What Is On Your Pet Food Bag?

Dr. Sandra Wu

Those confusing pet food labels

We often hear the question “Which food is the best?” Well, there is no best brand, but here are a few tips and myths dispelled that we hope will help you make that decision.

What to look for on the bag's label

Who is AAFCO? AAFCO stands for the Association of American Feed Control Officials; they set the nutritional standards for pet food in the US. If the label says “this pet food is formulated to meet AAFCO standards”, the food has been made following standards but a feeding trial has not been done. If the label says “this pet food has undergone AAFCO feeding trials”, then rigorous feeding trials with this pet food have been done to document how well a pet does on the food. Very few pet foods carry the 2nd statement on their labels, but at the very least, the food should carry the first statement.

The food needs to state what life stage for which it provides nutrition. Here are the main statements you may see:

Kitten/puppy stage

Adult maintenance

Senior

All life stages

The tricky one here is “all life stages”. In order for the food to cover all life stages, it needs to be nutritionally complete for the most demanding life stage, which would be kitten/puppyhood. Therefore, these “all life stages” foods tend to be higher in calories and fat. So if you are feeding your adult pet an “all life stage” food, think twice if he or she is plump! Be sure to buy the correct life stage for your pet.

Organic, natural or holistic? If there is a USDA Certified Organic seal on the bag, the food complies with organic standards (only animal or vegetable fertilizers, no other chemicals). Natural is a legal term meaning it consists of natural ingredients not altered chemically. Holistic is not a legal term and therefore any food can claim to be holistic regardless of ingredients chosen.

By-products are not inferior ingredients. Vitamin E is a by-product of soybeans; flaxseed oil is a by-product of flaxseeds; chicken fat is a by-product; pork, chicken and beef livers are by-products that are even used for human consumption. All these by-products provide quality nutrition in pet foods.

Corn is not a filler. Fillers provide no nutrition. Corn provides a good source of protein, fatty acids, antioxidants, and carbohydrates needed for energy. It is also not a common source of allergies for pets.

So the next time you pick up a bag of pet food, examine that label carefully to ensure your furry friend is eating as healthy as yourself!