Pet food toppers. You’ve heard of them; your dog park pals swear by them; Grandma’s cat is a fan. But you’re wondering: is this (a) a fad; (b) a ploy to get you to spend yet more money on your favorite furry freeloader; or (c) a legitimate pet food option with bona fide benefits? (Hint: the answer is (c).) Here’s everything you need to know about pet food toppers – and why you should add them to your dog or cat’s diet today.
Imagine eating the exact same plate of food for every meal. While the simplicity of this might appeal to some (hello moms of toddlers, we see you), as fans of the spice of life the thought of eating just one thing day in, day out, has us weeping onto our dinner plates. And that, fellow pet lovers, is exactly what our pets would do if they could.
Yes, their tails will still wag come dinner, despite our best efforts to bore their appetites into apathy. But just because they will eat anything, and act grateful for every morsel, doesn’t mean they should have to.
Enter pet food toppers: a simple addition that can transform your pet’s mealtime experience from meh to Michelin-starred in two wags of a dog’s tail.
What is a pet food topper?
A topper is a supplementary food product that is added to your pet’s regular meal to enhance flavor, texture, and palatability.
What are the benefits?
The right topper is so much more than just the pet food equivalent of seasoning. Chosen wisely, pet food toppers can both take your pet on a culinary adventure, and add significant nutritional health benefits to the menu:
Appetite boosters for picky eaters
Aging pets, sick pets, newly adopted anxious pets, or simply princess-pets with picky palates… Some pets require a little bit of coaxing to eat and thus get the nutrients and calories they need to thrive. Pet food toppers can do the trick.
Protein powerhouses
Protein is essential for muscle, skin, and coat health among other things. Knowing this, adding a protein-rich meal topper to your pet’s bowl is something of a no-brainer. Northwest Naturals’ Raw Freeze Dried Pet Food FUNctional Toppers – in Beef, Chicken and New Zealand Green Mussels, or Salmon – are a pet-palate approved choice.
Nutrient-dense health enhancers
The best food toppers can improve your pet’s nutrient intake, with a host of associated health benefits. Northwest Naturals’ Raw Freeze Dried Pet Food FUNctional Toppers, for example, are carefully crafted using high-quality, simple, carefully chosen ingredients that will not only dial dinner up to delicious, but give your furry friend a nutritional health boost:
Beef Liver and Turmeric – for heart health, with added anti-inflammatory benefits- Chicken Breast & New Zealand Green Mussels – for relief from joint inflammation and arthritis
- Salmon, Shiitake & Maitake Mushrooms – salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids to support healthy skin, coat and brain function; shiitake mushroom is high in vitamin B, good for heart health and improved energy; maitake mushroom boosts overall immune health
- Veggie & Fruit – a potent blend of broccoli, sweet potato, carrot, lettuce, apple, cranberry and blueberry boosts pet health with added vitamins, minerals, natural fiber and antioxidants
How to incorporate toppers into your pet’s diet
By now, it’s obvious that pet food toppers are a good idea. But remember: too much of a good thing can be, well, too much. Veterinarians recommend that toppers, like treats, shouldn’t comprise more than 10 percent of the daily diet.
It’s time to take your pet’s mealtime ritual from same old to symphony of flavor and wholesome goodness. Northwest Naturals’ FUNctional Toppers make it easy.
Animal Wellness is North America’s top natural health and lifestyle magazine for dogs and cats, with a readership of over one million every year. AW features articles by some of the most renowned experts in the pet industry, with topics ranging from diet and health related issues, to articles on training, fitness and emotional well being.
