There was a time I was only focused on the very first ingredient (or maybe the second, too) of every pet food label I could look at. But I've been trying to look at the ingredients from a different angle lately. I know the pet food ingredients are listed according to the quantity of each ingredient, but I've realized that there is no way of telling the first couple of dominant ingredients can be the "only" factor to determine the animals' health -- although it is still important (you don't want questionable sources of protein as a first ingredient, for example). This realization helps me understand more about what makes holistic pet foods truly "holistic" regarding animals' health. The concept of holistic is, after all, "whole-istic".

The following are some of the things my mind quickly goes through when I think about wholesome pet food:

• How balanced and wholesome is the meal? (The body needs a variety of good ingredients to absorb nutrients. Every nutrient works together to create one healthy body.)


• How fresh is the food? (Do you know when your pet food was bagged and shipped? Stale foods are not appealing...)


• Are the ingredients highly digestible? (Does the protein come from a good source?)


• What is the quality control level of the pet food manufacturer? (Nobody wants to eat contaminated foods and get sick!)


• Is the food natural? (You want to avoid chemicals in the food if you're health-conscious, right?)


• Is the food cooked in a way that keeps nutrients as intact as possible? (You'd rather hire a cook with good skills)

As far as "wholesome" is concerned, pet supplements may be viewed in the same way as pet foods. Good pet supplements, in my opinion, are usually formulated in a holistic way, which means that not only are there active ingredients (glucosamine, for example), but also various supportive ingredients (chondroitin, various herbs and vitamins, etc to aid glucosamine's work) so that the active ingredients will work better in the body.

Considering the wholesomeness and the balanced formulation of a quality pet food, I believe that the 10th ingredient on the list can be as important as the first ingredient (a good pet food formulator wouldn't put an ingredient into his/her food for no reason, anyway). If possible, I'd like to avoid a situation where I "cannot see the wood for the trees."