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How to choose good dog food? What about expensive vet diets?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | neutered | 12 years and 2 months old | 90 lbs

How can I really tell if I am buying good dog food? I mean there are so many foods out there that one can not be sure if it is good or bad. Most all have an objective and that is to make money. Like my Vet sells OM weight management from Purina, but you can't buy it at a store. This is not fair and it cost a lot of money.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on March 25th, 2019

Foods in the US need to be regulated under AAFCO standards to be complete and nutritionally balanced, so most foods will do a good job of making sure your pet stays healthy and happy. Specialist foods generally are designed to treat an issue, such as a food allergy or a health problem, and are beneficial for pets that need it.

As for the prescription diets your vet sells, these are specially formulated to help treat a specific medical condition like a prescription medication would. They are prescription-only because of this, and sometimes cost a bit more because a lot more research and formulation (and sometimes unique ingredients) goes into them to make them able to treat a health condition. In many cases, your vet can send a prescription for this food to an online pet store or pharmacy so you can purchase the product cheaper.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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