Myth: Corn is just a filler.

Fact: A filler is an ingredient that serves no nutritional purpose.  Corn is NOT a filler.  Corn is a nutritionally superior grain compared with others used in pet food because it contains a balance of nutrients not found in other grains.  Corn is a superb source of nutrients such as...

• Essential fatty acids
• Beta-carotene, vitamin E, and lutein which are natural antioxidants
• Highly digestible carbohydrates
• Quality proteins

Corn is also highly digestible when cooked.  The protein in corn is more digestible than that of rice, wheat, barley or sorghum.

Myth: "By-products" are low quality ingredients.

Fact: A by-product is simply something produced in the making of something else.  When processing soybeans, for example, the by-producet vitamin E is produced.  Other examples of by-products in food are vegetable oils, beef bouillon and gelatin.  By-products are common ingredients in both human and pet food.

Myth: High temperatures destroy important nutrients during the making of pet food.

Fact: Important nutrients such as protein, fat and carbohydrates are actually more digestible after cooking than before.

Myth: Raw foods help pets live longer.

Fact: Feeding raw meat, eggs and bones can be dangerous for your pet because of the excessive levels of nutrients like protein, calcium and phosphorus.  Pets eating these foods are also at an increased risk for fractured teeth, gastrointestinal perforation, and exposure to bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella.

Myth: Premium foods cost more to feed than grocery store brands.

Fact: The old saying, "You get what you pay for!" rings very true when discussing the cost of pet food. The cost of a bag of premium dog food (such as Science Diet Healthy Advantage) likely does cost more than a bag of a grocery store brand food.  However, more of the grocery store brand food is passed through your pet as unused waste so you must feed more of it to them than you would the premium brand.  The difference is in the quality of ingredients.  Premium brand foods use high quality, highly digestible ingredients.  Because of this they produce less waste (which means less yard pick up) and help maintain a healthy happy pet for many years.

Myth: The doctors and staff at Kivisto Veterinary Clinic don't know anything about pet nutrition, don't care what food you feed your pet and don't want to be bothered with your questions.

Fact: We know ALOT about pet nutrition, we DO CARE about what you feed your pet and we make every effort to provide our clients with the very best nutritional recommendations and advice we can offer.  Lastly, we LOVE answering your questions about pet nutrition so please feel free to call us at 763-631-3575 or email us at info@kivistovetclinic.com any time!