We recently visited our vet for Sofie’s scheduled vaccination.
Here’s what she looked like after getting the shots:
And yes, that’s right. She’s the new dog I talked about in this previous blog post.
The good thing about having a vet is that you can tap into their knowledge without being judged for being ignorant about the latest scientific advances.
So as the conversation steered into pet food, the vet mentioned the growing market for pet foods sourcing out proteins from plants. As long as the basic nutritional requirements are met, then our beloved pets are good to go. As timely as it may sound, I also came across an article about pet food with plant and insect proteins.
From the Nestlé Purina article:
Veterinarians and nutritionists at Purina have put together two recipes: one based on chicken, pig’s liver and millet; the second using insect protein, chicken and fava beans. Both recipes are available for dogs and cats.
The insect protein comes from black soldier fly larvae, which are already in use in animal feed in Europe. The millet and fava beans provide protein, energy, and fibre to aid digestion. All the ingredients are steamed to maintain nutrient quality.
But why do we care so much about what our pets eat if we don’t know whether they can tell the difference?
Why do we take so much time choosing between steak flavor with gourmet gravy and roasted turkey flavor? Or if you fancy going vegan, does your dog and cat care as much as you do?
If you wonder why you buy the pet food you do, check this good read about What Your Dog Knows About Marketing.
A snippet from What Your Dog Knows About Marketing:
Some dog owners want to spend more on the dog food they buy. Some want gluten-free dog food, loaded with high-value placebos.
But let’s not get confused about who all this innovation is for. It’s not for the dogs.
It’s for us.
jessa 