Homemade Dog Food Begs to Differ from Commercial Offering – Interview from Boston.com

The following is an interview I did with Cindy Atoji Keene posted on Boston.com this week. Here’s the link to the original article.

ON THE JOB WITH …

Homemade Dog Food Begs to Differ from Commercial Offering

By Cindy Atoji Keene

Some of the ingredients in processed dog food could be considered almost toxic: Cancerous food dyes, meat by-products, artificial flavoring and colors, sodium, and preservatives. When Newton resident John Edwards, 36, started researching pet brands and comparing labels, he realized that Sasha, his golden Lab mix, might be healthier if she ate the same natural, fresher, and locally sourced foods as humans. Read More…

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Baby, it’s Cold Outside

We’re going to take a little break from our discussion about pet food labels because of the weather this week.  It has been dangerously cold and is expected to stay that way through the weekend, so it’s a good time to pull out the cold weather safety tips.

This article is reprinted from the ASPCA website. Read More…

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If It Isn’t Beef, Then What Is it?

In our last newsletter we talked about “What’s in a Name?” when it comes to dog food. We discussed the front of the label and learned that the grocery store brand “special cuts in gravy with beef” flavored dog food was probably only about 3% beef. This week we ask that you turn the can around and take a look at the ingredients and ask yourself, “if it isn’t beef, then what is it?” Read More…

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What’s in a Name?

So, let’s go back to our grocery store brand dog food that we found in the gas station last week.  This food was a well know name brand, “Special cuts in gravy” the phrase “with beef” appears at the top of the can.  The picture on the can shows a very nice looking bowl of beef covered with thick succulent gravy and has the tag line “tender and meaty.”

The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has established model labeling requirements that have been adopted by most states, including Massachusetts.  The requirement is that packaging contain the following eight items; 1) Brand and Product Name, 2) Name of species for with the food is intended, 3)  Quantity Statement, 4) Guaranteed Analysis, 5) Ingredient Statement, 6) Nutritional Adequacy statement, 7) Feeding Directions, and 8) Name and address of Manufacturer or Distributor.   The first three items must be on the front label or Principal Display Panel and these items will be the focus of this article. Read More…

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Dog Food in The Gas Station?

I was in the gas station the other day and found myself looking at a can of dog food. It was from a very well know and popular brand. The commercials on TV show dogs frolicking with their owners and living the good life. The packaging describes it at “Homestyle,” “Prime,” and “Beef.”

At 8 cents an ounce it’s a pretty cheap food and since you can get it at the gas station as well as the grocery store it’s certainly easy to find. It sure looks nice and sounds good and healthy. So, why wouldn’t you feed it to your dog? It’s dog food, and that’s what dogs should eat, right? It says beef right on the label, they can’t call it beef if it’s not mostly beef, right? And, what could be more reassuring that “homestyle?” Read More…

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Top Ten Winter Safety Tips

Winter can be a fun time for both you and your dog.  Sasha is always thrilled by the first snow of the season and loves to run and hop in

the deep drifts.  It’s important to remember that winter can be dangerous too, so we’ve compiled our top ten list of winter safety tips to help you keep winter fun. Read More…

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Food is Love

Last year Advanced Animal Nutrition, Cargill, and Iams issued recalls due to unacceptable levels of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a toxic and carcinogenic substance produced by a fungus that commonly affects cereals (corn, wheat, soy flour, etc.). The FDA cautions that pets who have been exposed may exhibit symptoms including “sluggishness or lethargy, combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, or diarrhea,” and excess exposure can lead to liver damage or death.

There have been no deaths linked to these brands and the recalls affect a relatively small pool of products. These are voluntary recalls and I want to stress that I believe the companies in question are acting ethically and appropriately by issuing these recalls. Read More…

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What Does Balanced Mean?

If you take a look at the back label on a bag or can of dog food, you’ll find an assortment of information. Mixed in with the ingredients, serving instructions, and crude analysis is a statement of nutritional adequacy. It will either say “(the product) is formulated to meet AAFCO nutritional requirements for all life stages, or “this product is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.”

AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) is not a enforcement agency, but it helps the FDA, Department of Agriculture, legislators, and pet food manufactures work together to ensure that pet food (among other animal feeds) is safe and healthy. To that end, they have created a nutrient profile for dog food that includes a list of 10 amino acids, 12 minerals, and 11 vitamins, along with required minimum amounts of protein and fat. Read More…

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