Demystifying pet food: Facts and Fiction of the Pet Food Industry

There are many differing opinions on the topic of pet food. Grain-free and raw diets are buzzwords on the lips of pet owners today looking for healthier alternatives to their pet food. But are these types of food really what they sound like? All 'healthy' foods are not the same as they like to project themselves as. With a wide array of choices it's easy to be scammed. What it comes down to is extensive research, along with the knowledge of what to look for and what to avoid.

It's important to identify the real manufacturer of the pet food. To be considered 'high quality', the company will:

• Make the food in its own facility, employing a board-certified veterinary nutritionalist.
• Have an American Feed Control Officials (or AAFCO) feeding trial statement.
• Practice strict quality control measures as well as conduct and publish research on animal nutrition.Look for the words, 'Manufactured By', rather than 'Distributed By' or 'Manufactured For'. These foods are co-packed, made by several different manufacturers and labeled by the end company who sells it. Mass manufacturing, on the other hand, is where one company manufactures the food for many labels.

One big problem for veterinary professionals is guaranteeing that the label ingredients are actually present in the food. 20-52 foods tested for their ingredients showed discrepancies between labeled ingredients and what was in the actual diet. This can pose a problem for owners trying to avoid food allergens in their pets. Allergy trials point toward therapeutic limited-ingredient diets or supervised home-cooked diets are a better choice than over the counter diets with claims of limited ingredients that aren't lived up to.

Grain-free does not mean hypoallergenic. There is no set AAFCO definition of grain-free, so the definition can vary by manufacturer. Raw food is also a new trend, the rationale being 'that's what animals eat in nature'. Most raw diet reports lack long term, high quality study results.

The only thing you as an owner can do is your homework. There are many foods out there that look legitimate, but can easily fool the unsuspecting. Follow these guidelines and your pets will thank you for it at dinner time.