Introduction to Pet Foods Flashcards
Why do some people prefer homemade pet food?
Palatability preferences
Gives owner sense of involvement
Ingredient selection
Problems with homemade pet food diets?
Time consuming
Health issues
Many do not provide adequate nutrition
Where do people buy pet food?
Farm/Feed Stores Specialty Stores Mass Merchandise Grocery Veterinary Breeder
Characteristics of Private Label / Generic Brand Pet Foods
Low cost Local/regional manufacturer Less emphasis on ingredient quality and quality control Increased mineral content Decreased digestibility
Characteristics of Grocery Store Brand Pet Foods
Palatability
National manufacturers
+/- specific purpose foods
Characteristics of Specialty Brand Pet Foods
Emphasis on ingredients and “optimal nutrition”
National manufacturers
+/- Specific purpose/special needs foods
Characteristics of Veterinary Medical Pet Foods
Special FDA/CVM category
Foods for therapy, prevention and diagnosis
Forms of pet foods
Dry, Moist, Soft-Moist, Soft-Dry
Characteristics of dry pet food
Have preservative to avoid going bad 6-12% moisture Economical Can free choice feed Variable palatability
Characteristics of moist pet food
68-85% moisture Expensive Palatable Cannot free choice feed Growing market
Characteristics of soft-moist pet food
25-40% moisture More expensive Can free choice feed Palatable Simple Sugars - Do not feed to diabetics!
What type of food should not be fed to diabetic pets?
Soft-Moist
Characteristics of soft-dry pet food
Blend of soft moist and dry particles
Similar to soft moist
10-20% moisture
Pet food supplements
Nutrients or foods added with the intention of improving a diet
Treats and human foods should contribute less than what percent of daily
