1. Small Animal Management 130.4(c)4D
Selecting Pet Food
Small Animal Management 130.4(c)4D

2. Today We Will… Identify pet food regulatory agencies
Define nutritional significance of statements
Compare and contrast quality of different brands of food
Select appropriate food based on canines nutritional needs

3. Which cereal is better for you?

4. Regulation The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) requires animal food be
safe to eat
produced under sanitary conditions
contain no harmful substances
be truthfully labeled
No food can be labeled “Veterinarian Approved”

5. Regulation The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act:
proper identification of the product
net quantity statement
name and place of business of the manufacturer or distributor
proper listing of all the ingredients by weight

6. Pet Food Regulation The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Prevent misleading advertising
Pet food manufacturers must conform to the FTC's general truth in advertising standards

7. Pet Food Regulation
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
Non-governmental, provides guidelines for state regulation
Creates requirements for pet food labels

8. AAFCO Required Label Items
Brand and Product Name
Name of Species food is intended for
Quality Statement
Net weight/volume
Guaranteed Analysis
Percentage of each of the nutrients in the food

9. AAFCO Required Label Items
Ingredient Statement
Ingredients must be listed by weight on ‘As Fed’ basis
Ingredient that makes up the highest percentage is listed first
Feeding Directions
Name and address of manufacturer or distributor

10. AAFCO Required Label Items
Nutritional Adequacy Statement
Indicates the food is complete and balanced for a particular life stage or
For intermittent or supplemental feeding only

11. AAFCO Talk to a partner: What is the 95% rule? What is the 25% rule?
What is the flavor rule?

12. AAFCO Product Name Rules
95% Rule- If an ingredient is used in the title, then 95% of that feed must consist of that product
Example:
“Beef for Dogs”- the product must contain at least 95% Beef
“Tuna for Cats”
Must be first ingredient listed

13. AAFCO Product Name Rules
25% Rule- If an ingredient has a descriptor before or after it, then the product must contain at least 25% of that ingredient
Example:
“Beef Dinner for Dogs”
“Chicken Nuggets for Cats”
If multiple ingredients are listed they must total at least 25% of the product
No item listed can equal less than 3%
Ingredients should be listed in title in order of the percentage
“Beef and Chicken Dinner for Dogs”

14. AAFCO Product Name Rules
3% Rule- when a product is labeled “with” an ingredient, that ingredient must compromise at least 3% of that product
Example:
“Dog Food with Beef”
“Cat Food with Tuna”

15. AAFCO Product Name Rules
Flavor Rule- ingredient must be detectable within product if it is followed by the descriptor “flavor”
Example:
“Dog Food with Beef Flavor”
“Tuna Flavor Cat Food”

16. Ingredient definitions
Talk to a partner and define:
Meat
Meat By-Products
Meat Meal
Meat By-Product Meal

17. Ingredient Definitions
Meat (Beef, Chicken, etc.):
Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals
Meat By-products (Beef by-product):
Meat by-products are clean non-rendered parts (liver, lungs, kidney) of slaughtered animals

18. Ingredient Definitions
Meat Meal (Beef Meal):
Tissues, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents that are cooked (rendered)
Higher quality “meal” will be species specific
“Chicken Meal” is a better protein than “Animal Meal”
Meat By-product Meal (Beef by-product meal):
By-products (defined above) that are cooked (rendered)
Lowest quality protein

19. Evaluating Protein Content
Protein is one of the most important factors in selecting pet food
Crude Protein on Guaranteed Analysis can be misleading especially when comparing canned and dry food
Protein can be calculated on a dry matter basis to determine value

20. Dry Matter Basis
Dry Matter:
100-10=90%
Divide the crude protein by dry matter content (100-moisture content)
Dry- (33/90)x100= 36.67%
Canned- (12/24)= 50%
The canned has more protein
Canned
Dry
Dry Matter:
100-76=24%

21. Canned or Dry? Talk to a partner:
Which is better, canned food or dry food?
What’s the difference between the two?

22. Canned Canned Source of water More palatable Easier to eat
Cats often do not drink as much water as they should
More palatable
Picky eaters tend to favor wet foods
Easier to eat
Seniors and small dogs sometimes have trouble chewing kibble
Cannot be left out
Will grow bacteria if left out for an extended period
Short shelf life once opened
Must be refrigerated
Expensive

23. Dry Dry Convenience Price Reduce plaque Less flavor
Easy to safely store and feed large quantities at a time
Price
Can be half of the cost of feeding canned
Reduce plaque
Helps reduce dental diseases
Less flavor
Difficult to chew for some pets
Low moisture content

24. Minimum Nutritional Requirements
DOGS
Adult and Senior
Crude Protein: 18%
Recommended Crude Protein: 18%
Crude Fat: 5%
Recommended Crude Fat: 9-15%
*Protein requirements increase with activity level (i.e. performance/working dogs)
Growth and Reproduction (Puppies, pregnant or nursing females)
Crude Protein: 22%
Recommended Crude Protein: 28%
Crude Fat: 8%
Recommended Crude Fat: 17%

25. Minimum Nutritional Requirements
CATS
Growth and Reproduction (Kittens, pregnant or nursing females)
Crude Protein: 30%
Recommended Crude Protein: 30%
Crude Fat: 9%
Recommended Crude Fat: 20%
Adult and Senior
Crude Protein: 26%
Recommended Crude Protein: 22-30%
Crude Fat: 9%
Recommended Crude Fat: 15-20%

26. Selecting a Food Identify the first five ingredients
Look for meat as the first ingredient
Avoid low quality carbohydrates
Anything anonymous: grain by-products, middling, starch, gluten
Look for the nutritional adequacy statement
“Complete and balanced”
Select a food appropriate to your pet’s life stage
“Maintenance Ration”, “Puppy”, “Senior”

27. Selecting a Food Ignore terms like “premium”, “gourmet”, and “natural”
These terms are not regulated and have no meaning in regards to quality
Avoid artificial colorings
High quality kibble will generally have a uniform shape and brown color

28. Analyzing a Pet Food Label
What are the top 5 ingredients?
Are they quality ingredients?
How do these fulfill the pet’s 6 essential nutrients?

29. Feeding your Pet Follow the directions given on the bag
1 cup of brand A is not always equivalent to 1 cup of brand B
Higher quality foods will generally require the pet be fed less than a lower quality product

30. Feeding Your Pet Switch feeds gradually
Start by feeding 1 part new food to 3 parts of the old food and gradually transition the animal to the new food over the course of 1-2 weeks
Watch for diarrhea or gas
Caused by switching feed to quickly or an intolerance to the feed itself

31. Feeding your Pet Give constant access to fresh water
Pick up wet food if not consumed within 30 minutes

32. References