First Kibble Produced Through Extrusion
General Mills acquired Spratts in 1950, and Purina entered the dog food market in 1956 with the first kibble. Purina previously had been selling food for farm animals that was plant and grain-based for pigs and chickens. In 1959, they acquired the American Crab Meat Company, who made the pet food called 3 Little Kittens. Although the pet food didnt contain any crab, it did market itself as balanced, noting that it was the only cat food that included 16 nourishing ingredients, including more proteins, vitamins, and minerals than milk itself. This was the first time a balanced food was marketed requiring additional vitamins and nutrients. Purina began experimenting and developed the first dry kibble through the process of extrusion. Extrusion is a method of mass-producing shelf-stable foods by mixing wet and dry ingredients together and then fed through a machine where it is subject to extreme heat and pressure and fed through a die-cutting machine to form the kibble shapes we are familiar with today. Extruded food products are commonly coated after drying with fat such as chicken, pork, and lard to increase palatability and energy supply. Many companies still use extrusion to create food for dogs and cats. The downside? The extreme heat and drying remove beneficial vitamins, nutrients, and moisture that pets need to truly thrive.
Why Dont We Eat Horse Meat In The Us
You can not buy horse meat for human consumption in the United States because it is illegal to sell meat that has not been inspected. But there is consideration of allowing foreign companies to sell horse meat into America. So soon, you may have an opportunity to try horse meat processed by other countries instead!
How Is Dog Food Made
Different dog food companies use different methods to manufacture dog food. One of the most common methods is called extrusion, and here is how it works:
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What Is Really In The Food Your Dog Or Cat Is Eating
For most Americans, pets are like family.
The rate at which U.S. consumers open their wallet to feed their furry companions has become big business: Pet food alone is now an industry worth more than $26 billion and growing, according to IBIS World figures.
That has led some experts to question the regulations that safeguard the industryand ingredients being used.
“No one’s really minding that store right now It’s left up to the consumer to know that it’s safe,” said Joseph J. Wakshlag, a veterinarian specializing in nutrition at Cornell University, told CNBC’s “On the Money” in an interview.
In the past 2 months, two brands of canned dog food, Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food, and Cocolicious, made by Party Animal, were found to contain a drug called pentobarbital that’s used to euthanize animals. One dog died, while others were sickened.
Evanger’s is now suing a supplier, saying the meat which was labeled, “inedible hand boned beef,” actually contained pentobarbital-tainted horse meat.
“Evanger’s will never purchase from this beef supplier ever again. We immediately initiated even more new testing methods and are testing every single beef product before being shipped.,” said Holly Sher, Evanger’s owner and president, in a statement e-mailed to CNBC.
Who is regulating the pet food industry?
“Pet food isn’t food. Pet food is feed,” said Susan Thixton, a consumer advocate and author of Truthaboutpetfood.com.
What’s in your pet food?
Is Dog Food Still Made Of Horse Meat
In the 1920s, according to Nestle, slaughterhouses opened pet food companies to dispose of horse meat. It remained a major ingredient in pet food until at least the 1940s. Today, Nestle said, most pet food companies do not profess to use horse meat, partially for fear it would discourage people from buying the product.
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Keep Your Pooch Happy And Healthy
Madeleine Burry has written about how to care for pets for more than 10 years. Her articles have appeared in AAA’s Via Magazine, PetCareRx, and other outlets.
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Best for Large Dogs: Purina at Chewy
The Pro line has plenty of options for large and giant dog breeds, which have different nutritional needs throughout their lives.
Best for Small Dogs: Wellness Pet Food at PetCo
To meet your small dog’s nutritional needs, this company packs plenty of calories into smaller kibble bites that are easy to chew.
Dogs arent necessarily super picky when it comes to what they eat. Havent we all observed them scrounging through the trash for a tasty bit of leftovers or a bone to gnaw on? But your poochs voracious appetite doesnt mean that just any food is a good option for dinneror breakfast or lunch.
When choosing a dog food brand, youll want to consider the ingredients that are used, along with the companys ethos. That is, youll want to feel confident that the company cares about your pets health and safety as much as you do.
Here are the best dog food brands on the market to keep your pup’s system in top shape.
Rosemary & Turkey Homemade Dog Food
- Chop the carrot, apple, and spinach in a food processor until fine
- Add other ingredients except ground beef to the processor and blend
- Transfer to a large bowl
- Add ground beef and mix by hand until combined
- Form into patties and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet
- Place in bags or storage containers and store until needed
- Remove the next days patty from the freezer at night, so it can thaw
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Challenges Of Finding The Right Dog Food
If you are a new pet parent, you will likely have a plethora of questions regarding your dogs diet. Can dogs eat horse meat? What is the best way to feed meat to your dog? Can your dog survive on a plant-based diet?
These questions will start racing through your mind every time you think about feeding your dog. Consequently, you will turn to the internet to find useful advice for the right canine diet. But the plethora of information and myths circulating on search engines will leave you even more confused.
Moreover, with the diverse assortment of dog food available in supermarkets and online stores, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Whether you are looking for kibble or canned food, chances are you will be spoilt for choice. However, it is essential to select the right type of food so that your dog receives all the vital nutrients.
