WHAT’S IN A
NAME
How to read and understand pet
food labels
Can you guess how many
different brands of pet food
there are in North America?
 15,000 brands of pet
food exist in North
America with more being
developed every year
Did you know?
 In the USA 46% of US homes have children, 69%
have pets
 In Ontario 1.3 dogs in the household, 1.7 cats in
the household
 82-85% of owners think that the best way to
comfort their pet is by feeding them, followed by
petting, then playing
 94% of people visiting their Veterinarian are
expecting a diet recommendation from their visit.
Only 11% actually get one, or feel like they got one
 The pet food industry brings in $17 billion dollars
per year
AAFCO
 AAFCO is an acronym that stands for
the Association of American Feed
Control Officials. This is a nonprofit
association of state and federal
officials that develop guidelines for
animal feeds in regards to: the
production (how its made), labeling
on the packaging, and the selling of it.
 There are 51 members- 1 in Canada,
and 1 for each US State
 AAFCO created the min and max%
that are shown on pet food labels
 Despite all the new research that has
been happening in the pet food
industry the AAFCO guidelines have
not been changed in over 25 years
 Pet food manufacturers commonly state one of two
established standards on their labels to show that their
foods contain all the protein, fats, vitamins, and
mineral requirements that dogs and cats need to
survive.
 One of these standards that AAFCO has set is based
on the “formulation” of all the nutrients cats & dogs
are known to require to maintain health and fitness.
The other standard involves “feeding tests” that show
that the dogs and cats can actually live and thrive on
the product
 Pet foods that are “formulated” have no required
testing to determine if the ingredients used are bioavailable or digestible in dogs or cats
 AAFCO does not require all pet foods to complete a
feeding trial.
These are litter mate puppies – both were fed foods that met the
minimal requirements by AAFCO for being
“Complete and Balanced”.
READING PET FOOD LABELS
 Foods that are labeled with simple terms such as “Beef
for Dogs,” or “Chicken Cat Food,” must contain at least
95% of the named ingredient (not including water
content). If the label lists two ingredients (like chicken
and liver), the combination of the two ingredients must
make up 95% of the total weight of the food, with the first
listed ingredient being more prevalent
 The rule only applies to animal products; therefore, if the
label says “Lamb and Rice Dog Food,” the food must still
contain 95% lamb
Example: Beef Dog Food: The food must contain 95% beef
by weight. The same goes for chicken, tuna or any other
meat in the product name.
THE “DINNER” RULE
 foods with the designation “dinner” or other,
similar qualifier must contain at least 25% (not
counting water content) and less than 95% of the
named ingredient
 Synonyms for dinner include: platter, entrée,
nuggets and formula.
 Example: Salmon cat food dinner: Contains at least
25% salmon
THE “WITH” RULE
 Originally this rule was created so
that companies could highlight an
extra element in the food outside
the product name (such as “Beef
Dinner — with cheese!”). But now,
under AAFCO rules, products can
have “with” in the main product
name of the food, indicating that it
contains only 3% of the “with”
ingredient. Read labels carefully:
“Beef Dog Food” contains 95% beef,
but “Dog Food With Beef” only has
3% beef
 Example: Cat food with Chicken:
Contains only 3% chicken or less.
THE “FLAVOR” RULE
 Chicken (or any other)
“flavored” pet foods don’t
need to contain any of the
ingredients that they are
supposed to taste like. They
merely need to have a
specific flavor that is
detectable by the animal for
which it is meant
Gourmet, Premium, Super,
ULTRA-Premium
 As far as AAFCO is concerned, these terms
have no specific meaning and are merely
used as a marketing tool. Foods with these
descriptions are not held to any higher (or
lower) nutritional standards than any other
complete and balanced food products
COMMON TERMS TO WATCH
FOR:
 ORGANIC
 NATURAL
 HOLISTIC (not legally defined)
 HUMAN GRADE (not legally defined)
Organic - USDA
> 95%
“Made with
Ingredient listed only
Organics”
Organic peas, organic
chicken, etc.
70% to 94%
1% to 69%
What do “Natural” and
“Holistic” labels mean?
 Legally, not much. Food labeled as
natural should contain few, if any,
synthetic ingredients
 Any manufacturer can make claims of
“holistic” in literature and brochures
regardless of ingredients used in its
foods
“NATURAL”
 Amanita phalloides,
Natural, but deadly!
According to AAFCO, the term "natural" requires a
pet food to consist of only natural ingredients
without chemical alterations; except for added
vitamins and minerals
There is no nutritional advantage known to dogs and
cats who are being fed a natural food. This is a
consumer choice, not a nutritional need.
“HOLISTIC”
 Not defined or regulated and
therefore is essentially meaningless.
In fact, some regulators consider the
term misleading in that it may falsely
imply therapeutic benefit
Therefore “organic”, “holistic” and “all
natural” labels
DO NOT SPEAK TO QUALITY,
NUTRITIONAL BALANCE,
OR SAFETY
“HUMAN GRADE”
 Human-grade means that the processing
plant is certified for processing human
food
It does not mean the food coming from the
processing plant would necessarily be
something that humans would eat, though.
But rather, that the “sanitary conditions” in
the plant are acceptable for human food
processing
“HUMAN EDIBLE”
 Human edible ≠ Human grade
 Human edible must never leave the chain of
inspection
Exp. Slaughter house ►Packing house►
Supermarket, are all federally inspected and
therefore considered human edible
Slaughter house ► Pet food processing plant is
not federally inspected therefore not human
edible
INGREDIENT MYTHS AND
FACTS
 MYTH: A product contains or is made
from human grade ingredients
 FACT: Claims that a product contains or
is made from ingredients that are “
human grade”, “human quality”, and or
“people foods” are false and misleading
unless the entire product, itself, meets
the federal standards for food edible by
people.
“BUYER BEWARE!!!”
A pet owner may think they are feeding
their pet “human edible pet food” when in
fact all it is, is “human grade pet food”
MY PET NEEDS TO LOSE WEIGHT
WHAT FOOD DO I CHOOSE?
Under federal guidelines, pet foods labeled “low
calorie” or "light”, must provide the caloric
content.
To be considered “low calorie”/ “light” for dog
foods the kcals/kg of kibble must be less then or
equal to 3,100 and for cats must be less than or
equal to 3,250
Be careful when selecting a pet food that says
“weight control” or “weight management”. These
foods may not contain less calories then what
you are feeding currently and therefore you will
not see any changes.
INFORMATION PANEL





