Although many pet owners struggle to find ways to save on pet care, petfood should not be skimped on, suggests an  article   on  www.dogchannel.com .

While it may be tempting to switch to lower-cost petfood,  Banfield, The Pet Hospital  said it's important for pet owners to be aware of the long-term cost-efficiency of feeding their pets a higher-quality diet.

"Nutrition is the foundation of good health, and a quality diet can actually decrease your pet's chance of developing costly health problems in the future," said Karen Johnson, DVM, of Banfield.

High-quality food tends to include less filler and as a result, more nutrients are directly absorbed and used by the pet's body, according to the article.

In addition, feeding pets a high-quality diet decreases the amount they need to be fed, according to Banfield.