kibble confusion-you’re feeding what?
DESCRIPTION
Kibble Confusion-You’re feeding what?. Disclaimers. I am not a dog nutrition or label reading expert. I don’t feed the perfect diet, not by a long shot, but I do the best I can to educate myself about what I am feeding them - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Kibble Confusion-You’re feeding what?
I am not a dog nutrition or label reading expert.
I don’t feed the perfect diet, not by a long shot, but I do the best I can to educate myself about what I am feeding them
What I feed depends on how busy I am and what article I read the night before
Be wary of what you read and hear This is not an all you need to know…never
stop learning!
Disclaimers
Dry Canned
Mostly water so can’t be sole source Does not cause adverse dental health Higher amounts of meat, poultry, fish Can not be sole source for big dogs—you’d be feeding
8 cans a day! Semi-moist—Do not feed, loaded with
chemicals Raw Homemade Diets
Types of Diet
Meat, poultry, seafood, feed grain By-products
◦ Not fit for human consumption but still must meet federal standards for safety and nutrition
Vitamins/Minerals-to complete nutritional needs
Preservatives-for shipping and to extend shelf-life
Coloring-to make it pretty◦ Approved by the U.S. FDA and U.S. Dept of
Agriculture
Dog Food Content
FDA (Food and Drug Association) FTC (Federal Trade Commission) USDA (United States Department of
Agriculture) State Government Pet Food Institute AAFCO (Association of American Feed
Control Officials)
Myth: Dog food is a self-regulated industry
Never know the true quality of ingredients Predicting recall is impossible
Ingredient quality can vary daily Not required to disclose the origin of their
ingredients Good companies use trusted sources, but
some use brokers, middlemen or even 3rd party suppliers
But wait….
Lots of information! Consumer driven huge industry Knowledgeable staff in specialty stores Don’t trust that fancy artwork or
manufacturer claims, its all marketing hype!
Merrick vs. Proctor and Gamble◦ Ex: Merrick is a small company that only does pet
food, they rely on their reputation to stay in business. By specializing in one product, its better quality.
There is good news!
Set standards for animal feeds and pet foods in the U.S. but have no regulatory authority◦ Work with FDA
Must meet “Complete and Balanced” standards
Adult Maintenance Growth/Reproduction
Feeding trials and Lab Analysis Fed and monitored for six months
It isn’t perfect, but it’s a good starting place
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
Water Protein-Meat protein better than veggies Fats Minerals Vitamins Variety
Dogs have fewer taste buds than we do Nothing’s perfect so rotate diet Some pets can’t tolerate changes No study that says its unhealthy or detrimental to
change food
Your pup’s needs
Look for this label The product contains all nutrients known to
be required by a dog or cat Must contain minimums of nutrients
required by AAFCO Does not cover treats, snacks or other
products for supplemental feeding
“Complete and Balanced”
Depends on◦ 1. Medical Condition◦ 2. Lifestyle (active or couch potato?)◦ 3. Size◦ 4. Growth or Maintenance? (puppy or adult?)
Puppies should be switched from Growth to Maintenance around 9 months or when they reach 80-90% of anticipated weight
For puppies, should meet “Growth” or “All Life Stages”
What to feed?
Food that is stored appropriately Cool, dry place Pour out of the bag Canned in the cupboard
Food high in meat content and free of plant-based protein boosters
USA registered and manufactured food Fresh Veggies
What to feed? Continued
www.dogwalkeretc.com
“Holistic”-no legal definition “Natural”—assumed synonymous with
“good” “healthy” Organic?
No scientific research supporting this but do Mother Nature a favor
Raleigh Farmer’s Market Probiotics
Marketing Mumbo-jumbo
Cat Food—too high in fat/protein
Some Table scraps or bones Too fatty, vomiting, diarrhea,
obesity Bones can get lodged or splintered
Anything from China Added supplements Not adequately researched
Homemade diets
What not to feed
Labels that say “meat entrée”, “meat dinner”, “Meat platter” “meat flavor”
Senior or weight loss diets Supermarket brands All food in one meal
Split to at least 2 feedings
What not to feed, cont.
Whole grains and antioxidants Gluten free “Green Movement” Rendering
Pet Food Institute—made of 98% of commercial pet foods prohibit rendered ingredients
“Toxins”◦ Water◦ Oxygen
Beware the Media
Ask around Look at their dog
Monitor your own dog One to three meals a day (average for adults)
◦ Puppies < 3 months 4x a day 3-5 months 3x a day
No free feeding Can cause anorexia Most dogs can’t self-regulate
Gradually change food◦ Change made over 5-7 days or longer if your pup is
sensitive
How to feed
Guaranteed analysis This is the minimal amount present
Ingredient List Look for protein sources and carbohydrate sources
Complete and Balanced The less processed the better Protein, protein, protein!
Deficiencies = Roxanne Slow your dog down to prevent Bloat
Do not elevate bowls
How to feed cont.,
Homemade Usually not well balanced
Vegetarian Dogs are omnivores, Cats are carnivores Must be well-balanced and are usually not
Raw Controversial Not formulated to meet AAFCO standards AAHA, AVMA, and CVMA, discourage raw diet
Alternative Diets
Ok I am still lost! I thought you were going to help us!
Good things to look for Do Not Buy
Foods that contain:◦ Whole Beef, Chicken,
Turkey, Lamb, Pork and meals made from whole meats (beef meal, chicken meal, etc.)
◦ Whole grains, vegetables and fruits
◦ Foods with as much animal protein as possible
◦ Identified ingredients (instead of “liver” should say “beef liver”)
Foods that contain:◦ Animal fat, animal digest,
meat meal◦ Foods with artificial colors◦ Products without expiration
dates or those past their expiration
◦ Products containing meat or bone meal
◦ Foods that are sweetened◦ Wheat Gluten (“gum”)◦ Products with protein derived
from meat “by-products”
Sometimes, by-products are ok You eat them! Well I don’t…
◦ Sweetbreads, chitterlings, etc Still have to be approved for use and must
be safe and meet nutritional requirements Make sure they aren’t the main source of
protein
One more note about by-products
Water sufficient for processing, chicken, wheat gluten, carrots, liver, peas, meat by-products, corn starch-modified, wild rice, rice, artificial and natural flavors, calcium phosphate, salt, soy flour, potassium chloride, added color, zinc sulfate, choline chloride, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, niacin, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, manganese sulfate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin A supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, biotin, sodium selenite.
An Example: Beneful Chopped Blends with Chicken
Bad ingredients-things we’ve talked about that you should avoid
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Broth, Dried Egg Product, Natural Chicken Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate), Carrageenan, Cassia Gum, Guar Gum, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Sodium Selenite), Lecithin.
Another Example: Merrick
Good Stuff to Look for--example
Sorry, I won’t recommend Brands of dog food
You can do it!
Animall Phydeaux Unleashed Barnes Supply Pet Pantry
◦ www.feedyourpets.com And many more!
Where to Buy
www.dogfoodadvisor.com www.fda.gov
◦ Go to animal and veterinary www.whole-dog-journal.com www.petfoodinstitute.org The Healthful Alternative Dog and Cat Diets
Donald R. Strombeck, DVM, PhD
References