nutritional adequacy statement
guaranteed analysis
feeding guidelines
ingredient list
manufacturer’s information
NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY
STATEMENT
 This portion of the label verifies
that the food provides complete
and balanced nutrition for growing
animals, pregnant and nursing
mothers, or adults – or it might say
the product is nutritionally
adequate for all of these groups
(“all life stages”)
 Caution should be exercised when
considering foods intended for “all
lifestages.” They may contain
excessive levels of some nutrients
making them inappropriate for
adult and senior pets or not
enough nutrients for puppies or
kittens
LIFE STAGE NEEDS
Higher protein
Higher energy
Higher calcium/
phosphorus for
growth
Moderate protein
Moderate fat,
Moderate vitamins,
and minerals
Optimal protein
Less energy
Less Fat
Higher fiber
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
 The guaranteed analysis is designed to provide consumers with
nutrient information about the pet foods they purchase. It
indicates minimum or maximum levels of nutrients such as
protein, fat and fiber in the product to guide consumers. It is
important to remember, however, that the guaranteed analysis
is not an indication of the actual nutrient content of the food
 The minimum guarantee gives the lowest amount of the nutrient
in the food, not the actual amount. For example, a product with
a minimum guarantee of 8% fat may actually contain a higher
percentage. Likewise, a product with a maximum guarantee of
5% fiber may only contain as little as 1%
 Obtaining the actual nutrient content
from the manufacturer is a better way
to evaluate products
“SOLE FOOD”
Guaranteed Analysis of old shoes, oil, coal and
water
Crude Protein
Min.
6.0%
Crude Fat
Min.
4.0%
Crude Fiber
Max.
6.3%
Moisture
Max.
78.0%
Ash
Max.
2.7%
A combination of ingredients such as old shoes, motor oil,
crushed coal, and water meet this guaranteed analysis which
is typical for pet foods. While this example carries this
thought to the extreme, exaggeration is used only to
emphasize the point.
FEEDING GUIDLINES
Limit food rewards and let your dog work for that tasty treat.
INGREDIENT LIST
 Ingredients are the delivery vehicles for nutrients
and are listed on a pet food label in descending
order by weight
 Ingredients such as chicken, beef or lamb contain
more than 50% water. The high water content
makes them weigh more than dry ingredients such
as grains, meat/poultry meals, minerals and
vitamins, so they are listed first
“REAL CHICKEN???”
 What is the definition of “real” ?
 You should feel a little uneasy when you see
pet food labels that say:
“contains REAL CHICKEN”
 Have we ever had UNREAL CHICKEN in our
pet food?
 Does “unreal chicken” taste like chicken, too?
 Meat: Meat is the clean flesh of slaughtered animals.
The flesh can include striated skeletal muscle, tongue,
diaphragm, heart, esophagus, overlying fat and the
skin, sinew, nerves and blood vessels normally found
with that flesh
 By-Product: A by-product is a secondary or incidental
product deriving from a manufacturing process. For
example the following are by-products beet pulp,
tomato pomace, vitamin E, chicken stock, whey, lanolin,
brewers yeast, bran, wheat germ, distillers grain,
molasses, straw, and salt
 Meat by-products: Meat by-products are clean parts of
slaughtered animals, not including meat. These include
lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, and
stomach and intestines freed of their contents. It does
not include hair, horns, teeth, or hooves
INGREDIENT MYTHS AND
FACTS
 MYTH: By-products are of lesser quality
than meat.
 FACT: Some by-products such as liver
offer superior palatability compared to
meat such as chicken breast, tongue etc.
 WITH EXTREMELY RARE EXCEPTIONS,
ALL PET FOODS CONTAIN
BY-PRODUCTS!

