Question

What is the best dog food on the market?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian Veterinarian Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Pippa Elliott, MRCVS Veterinarian Expert Answer

The best advice is to ignore the pretty packaging and pick up every pack of pet food on the shelf and look at the ingredient list. Look for a product that lists named meats (i.e. chicken meat or lamb meat) as the first and second ingredients, and the rest of the ingredients should sound good enough for you to eat — such as sweet potato, peas, carrots, apple, parsley etc. Avoid foods that are high in soya as although this is a source of protein, it is difficult for the body to digest and produces a lot of wind. There is controversy over the use of grains in dog food, and if you are concerned about gluten content look for a gluten-free food that uses potato, rice, or oats for carbohydrate energy.