Nutrition ·
what to actually do.

The pet food label is one of the most heavily marketed pieces of packaging in the consumer world. Most owners cannot read it. Once you can, you become more useful than the entire shelf at the pet store.

What to actually look at

Marketing terms with no legal meaning

"Premium," "natural," "holistic," "human-grade" (loosely defined), "ancestral," "biologically appropriate" — none of these carry regulatory weight in most markets. Be skeptical of bags that lead with these terms instead of the analysis.

Conversely: "WSAVA-aligned," "complete and balanced per FEDIAF 2024," "feeding-trial-tested," named board-certified veterinary nutritionist (ECVCN diplomate in Europe, ACVIM-Nutrition in the US) on the formulation team, in-house quality control, transparent sourcing — these are real signals of seriousness.

The WSAVA five questions · the standard for owner-facing food selection

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association's Global Nutrition Toolkit gives owners a five-question checklist to ask any pet food company. This is the single most useful client handout you can carry — print it, share it, walk owners through it.

1. Do you employ a full-time qualified nutritionist (PhD or board-certified)?
2. Who formulates the diet, and what are their credentials?
3. Where is the food manufactured and produced — and is it owned, or contract-manufactured?
4. What specific quality control measures do you use?
5. What kind of nutrient analysis testing do you do? Is it in-house or by an independent lab?

If the company can't answer all five — recommend something else. The WSAVA toolkit is freely downloadable.

Three species, three biological operating systems. The macros that work for one are slow damage to another.

Dogs · facultative omnivores

Dogs evolved alongside humans for ~15,000–30,000 years and adapted to digest starches better than wolves. They thrive on a varied diet centered on meat protein but tolerating vegetables, some grains, and fats. For an adult dog at maintenance, a reasonable target is roughly 25–35% protein and 15–25% fat (dry-matter basis), with the rest split across carbs and fiber. Senior dogs benefit from slightly higher protein, not lower — the old "low-protein for kidneys" advice has been substantially revised.

The single most-cited longevity nutrition study you should know: the Purina Lifespan Study (Kealy et al., JAVMA 2002). Forty-eight sibling Labradors followed for 14 years; the lean-fed group (25% calorie restriction) lived a median 1.8 years longer (13.0 vs 11.2 years), developed osteoarthritis 1.5 years later, and stayed leaner into old age. When clients ask "is my dog overweight a real problem?" — this is your answer.

Cats · obligate carnivores

Cats are not small dogs. They cannot synthesize taurine, arginine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A or niacin from plant sources. They have minimal capacity to handle high-carbohydrate loads. A reasonable target is 35–50% protein, 15–25% fat, and as low carbohydrate as the recipe allows. Wet food (75%+ moisture) is closer to evolutionary diet than dry.

Horses · hindgut fermenters

Horses evolved to graze 16+ hours a day on low-energy forage. Forage should make up 1.5–2.5% of body weight per day. Concentrates (grain, pellets) should be the smallest possible component. Sudden grain loads are a leading cause of laminitis and colic. The 2024 European Equine Nutrition Society guidelines moved firmly to forage-first as standard of care.

"Macros aren't a religion. They're a starting point. The animal in front of you is the data."

Most clients who come to PETVITY want to feed better. Many want to move from extruded kibble toward fresh-cooked, lightly processed, or raw. Your job as a Care Partner is to help them do this safely — not to evangelize, not to shame, and not to skip the steps that make transitions go badly.

The 10-day transition rule

1. Days 1–3: 25% new food, 75% old.
2. Days 4–6: 50% new, 50% old.
3. Days 7–9: 75% new, 25% old.
4. Day 10+: 100% new.

Faster transitions almost always cause loose stools and avoidable client distress. For sensitive dogs, cats, or any animal with prior GI issues, double the timeline. For senior animals, double it again.

What "fresh" actually means in the market

• Fresh-cooked, complete-and-balanced commercial (e.g., the high-quality fresh delivery brands). Easiest, most owner-friendly. Properly formulated. Recommend for most clients.
• Lightly processed (cold-pressed, gently dehydrated). A reasonable middle path. Read the label — same rules apply.
• Home-cooked. Only with a recipe formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. The accessible default tool is BalanceIT.com — founded by Sean Delaney, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Nutrition); generates free balanced recipes accounting for ~40 nutrients with proprietary supplement powders. Used by 20,000+ vets. Without proper formulation, home-cooked diets are reliably deficient — typically calcium, often more.
• Raw. Strong proponents and strong critics, both with valid points. Real risks: pathogens (especially in households with immunocompromised humans, infants, or elderly), nutrient imbalance if not properly formulated. Real benefits documented in some studies. Refer interested owners to a vet familiar with raw before recommending.

You will encounter fierce ideologies on this. Hold the middle. The honest answer is that any increase in fresh, minimally processed food has measurable inflammation impact in published studies — even partial replacement matters.

Hydration

For cats especially: dry kibble at 8–10% moisture pushes obligate-carnivore biology into chronic mild dehydration. Multiple water sources, fountains, wet food share, low-sodium bone broth as a flavor enhancer. For dogs, observe: are they drinking after every walk? In summer? After play? For horses, fresh water access is non-negotiable and electrolyte balance matters under work.

Treats are 10% or less

The rule of thumb: treats and chews account for no more than 10% of daily calories. A medium-sized dog on 800 kcal/day can have ~80 kcal in treats — that's two small biscuits, not the half-bag many owners give. Excess treat calories are the most-overlooked driver of weight gain you'll encounter in clients.

When to refer up

You are not a nutritionist. You are a Care Partner. Refer to a board-certified veterinary nutritionist when:

• The animal has a chronic condition (CKD, diabetes, IBD, cardiac disease, cancer).
• The animal has multiple concurrent conditions requiring conflicting diets.
• The owner wants a fully home-cooked diet long-term.
• You're uncertain. "I don't know — let's get a real expert" is the most credible thing you'll ever say.

In Europe, the relevant credential is ECVCN (European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition). The diplomate directory at ecvcn.org lists current specialists by country — share this with clients facing a complex case. Diplomates re-credential every 5 years.