Seven Facts About Pet Food
There are simply too many pet foods available in the market these days. And they come in different brands and varieties too. There's canned food and there's dry food. There's one sold per pack and some sold by weight. With all the options you have, isn't it easy to get confused as to which pet food to buy?
When buying pet foods, you've got to consider a lot of factors other than what you hear in the advertisements and read on the label. Oftentimes, you've got to know who the actual manufacturer of the pet food is and how they fair well in the pet food industry! This task is not really easy.
Different pet food manufacturers claim different things about their products. Some tag their dog food as "premium" and swears that it can make your dog healthy and happy. There are some that even promise your pet of a totally balanced meal with a formula supported by veterinarians. Of course, there's a corresponding price for every pack. The price of dog food ranges from $15 t o more than $30 per 20 lb bag. The situation is the same with cat foods. Most manufacturers claim the very same thing – quality cat food for happy cats. But they aren't really priced the same. A supposed to be high-end cat food costs three times as much as the commercial one. So, which one should you really choose?
But the scariest thing of all is the issue of pet food recall. Pet food manufacturers recall their products because in one way or the other, they have found something off beam with the formula. Recalling pet food is their innocent way of saying they have been wrong somewhere somehow. But really, that can't do much about the poor animals that have already consumed the food. As a pet owner, you've got to be wary of the brands and the types of pet food that have been recalled. You should also have the nose to detect those that are likely to be recalled in the future.
Now if you know about the secrets of pet food, things like these should not be of concern to you. Learn how to properly choose pet food by reading the facts below:
Fact #1: The "Premium" Business
Pet food manufacturer love to call their products 'premium'. But keep in mind that only a handful of them really use choice ingredients. Premium is such as strong word. And manufacturers love the effect. But the truth is that the pet food industry specifically stated that no manufacturer could make any references or claims as to the grade or quality of ingredients used in their products. This clause can be found in pet food industry's regulation PF5 d3. Therefore, the word 'premium' doesn't mean anything really. It is nothing but a marketing term used to attract pet food buyers. So don't fall for 'premium' products.
But you my ask, why does the pet food industry allows manufacturers to put such words if they don't really describe what was inside? Why the false claims? Why do they allow manufacturers to mislead consumers? The answers to these questions are on the next fact.
Fact #2: The Protein Count
Pet food manufacturers are free to use a variety of ingredients to their dog or cat food. The only requirement pet food industry expects of manufacturers is that they meet the necessary dietary requirement pets need to support a healthy lifestyle. Now here's the deal. We humans are choosy when it comes to food. We constantly find ways to reduce fat, lower down cholesterol, and now, eliminate harmful substances with organic products. In pet food, this is not always the case. Dogs and cats may need the same nutrients. But for them, the sources of protein, fat, and other minerals are not as exacting.
This means the pet food industry allows chicken feet, heart, and other internal organs that are normally thrown away be used as pet food. The same is true with other meats deemed unfit for human consumption. Studies have shown that such food and meat should be fine with animals although they're harmful if eaten by people.
The pet food industry would like to protect itself by keeping the actual ingredients of pet food in full confidence. The pet industry doesn't want to cause heightened concern to pet owners just because they read in the label that pig gut was included in the ingredients. The industry decided to make manufacturers to provide consumers only with the protein percentage of their products and not the actual sources of them. For dogs, the industry standard is 26% protein. For cats, it is 18%.
Now the dilemma is this: As the buyer of pet food, you will never know whether the ingredients pet food manufacturers used in the pack is human-grade ingredients, which are technically fit for human consumption. Or if they merely used meats obtained from animals that are put to sleep because they are infected with some kind of a disease. We cannot eat the meat coming from infected cows, as it is hazardous to our health. But in some cases, such meats can be fed to animals.
Fact #3: The Telltale Signs
Now that you know pet food may actually contain horrible ingredients, you've got to learn the techniques to find out what's really inside the pack or the can. Unlike people's food, pet's food is not easy to decipher. Pet foods are fully processed. That's the reason why it is impossible to make out the finer ingredients.
But even though the pet industry mandated that the actual sources don't have to be placed in the food's ingredient section, they are still required to populate that part. Manufacturers got to list what they used to make their product in one way or the other. Check the words they use to describe their ingredients. It would give you clues to the content of the food. Keep in mind that there are no standards or governing bodies to look over pet food. There's no USDA or FDA to scrutinize them. And all the pet industry requires is that manufacturers deliver the right protein percentage.
When buying pet products, look at the list of ingredients. If they say meat and bone meal, meat and meat by-products, animal digest, chicken by-product, or poultry by-product, you should be cautious. The pet food you are holding might just contain ingredients harmful to your dog!
These ingredients correspond to the combination of meat leftovers or discards from human food. These are the parts people don't eat in animals like cows, pigs, chicken, and lambs. They are the heads, intestines, feet, stomach, and everything else that's inside the animal's body that is supposed to be thrown away. Pet food manufacturers buy them from slaughterhouses at a certain price to make dog or cat food.
But the most disturbing fact is this: some pet food manufacturers even buy animals that were put to sleep or been subjected to euthanasia. They are usually bought directly from farms, animal shelters, and even veterinarian offices. And they are not limited to animals humans eat. Even dead dogs, cats, and horses are purchased to create pet foods!
But aside from the meat content, you should be suspicious of the grains pet food manufacturers add to their product. Count how many types of grains are included. Common grains used are rice, corn, and wheat. There may also be several grain products included like whole corn, corn gluten, whole wheat, ground corn, wheat gluten, ground wheat, brown rice, rice, soy, brewer's rice, and many others.
