reason you should never feed dog foods to cats!

B2 Riboflavin

Water Soluble

B2 Riboflavin diet

Works with enzymes that metabolize energy throughout the body

Found in milk and animal products

B5 Pantothenic Acid

Water Soluble

B5 Pantothenic Acid

Crucial for creating cellular energy

Found in organ meats (commonly called by-products on pet food labels), yeast and egg-yolk

Captain C

Water Soluble

Captain C Food

Dogs and cats can create enough Vitamin C to meet their needs, but other animals like guinea pigs (and humans!) require it in the diet to help keep their immune system healthy

Captain C Food

Found in many fruits

Dynamic D

Fat Soluble

Calcium Dynamic D Food

Regulates and helps pet absorb calcium and phosphorus

Dynamic D Food

Found in seafood/fish and dairy products, though commonly supplemented in pet foods in forms that pets can use easier

Dynamic D Food

D deficiency can cause rickets and joint issues

Electric E

Fat Soluble

Electric E Food

Fights oxidation on the cellular level and improves your pet’s immune system

Electric E Food

Helps prevent diets high in fat from breaking down

Electric E Food

Found in oils, grains and cereal germs; liver, eggs and butter

Incredible K

Fat Soluble

Vitamin K food

Intestinal microbes in cats and dogs make enough Vitamin K that it is usually not necessary in the diet

Vitamin K food

Helps blood coagulate

Vitamin K food

Found in leafy green vegetables

Vitamin K food

K deficiency can lead to anemia and clotting and bleeding problems

Learn More: Nutrition Articles

Probiotics For Pets

Probiotics for Pets?

Many people often fear bacteria – believing they are toxic, or even deadly.

Nutrition Articles arrow
Nutrients & Nutraceuticals for Pets

7 Kinds of Nutrients & Nutraceuticals for Pets

Certain pet foods will include additional nutrients that don’t necessarily fall into the categories of standard nutrients like vitamins, minerals, proteins or carbohydrates.

Nutrition Articles arrow
Critical Carbohydrates for Dogs & Cats

5 Critical Carbohydrates for Dogs & Cats

When picking a food for your dog or cat, it’s important that you choose one with an adequate amount of carbohydrates.

Nutrition Articles arrow
View All Articles

Links to Other Pet Nutrition Resources

What’s In Pet Food from AAFCO, opens in a new tab
Association of American Feed Control Officials, opens in a new tab
Guaranteed Analysis Standards from the FDA, opens in a new tab

The nutrition content and tools provided on this site are for informational purposes only and should not be relied on as or substituted for veterinary medical advice. For nutrition information specific to your pet, please visit your Banfield veterinarian.