Commercial Dog Food Types

Commercial dog food is a multi billion dollar industry with so many manufacturers of pet foods ready to "dish" out a whole variety of food for pets.

There are so many types of these foods. Let's have a look at what is what.

Types

Basically there are four types of commercial foods.

Complete: This can be given as a complete meal for the dog and claims to have all nutrients packed in one serving
Flaked: A dry food consisting of lakes made out of a combination of meat and cereals cooked separately
Extruded: Minerals, cereals, vitamins and meat are cooked in steam and cut to pieces, claiming to provide balanced nutrition i one serving
Complementary food: usually combined with another complementary food to make a complete meal for the dog

There are different forms in which this commercial food is made available.

Dry Dog Food: Not too expensive, this food is available in the dehydrated form. It can be fed as it is or can be mixed with water, vegetable or chicken stock before giving it to the pet.
Canned Dog Food: This contains 75% moisture. its concentration is less that that of dry food. It is usually added to the dry dog food as a supplement
Moist packed food: This contains 25 to 50% moisture and is a food made up of two chief ingredients, a protein and a sugar
Bicuits.Cookies, etc: A delicious treat for the dog that may or may not have a balanced nutrition for one full meal in one serving

When you buy the commercial food for the dog, read the list of ingredients on the label carefully to ensure nutrients are present in the right combination. You should also check for th AAFCO endorsement and Animal Feeding Trials details on the label. Follow feeding instructions as described on the label.

AAFCO

Ensuring quality and adequacy of pet food is the responsibility of the Association of American feed Control Officials (AAFCO). A pet food can be certified fit for consumption by a chemical analysis or animal feeding trials.

Animal feeding trials are conducted according to AAFCO guidelines, when the food to be certified is fed to a target group of animals. Only when found safe does the food receive the AAFCO endorsement.

Good or bad?

The safety and adequacy of pet Food is probably one of the most discussed topics. While pet food manufacturers claim that the food they manufacture adheres to all nutritional guidelines and is perfectly safe for the animals, there are alarming stories about the kind of ingredients that go to make the food.

It is claimed, for instance that the meat of euthanized animals is rendered as ingredients in pet food. there are also believed to be a whole list of ingredients, you would never want to feed your pet, that find their way (legally) into the pet food composition.

One way out of this quandary is to give your dog only home cooked food, prepared out of safe and fresh ingredients. When this is not practical, it makes sense to scan lists of safe pet foods compiled by experts.

http://dogcarereviews.com

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Commercial Dog and Cat Food - What's in That Bag?

Like humans, what your dog or cat eats matters. It matters for their health because food supplies your pet with nutrition. And it matters to quite a few corporations... Pet care is $28 Billion a year industry.

Prior to the 1950's family pets were fed meat and table scraps... "people food". In an effort to popularize commercial pet food, manufacturers marketed it as "complete" - positioning it as better for pets than people food. Ironically, "premium" brands are positioned as better because they're more like people food.

What's Important About Commercial Pet Food?

First you should understand that pet industry is not regulated like human food is. Which means you can't assume a certain level of safety.

Animal food safety in the US is the responsibility of the FDA via the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The CVM regulates mainly livestock food - animal feed products, medicated feed, additives and animal drugs. The FDA "partners" with AAFCO - the American Association of Feed Control Officials - to fulfill its responsibility for the pet industry. AAFCO is a private advisory board. It is staffed with a number of pet manufacturers and some government agencies.

Nearly all packaged foods - both for pets and people - have preservatives to prevent quick spoilage.

ONE of the differences between made-for-people food and made-for-pet food is the preservatives that are used. Some of the preservatives allowed in pet food are dangerous chemicals. They are effective in extending the shelf life of the food; HOWEVER, they may shorten the life of your pet.

Preservatives To Avoid

BHA - Butylated Hydroxyanisole and the related compound BHT - Butylated Hydroxytoluene preserve fats from breaking down and going rancid. BHA is associated with hyperactivity, liver damage and stomach cancer.

BHT is suspected to cause liver damage and thyroid and bladder cancer.

Ethoxyquin is another fat preservative used in pet food. It's also used as a pesticide. The FDA has banned Ethoxyquin from human food, but does allow it in pet food. In 1997, the FDA did request manufacturers VOLUNTARILY decrease the amount used. Studies show Ethoxyquin increases kidney, stomach and bladder cancer. It's also been linked to autoimmune diseases. Some manufacturers simply list it as "E" on the label.

Propyl Gallate is used to preserve fats and oils. It's been associated with allergic reactions, stomach and skin irritation and kidney and liver disease.

Propylene Glycol is another preservative. It's been linked to kidney damage and liver abnormalities. As well, cats often get "addicted" to food with Propylene Glycol.

Better Preservatives

The most common non-chemical preservatives are: Vitamin E, Tocopherols and Vitamin C. Some of the natural/organic brands use Rosemary extract as a preservative.

Before grabbing that next bag or can, flip it over and scan through the ingredient list. Your pet will fare better without the more dangerous preservatives.

Dog and cat nutrition matters to their health. Many commercial pet foods fill the belly but compromise your pets health. DogAndCatZone.com. Better pet care with nutrition, herbs and Bach Flower Essences.

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