Pet Digest

Science Diet’s Microbiome Launch — What Does It Really Change? Science Diet recently introduced its new “Microbiome” formulas, featuring prebiotics and specialty fiber blends (ActivBiome+). Many pet parents are wondering: does this update meaningfully improve the food — or is it mostly a marketing refresh? What Is Microbiome Nutrition? The gut microbiome is the community of trillions of microbes living in the digestive tract. These bacteria influence: Nutrient absorption Immune system regulation Skin and coat health Behavior via the gut–brain axis Hill’s ActivBiome+ adds prebiotics (fermentable fibers) intended to feed beneficial gut bacteria, which can help with stool quality and gas control when paired with an overall balanced diet. Why quality matters in dog food: would you rather feed better? The Ingredient Concern Despite the microbiome-forward marketing, many Science Diet formulas still list corn, wheat, or animal by-pro...

How to Read the Ingredient Panel and Guaranteed Analysis on Dog Food When choosing the best food for your furry companion, flashy packaging and marketing buzzwords can be misleading. The real truth? It's in the ingredient panel and the guaranteed analysis (GA). These two sections tell you what’s really in the bag — and how much of it. If you’ve ever flipped a bag of dog food over and felt overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Let’s break it down so you can shop smarter. --- 🥩 Ingredient Panel: What’s Really in There? The ingredient list tells you what’s in the food, listed in descending order by weight before cooking. What to Look For: ✅ Named animal protein first. You want to see things like “chicken,” “turkey meal,” or “beef” listed first — not "corn," "wheat," or "by-products." ✅ Whole ingredients. Look for recognizable items like sweet potato, oats, peas, blueberries, salmon oil, etc. ✅ Meal vs. Meat: Chicken Meal is concentrated and has more protein tha...