Joke by David Letterman:
They have dog food for constipated dogs. If your dog is constipated, why screw up a good thing? Stay indoors and let ‘em bloat!

The American consumer spends over 11 billion-dollar each year on food for their pets. Since this is an enormous market for pet food manufacturers a fierce competition between companies is to be expected. Not only are we all bombarded with TV commercials, print ads, flyers, the pet food manufacturers don’t make our decision what food to choose not easier by constantly adding additional selections, such as low-fat, low-carb, natural, low-activity, high-activity, you get my point.

Some of the label specifications such as “gourmet”, “premium”, “all natural” have no regulatory meaning, they are just added to catch your eye.

Other terms do have specific meanings and are regulated by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Brand-name manufacturers, a.e. Eukanuba, Purina, etc. confirm on their labels that their pet food ingredients are in compliance with the FDA regulations and guidelines.

If it comes to selecting brand-name pet food or generic food read labels carefully for both products and compare. Check the percentage of protein, carbohydrates and fat content and see if they are approximately the same. As a general rule, dry pet food should contain between 24 - 28% protein, 38 - 40% carbs, and 32 - 38% fat. (low fat, low carb will have different percentages). Puppy food is generally higher in fat. Canned pet foot contains 29 - 34% protein, 54 - 58% fat and 8 - 17% carbs. Again, special diet foods will vary. If a label states “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that xyz.. (insert company name here )- Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance” you can be certain that the food contains most of everything your animal needs. The word “feeding” confirms that the food was proven nutritionally adequate in animal feed tests.

The pet food you buy should have a contact information on the label, a phone number, or a web address. By law only the manufacturer name and address is required, but pet owners might feel the need to contact customer service with any questions they have.

Lower quality pet food can contain a lot of “Meal”. Meal is heat-processed meat where fat and water are removed. Meal contains normally animal parts that are not eaten by people.

Some consumers prefer pet food without synthetic preservatives because they don’t consider them as safe. CVM has asked pet food producers to lower their maximum level of some of these preservatives while more studies are being done. The industry is cooperating and so far scientific data suggests that they are save, opposite to the rumor that they might cause liver damage. As mentioned, further studies are in progress. Several products are available that are preserved with natural compounds, such as vitamins. These foods have a much shorter shelf live though.

Besides the nutritional content pet food labels must show which life stage the product is suitable for. AAFCO has established nutrient profiles for cats and dogs - growth/lactation and maintenance - to fit the animal’s life stages. Every product must meet at least one of these two profiles. Kitten food/puppy food will differ from maintenance food for adult dogs or cats and might differ from special food for hard-working animals. The expressions “senior”, “large breed adults”, etc. means that the food is suitable for maintenance of adult animals, nothing else.

Supplements
Since supplements for animals are not regulated by the FDA, we highly recommend talking with your vet about special needs for your animals. Don’t just give your dog the same vitamins you are taken daily!

Table Scraps/Human Food
Many pet owners think that food they eat themselves cannot be harmful to dogs and cats, especially since dogs seem to like these. There is nothing against an occasional table scrap but make sure that your animal is not fed with food that can cause poisoning. Chocolate, onions, macadamia nuts, bread dough can be fatal for a dog. Same for cats. Their body chemistry is different from humans; therefore food we eat and enjoy might endanger their lives.
Do not feed your cats dog food and vice versa. Felines and canines - even they are both pets - have different body chemistry!

Overfeeding
A great number of pet owners is overfeeding their pets which can cause weight gain, liver problems, diabetes, cancer, skin disorders, arthritis, etc. About 25 - 30% of the pets are overweight according to vet offices. Even food that is labeled “light” or “low carb”, or “low fat” can cause weight gain if the overall caloric intact exceeds a pet’s need. Follow label instructions and watch your animal carefully. If it still seems hungry, just add a bit more. If your animal does not finish its meal, reduce the amount. Label recommendations are usually a good guideline. If in doubt, check with your veterinarian. Many responsible pet food manufacturers have calories listed on their labels. Pay attention if the calorie count is for a cup of food or for a pound, and calculate accordingly.

For additional regulatory information on pet food and labeling, call CVM at 301-594-1755.

Keeping Pet Food Fresh
Whether you decide upon dry or canned food, make sure the food is fresh. Dry food, as well as canned food has an expiration date. Don’t buy a large bag close to this date, it might have been expired by the time you are halfway through. If you opt for canned food make sure that open cans are always kept in refrigerators. Canned food leftovers in the pet’s food bowl should be discarded!