Not all pet foods are created equal. The ideal amount of nutrients contained in your dog or cat’s food should depend on his age, breed, and development level, says Dr. Marco Ripoll, veterinarian and technical manager of Animal Science, Inc. Giving your pet too much or too little nutrients can be detrimental to your pooch’s health, resulting in an unhealthy (and an unhappy) fur baby.

Luckily for us, the nutrients that can be found in the usual store-bought pet food are already pre-measured using scientific standards, and the only thing left for pet owners to do is to give their dogs or cats the right amount at the right time. The proper amount of food your pet should eat is determined by its energy content, and the amount of food will affect the amount of the other nutrients your dog or cat receives. Check the recommended dosage and stick to it. There are a number of pet owners out there who tend to overfeed their dogs or cats, a practice that, while well-meaning, can actually lead to obesity and growth abnormalities.

Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about the important nutrients your pet’s diet should have.

(Photo by Stan Gephart via Flickr Creative Commons)