VIP Advice
VIP Advice
Why You Should Check Your Pet’s Food Label
3 Minute Read
By Dr. Karie Johnson | Nutrition | June 2019
Why You Should Check Your Pet’s Food Label
3 Minute Read
By Dr. Karie Johnson | Nutrition | June 2019
By Dr. Karie Johnson | June 2019
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM IN THE PET FOOD INDUSTRY?
Pet food marketing has gotten out of control and science is lagging behind new trends in the market. Instead of investing money into raising safety standards or conducting more comprehensive safety tests, pet food companies are aggressively fighting for your attention through their marketing campaigns.
Consumers are often baited into buying certain brands or food products that are not necessarily the best for their pet. Eye catching ads and heart warming commercials have been wooing pet parents into inferior pet food.
Choosing the best brands and products for your pet is all about knowing what to look for and what to avoid. It’s time to make a shift from letting advertisements make our buying decisions to educating ourselves so we can make our own informed choices!
SAFETY COMES FIRST!
My first priority is safety with every pet food. I need to know that a pet food company has high standards when it comes to their products and that they take pride in it’s quality. This includes doing voluntary recalls. Notice that I said VOLUNTARY recalls.
Voluntary recalls are done by a pet food company whenever they feel that their product isn’t representative of the standards they want their pet food to meet. Most companies don’t do this as they can’t afford the waste.
Most of what you hear about on facebook are the FDA requested or required recalls. That is when the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) steps in and tells a company they need to remove their food for safety reasons. It takes a lot for the FDA to get involved, which itself is indicative of the severity of the health issues present in certain pet foods.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON THE PET FOOD BAG
I recommend looking at the AAFCO statement on your pet food bag. It should be on the back or one of the sides. It looks like this:
It should say:
“Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that _____ provides complete and balanced nutrition for _____.
This statement means that this food was tested using real animals to double check that it is digested appropriately and is safe to use. Nutritional adequacy was proven!
Most pet food labels will say:
“______ is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog (or cat) Food Nutrient Profiles for ____.”
This statement means that this food was made by putting calculations into a computer. Nutritional adequacy was estimated.
Personally, I would rather be confident that the food I am exclusively feeding my pet is safe and adequately nutritious! Wouldn’t you?
NEXT STEPS:
1. Check your pet food label and look for the AAFCO statement.
2. Read my next article on what to look for once your pet’s food passes my safety standards step: Are You Choosing The Right Food For Your Pet?
Author: Dr. Karie Johnson, Co-Founder of VIP Vet Visit
Dr Karie is a companion animal & equine veterinarian in the Chicagoland area. Her desire to strengthen the human-animal bond while providing enhanced preventative care led her to start VIP Vet Visit – an at-home veterinary care option that provides less stress, more convenience and better care.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM IN THE PET FOOD INDUSTRY?
Pet food marketing has gotten out of control and science is lagging behind new trends in the market. Instead of investing money into raising safety standards or conducting more comprehensive safety tests, pet food companies are aggressively fighting for your attention through their marketing campaigns.
Consumers are often baited into buying certain brands or food products that are not necessarily the best for their pet. Eye catching ads and heart warming commercials have been wooing pet parents into inferior pet food.
Choosing the best brands and products for your pet is all about knowing what to look for and what to avoid. It’s time to make a shift from letting advertisements make our buying decisions to educating ourselves so we can make our own informed choices!
SAFETY COMES FIRST!
My first priority is safety with every pet food. I need to know that a pet food company has high standards when it comes to their products and that they take pride in it’s quality. This includes doing voluntary recalls. Notice that I said VOLUNTARY recalls.
Voluntary recalls are done by a pet food company whenever they feel that their product isn’t representative of the standards they want their pet food to meet. Most companies don’t do this as they can’t afford the waste.
Most of what you hear about on facebook are the FDA requested or required recalls. That is when the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) steps in and tells a company they need to remove their food for safety reasons. It takes a lot for the FDA to get involved, which itself is indicative of the severity of the health issues present in certain pet foods.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON THE PET FOOD BAG
I recommend looking at the AAFCO statement on your pet food bag. It should be on the back or one of the sides. It looks like this:
It should say:
“Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that _____ provides complete and balanced nutrition for _____.
This statement means that this food was tested using real animals to double check that it is digested appropriately and is safe to use. Nutritional adequacy was proven!
Most pet food labels will say:
“______ is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog (or cat) Food Nutrient Profiles for ____.”
This statement means that this food was made by putting calculations into a computer. Nutritional adequacy was estimated.
Personally, I would rather be confident that the food I am exclusively feeding my pet is safe and adequately nutritious! Wouldn’t you?
NEXT STEPS:
1. Check your pet food label and look for the AAFCO statement.
2. Read my next article on what to look for once your pet’s food passes my safety standards step: Are You Choosing The Right Food For Your Pet?
Author: Dr. Karie Johnson, Co-Founder of VIP Vet Visit
Dr Karie is a companion animal & equine veterinarian in the Chicagoland area. Her desire to strengthen the human-animal bond while providing enhanced preventative care led her to start VIP Vet Visit – an at-home veterinary care option that provides less stress, more convenience and better care.