WHERE ARE OUR PET FOODS
BEING
MADE???
Some pet food companies formulate their diet and then make it in their
own manufacturing plant while other companies formulate their diet and
then send the recipe to a 3rd party company to have it manufactured.

Those who formulate and make the diet in their own plant HAVE TO adhere
to strict quality control measures, checking every batch of ingredients
when shipped to the plant, and randomly testing the food throughout the
manufacturing process.

Those who formulate BUT have a 3rd party make the diet DO NOT HAVE to
have quality control measures in place, which can mean that ingredients
vary between batches and therefore a consistent diet between bags is not
guaranteed. And in some instances lacking essential nutrients.

On the label of the pet food who will see 1 of 2 scenarios:
either: manufactured for / prepared for: these are all 3rd parties that
are receiving the recipes and making it in their own facilities
or: manufactured by / prepared by: these are companies who are
manufacturing their own pet food
DETERMINING QUALITY
 There is no way to determine the true quality of a pet food
by reading the ingredient list or the guaranteed analysis. In
fact, two products that may appear to have the same
guaranteed analysis might have actual nutrient levels that
vary significantly
 Individual ingredients do NOT determine the quality of a
pet food. It’s the nutritional value of each ingredient
blended together that delivers a product specific for a pet’s
age or condition. The guaranteed analysis is not a
guarantee of nutritional quality – nor is the ingredient list
or the presence or absence of certain ingredients
 Quality matters because when you have better quality
nutrients you increase the digestibility of the food which
therefore reduces food volume and stool production!
CORN IS BAD RIGHT?

Corn is an excellent ingredient because of the benefits it
brings to the product. Corn is a highly nutritious ingredient
chosen as a source of protein (for muscle and tissue growth),
carbohydrates (for energy), fiber, antioxidants (Betacarotene, Vitamin E, and Lutein) and linoleic acid - an
essential fatty acid that promotes healthy skin and a
luxurious coat

Most grains, including corn, are poorly digested before they
are cooked. Once cooked, however, they become highly
digestible, higher then several other grains such as rice,
wheat, barley and sorghum

Some consumers are concerned that corn may only be filler.
Fillers offer no nutritional value therefore corn can not be a
filler because it is a superb source of nutrients

While some individuals are concerned about allergies in pets,
corn is not a common cause of adverse food reactions.
Studies have shown that corn causes no more food allergies
than any other grains
Actually only 0.01% of animals have
adverse reactions to corn.
Beef
Dairy
Wheat
DOGS
Lamb
Chicken
Chicken Egg
Soy
93%
CATS
68%
of reported cases
25%
of reported cases
of all canine adverse reactions to food
are caused by these 7 ingredients alone.
Beef
Dairy
Fish
80%
of reported cases
Grain Free
MYTH: Grain-free pet foods are better.
FACT: There is no nutritional foundation to
support a grain free diet, and foods that
have grains are just as digestible as grainfree foods
The term “grain-free” is misleading, as all
grain-free foods contain carbohydrates
from other sources, such as the sweet
potato, which has more carbohydrates than
corn
SUMMARY:

Good nutrition isn’t just about the ingredients – it’s about the right balance of
nutrients.

Feeding a pet food that does not have the proper nutritional balance can lead to a
wide range of health issues

Pet owners should look at the pet food label to see if a feeding trial was done to
support nutritional adequacy claims

Watch out for “all life stages” foods!
Pets should be fed according to their nutritional needs – and these needs do change

Pet owners and veterinary professionals have a right to know what they are feeding
their animals. The pet food label contains a wealth of information, if one knows how
to read it. Do not be swayed by the many marketing gimmicks or eye-catching claims

If there is a question about the product, contact the manufacturer or ask an
appropriate regulatory agency
“you can’t judge a book by its cover!”
RAW FOOD DIETS?
Raw pet food diets are controversial!!
Potential risks include:
•Threats to human and your pets health from bacteria in raw meat
•An unbalanced diet that may damage the health of your pet if given for an
extended period. Exp lack of vitamins and minerals
•Potential for whole bones to choke an animal, break teeth or cause an
internal puncture
•No scientific proof of benefits
 Meat meal: Meat meal is the rendered product from
mammalian tissues, therefore ingredients are the same
as “meat” except the water content is less due to the
rendering process
 Meat by- product meal: Meat by-product meal is the
rendered by-product from mammalian tissues,
therefore ingredients are the same as “meat byproducts” except the water content is less due to the
rendering process