Key Takeaways
- Read the ingredient list to identify named animal proteins and other key ingredients.
- Check the nutritional adequacy statement to confirm the food is complete and balanced for your pet’s life stage.
- Use the Guaranteed Analysis to compare protein, fat, fiber, and moisture levels between foods.
A Veterinarian's Guide to Choosing the Best Food for Your Pet
Just like us, the fuel we choose for our pets can play a big role in overall health and quality of life. However, choosing an appropriate, nutritious pet food can be overwhelming. Part of the confusion stems from the challenge of interpreting pet food labels.
We will discuss what to look for on a label so you can approach that decision with confidence and select the best pet food for your pet. So let’s turn our pet food bag over and take an educated look at the information on the back.
What Do Pet Food Ingredients Mean? How to Read the Ingredient List
Ingredients in pet foods are listed in descending order by weight. Look for high proportions of meat proteins and meat meals from named, not generic sources, for example, lamb, turkey, and salmon. Animal-based protein is the most natural source for dogs and cats, providing the essential amino acids they need. Nulo ensures you will see three or more single-source meat ingredients at the top of every pet food label.
Nulo’s ingredient list also includes vegetables and fruits, like chickpeas, lentils, apples, and blueberries, which provide dietary fiber, vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants. Nulo also selects low-glycemic carbohydrate sources that result in a more sustained energy source for the body and mitigate the spike in blood sugar levels associated with higher glycemic index ingredients.
In general, avoid pet foods that contain high glycemic ingredients like white potatoes and tapioca, generic animal by-products and fats, added sweeteners, artificial colors and flavors, and artificial preservatives.
What Should I Look For on Pet Food Labels?
As a consumer, it is important to know the carbohydrate content when you’re comparing pet foods. Dogs and cats do not have a dietary requirement for carbohydrates, and consuming them in excess can cause weight gain and other health issues. However, current regulations do not permit carbohydrate contents to be listed on pet food labels.
The following formula shows how to calculate the amount of carbohydrates in your dry pet food using the values displayed in the Guaranteed Analysis: 100% – (Crude Protein %) – (Crude Fat %) – (Moisture %) – 8.5% (for average Ash level). Look for foods with calculated values around 35% for dogs, and 25% for cats, or lower.
How is Calorie Content Listed on Pet Food Labels?
Calorie content in pet foods is expressed as “kilocalories per kilogram” (kcal/kg). A kilocalorie (kcal) is equivalent to the Calorie you see on your own food labels, while a kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. For everyday usability, the calorie statement also breaks this down into familiar household units - kcal/cup for dry food or kcal/can for wet food. This makes it easier to calculate how much you're actually feeding at each meal.
So why do calories matter? Calorie counts vary significantly between pet foods. Two dry foods with the same recommended serving size can have very different calorie counts. Which means your pet could be eating substantially more or less than you realize. This is one of the most common contributors to unintentional weight gain in pets.
When comparing foods, always use kcal/cup or kcal/can rather than kcal/kg. A food with a higher kcal/cup isn't necessarily worse; it may just mean you need to feed a smaller portion size.
What is the Guaranteed Analysis on Pet Food Labels?
The Guaranteed Analysis (GA) is a standardized snapshot of a pet food's key nutrient levels. It lists the minimum percentages of crude protein and fat in the diet, and the maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
"Crude" refers to the method used to measure these nutrients in a laboratory, not the quality of the ingredients. Crude protein, for example, measures total nitrogen content as a proxy for protein. It doesn't show the difference between high-quality animal protein and lower-quality plant-based sources, which is why you should always read the ingredient list to ensure your pet is getting high-quality meat proteins.
Beyond the four standard guarantees, some brands — including Nulo — voluntarily list additional nutrients in the GA section. In Nulo’s GA section, you will find listed, among other nutrients, omega fatty acids 6 and 3 in the appropriate ratio.
Nulo's GA also lists Bacillus coagulans — specifically the patented probiotic strain BC30. What makes this noteworthy is that most probiotic strains are destroyed during the high-heat cooking process used in kibble manufacturing. BC30 is a spore-forming probiotic, meaning it forms a protective shell that allows it to survive both processing and the acidic environment of your pet's digestive tract, where it can actually get to work supporting healthy gut flora balance. The patented probiotic BC30 is present in all of Nulo’s products.
Pet Food Feeding Guidelines: How Much Should You Feed Your Pet?
Feeding guidelines on pet food labels are just a starting point. They provide daily recommendations based on your pet's weight in pounds, but every animal is different. Two dogs of the same weight can have dramatically different caloric needs depending on their age, breed, activity level, reproductive status, and overall health. Following the label blindly can easily lead to overfeeding. Which is one of the most common and preventable contributors to pet obesity.
A few practical tips when using feeding guidelines:
- Always measure portions rather than eyeballing — even small daily overages add up significantly over time
- Account for treats and food toppers in your pet's daily caloric total
- Note that guidelines are typically listed as a daily total, not per meal — divide accordingly if you feed multiple times per day
- Wet and dry food guidelines are calculated differently; don't substitute one cup-for-cup
Because each pet has very specific needs, your veterinarian is the most reliable resource for understanding the right daily intake for your pet. Ready to go deeper on selecting the right food for your pet's unique needs? Nulo's species-specific guides cover everything from life stage nutrition to lifestyle matching: explore The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Dog Food or The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Cat Food for a full breakdown.
What is the AAFCO Nutritional Adequacy Statement and Why Does it Matter?
