Sun: CLOSEDCanned Versus Dry Pet Food
Choosing a food for your pet can be difficult. There are many brands, styles, varieties, and opinions out there when it comes to nutrition for our four-legged friends. The number of options can be mind-boggling.
One of the fundamental things that needs to be decided is whether you are going to feed your pet canned or dry food. Read on to learn about the differences between canned versus dry pet food, so you can make your decision with confidence.
Reading the Small Print
Reading pet food labels on wet versus dry food is not for the faint of heart. This often confusing endeavor is further complicated by the fact that you are not comparing apples to apples.
The guaranteed analysis section of the food label is where you look to find information like protein content. While this is great information, guaranteed analysis does not take into account water content. This makes eight percent protein content in a dry pet food very different than a canned diet containing eight percent protein. Because the moisture content from diet to diet can vary dramatically, comparing the percentages is not straightforward.
If you want to use the numbers in the guaranteed analysis to compare pet foods, you must first convert them to a dry matter basis. This removes any water weight so that you can compare the actual nutrient content. There are online calculators available to help you convert the numbers.