The issue about grains is that they may provide protein to meet the requirements the pet industry. But the protein grains have is not the type of protein cats and dogs need. If you ever see a grain listed in the first five ingredients of the pet food you're looking to buy, that only means its formulation is getting a considerable amount of protein from grains and not real meat.
Besides, studies have shown that melamime, the chemical added to grain products to boost its protein content, can be harmful to pets. In fact, the presence of this substance was the grounds of the pet food recall of 2007. Aside from melamime, aflatoxin is of concern as well. Aflatoxin is a type of mold that forms in wheat, corn, and soy. It is highly dangerous and even deadly. As much as possible, avoid pet foods that contain soy, wheat or corn, even if they don't appear in the first five ingredients. The risk of aflatoxin contamination could be high.
Fact #4: The Preservatives Game
Preservatives had found its way towards all kinds of foods both for animals and humans alike. Everybody knows the effect of these preservatives. But manufacturers still use them because they prolong the self-life of foods. Always look for traces of preservatives in the ingredient.
BHA/BHT is one of the most popular preservatives used in pet food. And current studies have shown them causing cancer and tumors to dogs. Aside from BHA/BHT, ethoxyquin may also be present. Ethoxyquin is also found in human food and it is usually used in spices. But only a small amount is allowed. In pet foods though, there's no rule regulating the amount of ethoxyquin to be used. In fact, higher proportions are allowed in pet's food. Too much ethoxyquin is known to cause cancer.
As much as possible, don't buy pet foods that contain these preservatives. There are natural preservatives like vitamin e and natural tocopherols. These preservatives are way better than the ones described above.
Fact #5: There's way to know for sure
If you are still bothered about the harmful ingredients contained in the pet food, especially the awful meats they add to it, don't worry. There's a sure way to find out whether the brand you're buying use human-grade ingredient to its products. While it is true that pet food manufacturers are not allowed to divulge any information about the source of their protein content, there's a workaround.
What you should do is to specifically call or ask the manufacturer if they are APHIS European certified. Again, you won't see any seal anywhere in the label so don't bother to look for it. APHIS is an arm of the USDA and it means Animal Plant Health Inspection Services. The APHIS European certification is a program of the USDA that tests pet food products to determine if it can be exported to Europe.
European countries require that all pet food entering their country use only human-grade ingredients. Therefore, if the manufacturer has the APHIS European certification, then you are absolutely sure that they use only the most premium ingredients. When you contact the manufacturer, ask if they are certified and make sure they answer fast and confidently. Some would claim that they use only premium ingredients but the truth is that only one or two minor ingredients are human-grade. Others would not even have a clue what the APHIS European certification is. That's a sign that they are not certified at all.
Fact #6: The Essential Minerals
Minerals are important in pets as well as in humans. Minerals such as zinc, copper, and iron help cats and dogs alike in maintaining a healthy body and an active lifestyle. But these minerals are not easily digestible by their intestines. In fact, they have zero tolerance of them because they come in a rock form. These minerals need to be specially processed so it can be added to dog food.
Such process is called chelation or proteination. Your pets absorb a protinated or chelated mineral 60% of the time. The whole process of chelation or proteination is complicated. Only a handful of manufacturers do it. So if you find an ingredient in the package that says copper proteinate or chelated zinc, then you are sure that the manufacturer truly cares for your pets as they go out of the way to add minerals to the food they eat.
Fact #7: The Friendly Bacteria
Not all bacteria are harmful to the health. There are such things as friendly bacteria. Friendly bacteria reside in your pet's intestinal system. And deep within the intestinal system is where the immune system is. If you keep your pet's intestines filled with friendly bacteria, it would be equipped with lots of disease fighters. A healthy immune system ensures you of a healthy pet.
Humans need friendly bacteria too. This is the reason why yogurt is a favorite health snack for so long now. In pet foods, these bacteria need to be added in such a way it is not destroyed while the food is cooked. Now check the list of ingredients again. Friendly bacteria are called Bifidobacterium Thermophilum or Lactobacillus Acidophilus. If it's there, buy it.
There seven facts should help you uncover the best food for your pets. Your dog or cat relies on food to fight off diseases and live a long, healthy life. Also, try to feed your pet twice in a day. This way, they would better utilize the nutrients they get in the food compared to just eating once everyday. Serve food to your pet every morning and evening.
Give your dog good choices for food. Don't give them moist or canned foods all the time, as almost 85% of them are water. And water doesn't have much nutritional benefits. That leaves you with only 15% of viable nutrition for your pet. Give your pet dry food from time to time.
However, drastic changes in the food your pets eat may be harmful. Whenever you are planning to change your pet's meal, ask a veterinarian first. It is not advisable to take chances. And do the change gradually. Mix a small portion of the new food you'll like to feed your pet along with his old meal. Then increase that amount slowly over 7 days, until you are giving only the new meal. Do it right because your pet may suffer from intestinal disorders otherwise.
You should also take note of the expiration date when buying pet foods. Generally speaking, dried pet foods have a shelf life of 18 months from the date of manufacture. Check the date of expiration and compare it with the current date so you can easily assess how old the pack is. Look for the freshest bag – something that is only two to three months old.
When feeding your pet, make sure that they always have a fresh bowl. Wash it clean to take off any odors from the previous meal. Cats and dogs have superior sense of smell. And they would refuse to eat their meal if they smell something awful in it. Better use ceramic bowls. These bowls doesn't retain odors of food as much as plastic and stainless bowls does.
Now be sure to remember all these things when buying food for your pets and feeding them. And you're sure to spend long years with your four-legged friend!
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