Evidence-based companion animal nutrition significantly affects welfare across the lifespan, and diet quality varies enormously across commercially available foods.
Nutrition is a foundational welfare variable that affects every aspect of companion animal health, from immune function to organ health to dental welfare. The wide quality range in commercial pet foods — from nutritionally complete, well-researched diets to minimally adequate products — creates a significant welfare stratification based on owner food choice. Evidence-based guidance on nutrition, including understanding the difference between AAFCO statement types, life stage requirements, and known diet-disease associations, empowers owners to make choices that support welfare across their pets lives.