The Nutritional Adequacy Statement is the most important section of any pet food label. It confirms that a product is "complete," meaning it contains all required nutrients — and "balanced," meaning those nutrients are present in the correct ratios for your pet's biology. It also tells you which life stage the food is designed for: gestation/lactation, growth (puppies and kittens), or adult maintenance.
To carry this claim, a food must be backed by one of two methods. The first is the formulation method, where the food is laboratory-analyzed and confirmed to meet AAFCO's established Nutrient Profiles. The second — and more rigorous — is the feeding trial method, where the food is tested on actual animals to verify it is both safe and nutritionally sufficient in real-world conditions. Look for this statement on the back or side of the packaging, typically just below the ingredient list.
"As a pet mom and a veterinarian, what I want in a food for my 4-legged kiddos is a diet that is nutritionally balanced based on science, not hype, carefully formulated for optimal delivery of nutrients, transparent in its caloric content as well as its list of ingredients and sources, and is enjoyed by my pets. With a better understanding of how to interpret a pet food label, I know you can make an intelligent, informed decision about the food you place in their bowl. Healthier Together." - Dr. Abby Huggins Mowinski, DVM
Another excellent source of trusted pet food label information can be found on the FDA’s website.
faqs for pet food labels
Understand Pet Food Labels
Each format has real advantages, and many cat parents find success combining both. Wet food's biggest benefit is hydration: it typically contains 70 to 80% moisture, which is meaningful for cats who have a naturally low thirst drive and may not drink enough water on their own. The high moisture content also supports kidney function and urinary tract health over time. Wet food tends to be more palatable as well, making it a useful tool for picky eaters or cats who need appetite encouragement. Dry food offers convenience, is easier to measure and store, and the mechanical action of chewing kibble can offer some dental benefit. It's also more calorie-dense, which can be helpful for cats who need to maintain or gain weight. Nulo's wet cat food recipes are carrageenan-free and built around high animal-based protein, and the dry recipes are grain-free and formulated with low-glycemic carbohydrates. Whichever format you choose, or however you combine them, the priority is a complete and balanced recipe with named animal proteins leading the ingredient list.
Start with the ingredient list, which is ordered by weight from highest to lowest. Named animal proteins, such as chicken, salmon, turkey, lamb, or duck, should appear first. Look for multiple named protein sources near the top of the list, not generic terms like "meat," "poultry," or "animal by-products," which can come from a variety of inconsistent sources. After the proteins, the next ingredients should be recognizable whole-food sources like chickpeas, lentils, sweet potatoes, or fruits and vegetables, not corn syrup, white potatoes, or unspecified fillers. The Guaranteed Analysis on the label shows minimum crude protein and fat percentages, which you can use to compare recipes. You can also estimate carbohydrate content yourself using this formula: 100% minus crude protein % minus crude fat % minus moisture % minus 8.5% (for average ash). For dogs, look for a result around 35% or lower; for cats, 25% or lower is a good target. Nulo recipes are formulated with three or more named animal proteins near the top of every ingredient list and low-glycemic carbohydrate sources throughout.
The Guaranteed Analysis, or GA, lists the minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and the maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture in the recipe. These numbers let you compare the nutritional profile of different foods on an apples-to-apples basis. Beyond the basics, some brands include additional values in their GA, and Nulo's includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid ratios and lists Bacillus coagulans, the BC30™ patented probiotic, confirming its presence in the recipe. One important caveat: the GA lists the minimum for protein and fat, meaning the actual amounts may be higher. Moisture content also affects how the numbers read, so when comparing wet and dry foods, you may need to convert to a dry matter basis for an accurate comparison. The GA works best alongside the ingredient list and the nutritional adequacy statement, not as a standalone measure of quality.
Life stage is one of the clearest filters available on a pet food label. Look for the nutritional adequacy statement, which specifies whether the food is formulated for growth (puppies and kittens), maintenance (adult dogs and cats), all life stages, or gestation and lactation. This statement confirms the food meets established nutritional standards for that specific phase of life and is not a general claim. Puppies and kittens need higher protein, more calories per pound, and specific nutrients like DHA for brain and eye development. Adult pets need a balanced maintenance diet calibrated to their activity level and size. Senior pets continue to benefit from high-quality animal-based protein, along with adjustments for changing metabolism, digestion, and joint health. Beyond life stage, consider your pet's lifestyle: a highly active dog has different caloric needs than a sedentary one, and an indoor cat has different energy demands than one with regular outdoor access. Nulo offers complete and balanced recipes across every life stage for both dogs and cats, formulated with high animal-based protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates, and no fillers or artificial additives. Browse Nulo's puppy, adult, and senior recipes to find the right fit.
Several categories of ingredients are worth steering clear of. High-glycemic carbohydrate fillers like white potatoes, tapioca, corn, wheat, and soy offer little nutritional value for dogs and cats and contribute to blood sugar spikes and excess calorie storage. Generic animal by-products and fats, listed without a named species, are inconsistent in quality and harder to evaluate for nutritional value. Artificial preservatives like BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin, along with artificial colors and added sweeteners, serve no nutritional purpose and have no place in a pet food built around ingredient quality. Carrageenan, sometimes found in wet foods as a thickening agent, is worth avoiding where possible, which is why Nulo wet recipes are formulated without it. As a general principle, if an ingredient exists primarily to cut costs rather than serve your pet's nutrition, it probably doesn't belong in the bowl. A good pet food should have more of what your pet needs and less of what they don't, and the ingredient list is where that commitment either shows up or doesn't.