Dog food

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Dog food is plant or animal material intended for consumption by dogs or other canines. Special dog foods given as a reward, and not as a staple, are known as dog treats.

Some people make their own dog food or feed their dogs meals made from ingredients purchased in grocery or health-food stores; many others rely on commercially manufactured dog food.

Contents 1 Homemade diets 2 Commercial dog food 2.1 Making dry dog food 2.2 Contents 2.3 Special varieties 3 Premium labels 4 Raw food 5 Dog treats 6 Recalls 7 Notes 8 See also 9 External links

[edit] Homemade diets

There are many different recommendations on what diet is best for dogs. Some people argue that commercial dog foods contain additives or poor-quality meat or ingredients dogs should not ingest, or that certain commercial foods are not nutritionally sufficient for their dogs. Different homemade diets are recommended by various experts, from "natural" diets consisting primarily of raw meat, to vegetarian diets consisting only of nutritionally balanced vegetarian ingredients, to mixtures consisting of ingredients such as brown rice, brown pasta, meats, eggs, and vegetables. The one problem with homemade diets, frequently articulated by veterinarians, is the difficulty to consistently provide the dog with a complete and balanced diet. This "technique-sensitivity" will be a challenging part of providing a truly superior diet to the higher quality brands readily available by retail in most urban and suburban areas.

Most dogs willingly eat vegetables, particularly if they are cooked, and many kinds of fruit, although chocolate, avocados, onions, macadamia nuts, and grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. Additionally, many dogs enjoy snacks which can be prepared rather simply.

[edit] Commercial dog food

By its water content, commercial dog food can be categorized into following types: dry, semi-moist, and moist.

[edit] Making dry dog food

Dry pellet dog food, called kibble, is made in two different ways: extruding and baking. During extruding, a mixture of raw materials is fed into an expander while pressurized steam or hot water is added. When removed from the pressure, the pellets puff like popcorn. The pellets are allowed to dry, then sprayed with vitamins, grease, or any other ingredients that are not heat-tolerant. The down side of extruding is that the fats added after cooking often turn rancid, and the vitamins may be destroyed by heat during storage or shipping.

[edit] Contents

Most commercial dog foods are made from materials unusable or less desirable for human consumption. These may include:

• Meat by-products or digests
• Meat-and-bone meals
• Grain by-products

Less expensive dog foods generally include less meat, and more animal by-products and grain "fillers". The most expensive dogs foods may be made of ingredients suitable for human consumption, organic products, or free-range meats.

[edit] Special varieties

There are dog foods specially formulated for dogs allergic to wheat, corn, and/or chicken. These foods usually contain lamb or fish meat. Some dog foods are designed for dogs with maladies such as urinary tract infections, and some foods are tailored to the dietary needs of especially young or old dogs. There are also vegetarian dog foods for owners who do not want their dogs to consume meat products.

[edit] Premium labels

Certain manufacturers label their products with terms such as premium, ultra premium, natural and holistic. Such terms currently have no official definitions so caveat emptor applies. The AAFCO is currently looking to define some of the terms.

There are also varieties of dog food labeled as "human-grade food" from manufacturers such as Flint River Ranch and Wellness Pet Food. Again, no official definition of such term exists, although the assumption is that other brands use foods that would not pass US Food and Drug Administration inspection according to the Pure Food and Drug Act or the Meat Inspection Act.

[edit] Raw food

Raw food is also a growing industry. Concerned pet owners are now turning to freeze-dried food or the Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods (BARF) diet. ^[1]

[edit] Dog treats

Dog treats are frequently given to dogs as rewards for good behavior or performing tricks. Many professional dog trainers recommend owners treat with normal dry kibble, cutting back the average ration of food given at meals to compensate and prevent weight gain.

Dog treats are usually higher in grease or fats. These are usually designed to be held in a person's hand without being messy, and are often designed in fanciful shapes and colors. A top selling brand is Milkbone. There are also many kinds of natural chewing treats for dogs like rawhide. As is the case for most chewing toys, the dog will clean its teeth by itself during the lengthy chewing process.

[edit] Recalls

This section documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

On March 16, 2007 a massive recall of dog and cat food commenced. Menu Foods, who is a major manufacturer of dog and cat food, recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food after reports of kidney failure and deaths.[1] Many other pet food brands are voluntarily recalling their wet dog and cat food as a precaution. The recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier. Wheat gluten, a common filler used in pet foods, is a source of protein. The contaminant in the wheat gluten was initially found to be aminopterin by a New York laboratory, which is used as a rodenticide in some countries.^[2] However, the FDA and Cornell University did not confirm this finding and instead found high levels of melamine, a chemical found in plastics and pesticides, in the wheat gluten in levels as high as 6.6 percent. It seems that cats have been more seriously affected by this contamination, either due to higher concentrations in cat food or an increased sensitivity in cats to its toxic effects. Melamine has never been tested for safety in cats.^[3] An accurate count of pet fatalities has not been published by the FDA; however estimates vary from as low as 16 to as high as 1,871.^[4]

In 2006 over 100 canine deaths and at least one feline fatality were linked to Diamond pet foods contaminated by the toxin aflatoxin, a naturally occurring toxic chemical byproduct that results from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus on corn and other crops.^[5]

In 1995 there was another dog food recall when the Nature’s Recipe company pulled thousands of tons of dog food off the shelf after consumers complained that their dogs were vomiting and losing their appetite. Nature’s Recipe’s loss amounted to $20 million. The problem was a fungus that produced vomitoxin (or “mycotoxin,” a toxic substance produced by mold) contaminating the wheat.

In 1999, another fungal toxin triggered the recall of dry dog food made by Doane Pet Care at one of its plants, including Ol’ Roy (Wal-Mart’s brand) and 53 other brands. This time, the toxin killed 25 dogs.^[6]

[edit] Notes

[edit] See also

• Raw feeding

[edit] External links

• Guide to Natural Dog Food, Dog Care, and Training
• What's Really in Pet Foods by the Animal Protection Institute
• Dog Food- Decoding Fact From Fiction an informative article on how to choose the right dog food.
• Dog Food Nutrition an independent site providing nutritional information for different types of dog food.
• Pet Food Recall Candid comments from a Veterinarian regarding the Pet Food Recall of March 2007.