100 years of commercial pet food, yet pets are sicker than ever before

It was more than 100 years ago that the beginnings of what would become the pet food industry began, according to the Pet Food Institute. It began with a commercially prepared dog biscuit in 1860, diversified to canned horse meat in the 1930s, and then to the expansion of dry commercial pet foods in the 1950s. Today, the commercial pet food has grown into a $21 billion per year industry, according to the American Pet Products Association. With all the advancements in pet foods, however, the nation’s pets are no healthier as a result.

“One would think that we have created an industry that cares for and nourishes our pets,” explains Will Post, president of Hound & Gatos Pet Food Corporation. “The reality, however, is that most of what people are purchasing isn’t healthy at all and can actually lead to health problems.”

Pets across the country are racking up some big veterinarian bills each year. According to the Animal Health Institute, nearly $7 billion is being spent annually on products to treat and prevent disease in the nation’s pets.

One way to help keep pets healthy is by feeding them a high-quality diet. Problem is, most of the pet food shelves at the grocery store are filled with anything but. A high-quality pet food should contain all meat, and avoid many of the fillers and by-products contained in most commercial pet foods. This helps pets to eat a diet that is more along the lines of what they would naturally eat. Ingredients to avoid, in order to help pets stay healthier, include soy, generic animal livers, wheat, corn, and coloring agents, to name a few.

Avoiding potentially harmful ingredients can help pets live a healthier life, avoid allergies and sensitivities, maintain proper weight, avoid urinary tract problems and diabetes, and help to avoid dental problems. Cats and dogs thrive on a pure meat-based diet, such as the product line offered by Hound & Gatos Pet Food Corporation.

“The pet food industry has been evolving for over 100 years,” added Post. “We have come to the realization now that the ingredients matter a lot. Feeding pets healthy, high-quality foods is the first line of defense in helping to care for their health. Everyone needs to become a pet-food label reader in order to protect their pets.”

Hound & Gatos Pet Foods Corporation offers a line of pet foods that are 100 percent animal protein, meat-based, and avoid ingredients that pets should not have, including by-products, fillers, and plant protein. The pet food is sold around the U.S. and in 160 stores across Canada. Their product line includes such flavors as salmon, rabbit, beef, lamb, and trout. They also offer exotic flavors, such as kangaroo, deer and duck. To learn more about Hound & Gatos, including where to buy products, visit their site at: www.houndgatos.com.