Pet owners have many choices when choosing the best food to feed their pets. These are just a few of the options available to pet owners.
By-products
The ingredients that are produced in the process of food being processed for human consumption are often called “by-products” and “co-products.” They provide excellent nutrition for dogs and cats. Although Americans may not like the idea of eating animal byproducts, which are the highly nutritious parts of chickens cows, fish or pigs that are first consumed by wild animals, many others consider them delicacies.
These ingredients are also a way to help sustain common sustainability goals.
CBD
For both pets and humans, cannabis-derived or cannabis-containing products such as CBD oil have been a hot topic. These products have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are also prohibited from being included in pet food and human food. FDA is currently determining a new rule on ingredients, such CBD. However, there is ongoing research among regulatory agencies, academia, pet food makers, and other organizations to confirm the benefits, safety, and efficacy of CBD for pets.
Preservatives, Colors and Flavors
For a variety reasons, pet feed recipes may contain colors, flavors, preservatives and preservatives from natural or man-made sources. These ingredients are tightly regulated at both state and federal level to ensure safety. The list of these ingredients will appear on the pet food label.
Colors
Some pet owners might prefer a particular color for their pets’ food. This is why a small amount of safe food coloring may be added to a recipe. This ingredient has not been associated with any health problems in pets.
Flavors
A pet food product can have additional flavors to make it more appealing to pets. A variety of flavoring options are available to pets, including adding nutritionally dense rendered meals or oily animal fats to the food. U.S. Food & Drug Administration notes that artificial flavorings are not allowed in pet food. As with colors, additives have been identified as safe and carefully controlled.
Preservatives
Preservatives can help keep pet food safe and preserve ingredients from going bad. Natural or artificial preservatives (such as vitamin C and E, in the form as ascorbic acid or tocopherols), can be used. However, they must be approved before use.
Semi-Moist, Dry and Canned.
Dry
One of the many nutritious and healthy pet food options is dry pet food. Dry, semi-moist, and wet pet food can be cooked and shaped in a process called extrusion. This is also used to prepare many human foods like cereals and pasta.
Canned or Wet
Wet food should not be extruded. Instead, it is placed in cans that are then vacuum sealed and sterilized in heat and steam chambers (a retort), before being labeled. The moisture content is what makes dry pet food different from wet. Wet food can contain between 70 to 80 percent moisture.
Semi-Moist
Semi-moist pet foods are extruded at a lower pressure and temperature, and finally cooled rather than dried to retain a higher level. Semi-moist pet food contains between 15 and 30 percent moisture.
Homemade pet food
If you are considering making pet food for your pet, consult with a veterinary nutritionist to ensure that the recipe is nutritionally balanced.
A study by researchers from the University of California Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, found that most homemade recipes are low in nutrition. Researchers looked at 200 recipes for home-prepared dog food, including those from different websites, pet care books, and veterinary textbooks. The results showed 95 percent of the recipes contained at least one essential nutritional ingredient, and 84% were missing multiple nutrients.
Poor diet can have a significant impact on a pet’s health. This is especially true if the diet lacks water-soluble vitamins such as certain B vitamins. These vitamins cannot be stored in the body. However, if the vitamin deficiency is fat-soluble (vitamin A or vitamin D), your pet’s health problems might not manifest for weeks or even months. The severity of a nutrient shortage will depend on how old the animal is, particularly for pregnant dogs and growing puppies.
Skin problems (zinc), bone and joint problems, weight loss and fat accumulation (choline), are some of the possible health problems that may result from the nutritional deficiencies in homemade diets. Some homemade dog foods did not have enough nutrients to meet the U.S. National Academy of Sciences National Research Council recommended daily intake. Ninety-five per cent provided less that half of the necessary vitamin D, 55 per cent provided less then half the required zinc, 43.4 Percent provided less as half the required choline, 39.2 Percent provided less als half the essential vitamin E, and 43.4 Percent provided less.
Limited Ingredient Pet Food
“Limited ingredient” pet food is not defined by any regulatory agency. Its application in cat and dog food can vary. There are two options in the marketplace today: pet food recipes that use only one nutrient source (e.g. a turkey as the sole source of protein) or those that use different ingredients as nutrients sources (e.g. exchanging the type and amount of grain used to make a carbohydrate source). It is crucial to consult a veterinarian if a pet owner suspects that their dog or cat might have a food allergy or sensitivity.
Natural
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), defines natural as “a feed/feed ingredient derived solely form plant, animal or mining sources, but without having been subject to or produced by a chemically-synthetic process and not containing any additives/processing aids that might be chemically synthesized except in quantities that might occur in good manufacturing processes.” Pet food makers in most states that have adopted AAFCO’s Model Bill and Model Regulations must adhere to this definition in order to use the term in pet food labels.
Organic
Pet food and treats manufacturers produce organic products according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rules. USDA’s National Organic Program, (NOP) is an agency that develops and maintains guidelines and regulations on organic standards. These guidelines are based on the National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB) recommendations, which are made by members of organic food communities.
Raw Pet Food
PFI encourages pet owners to research the information on safety and nutrition of raw diets when considering raw food for their cat or dog. Raw pet food refers to meat, bones and organs that have not been cooked, or eggs that have been treated. You have two options: High-Pressure Processing or Freeze-drying.
Over 1,000 samples of pet food were tested for food-borne bacteria during a two year study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine. This study showed that raw pet food was more likely to have Salmonella and Listeria than any other type of pet food. There are many ways that humans can get infected with these bacteria, including:
Handling raw pet food
A pet kissing the face of a person;
Pet’s feces. Animals who eat contaminated raw foods have been shown to produce pathogenic organisms in their waste. This means that bacteria can be found in your yard and around your home.
FDA advises families to avoid raw food if they are worried about getting these food-borne diseases.
No peer-reviewed evidence has been found to show that raw pet food provides any nutritional benefits over other types of pet food. The National Academy of Sciences has identified more that 40 nutrients essential for dogs or cats. Raw pet food alone may not provide sufficient nutrition. Pet owners who want to feed their pets a raw diet should make sure it is balanced and complete. PFI suggests consulting your vet before you give your pet raw food.
Vegan and Vegetarian Pet Food
Pets are an integral part of the household. PFI members provide a single source of nutrition for many American pets. However, they are committed to the well-being and health of all cats or dogs. When shopping for pet food, there are many choices. Shoppers can choose from wet, dry or fresh options. This will ensure that they have the correct nutrition for each stage of their pet’s life. You can make vegetarian and vegan dog food that provides balanced nutrition for healthy adult dogs. This is often called “adult maintenance” or “vegetarian care”.
Different life stages can mean that dogs and cats have different nutritional requirements. You may also find that some animals are malnourished, too hungry, or suffer from a nutrition-related disease. These pets require food specifically designed for their needs. Recipes without animal-derived ingredients might not have sufficient nutrients to support a pet’s health. The Nutritional Adequacy Statement can be used by pet owners to help them choose the best food for their pet.
To survive, cats require amino acids, vitamins, and long chain fatty acids from animal-derived ingredients. A complete and balanced vegan cat food recipe will be supplemented with synthetically-produced essential nutrients.