In the age of the internet, it is also crucial to watch out for canine diet trends and fads. From the green bean dog diet to grain-free dog food youll find various popular doggie diet trends on Google. Likewise, in recent years, horse meat for dogs has become a raging topic of debate within the online pet community.
But can dogs eat horse meat? Is it even legal and where can you get it? Does it offer any significant benefits over other meats, such as beef and pork? In this blog, we will explore the answers to all these questions. But let us first understand why meat is such an integral part of every dogs diet.
Is Dog Food Made Out Of Horses
Just reading that question out aloud in this day and age would bring horror to most people. However is it true? Let me say at the outset, that the statement today is false but wasnt before the 1940s in the USA. Unfortunately, back then horse meat was a staple ingredient for many brands of canned dog food. So much to the extent that dog food companies had their own horse meat suppliers to keep up with the demand! Of course, times have changed, but much of that trend has followed us even to date.
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Does Pet Food Contain Horse Meat
Warning: this post contains descriptions of animal cruelty.
Images of racehorses being slaughtered at abattoirs have put the racing industry in the spotlight. And rightly so. But theres also a connection thats much closer to home.
Where do you think the meat from these places ends up? Some definitely goes overseas for people, but a large part stays right here as pet meat. Possibly in your local pet food store.
Im not saying any specific brands contain horse meat, but how can we tell? It has to end up somewhere. And under our current anything goes pet food system, nobody knows where.
Regulation Of Pet Food
Pet food products are among the most highly regulated products in grocery stores. Federal and state laws and regulations apply to various aspects of pet food including ingredients, manufacturing processes and labeling. Virtually all state pet food laws and regulations are based upon the work of the Association of American Feed Control Officials. AAFCO is an organization of state officials who regulate animal feed, which includes pet food. Members of AAFCO come together to develop standard ingredient definitions nutritional requirements labeling and other guidelines and model laws and regulations for the animal feed/pet food sector. AAFCO’s work helps promote uniform laws and regulations for pet food from state to state, which effectively ensures consumer protections nationwide and promotes interstate commerce.
At the federal level, pet food is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Federal Trade Commission. Both the FDA and FTC have authority over labeling and advertising claims. In addition to the states, FDA regulates pet food ingredients and finished products. FDA also imposes certain requirements that apply to all food, both products for people as well as products for pets:
Most states require under their state animal feed laws and regulations that pet food labels be registered and approved. Pet food labels are required to provide truthful and non-misleading information, as well as:
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Best Wet: Hills Science Diet
Given the brands name, its no surprise that Hills Science Diet puts science at the heart of their products. They also rely on expert input: Hundreds of veterinarians and pet nutritionists are involved in the food development process, according to Hills.
Hills Science Diet offers wet food options based on the dogs size and age, and also offers options for dogs that need help with weight management, have limited mobility, and other lifestyle factors and health conditions.
Best For Puppies: Blue Buffalo
Courtesy of Amazon
Puppies have specific nutritional needs, since they are constantly growing and developing. Blue Buffalo offers several product lines aimed at puppies: Blue Basics, Baby Blue, Blue Freedom, Blue Life Protection Formula, and more. Food for puppies is also available in both canned and dry options, as well as in options tailored by breed size. This gives pet owners lots of options to choose the best food for their dog.
Blue Buffalo prioritizes the quality of ingredientsall food is made from natural ingredients. There is a thorough explanation for why every ingredient is included in food available on the manufacturer’s website, so you can better understand your dog’s diet.
All food is made in the companys two United States-based factories, and adheres to nutritional standards from the Association of American Feed Control Officials and the Global Nutrition Committee of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. Blue Buffalo products can be purchased at major online retailers.
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Why Don’t We Eat Horses
The European horse meat scandal continues to expand: This week, the Switzerland-based company Nestle SA announced that it would pull beef pasta meals off supermarket shelves in Europe after the discovery that they contained horse meat. Most U.K. supermarkets had already been forced to pull what were ostensibly beef products after the discovery that they contained horse meat, and regulators are now trying to trace how the horse meat made its way through a complicated supply chain into various products.
So far, Americans have not been touched directly by the scandal, since the companies involved do not export beef to the United States. But the anger over the discovery has raised the question: Why is eating horse meat considered taboo in some nations yet unremarkable in others?
In the United States, United Kingdom and some other nations, horse meat is largely reviled. Asked to explain why she would not eat horse meat, New York City resident Victoria Milton compared them to pets, saying that “people have horses and they love them and they’re part of their family.”
In many other nations, however, eating horse meat is no big deal – and in some cultures, it’s even considered a delicacy. Mexico, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Japan, Germany, Indonesia, Poland and China are among the nations where many people eat horse meat without a second thought.
How Dog Food Is Made And Why It Matters
Everyone is aware that they have several options when shopping for their dogs food. Most have waded through these different forms and types. They settle into a habit that seems to be working that is to say, nourishing their dog adequately.
The most common choices include:
- Dry kibble
- Fresh frozen
- Freeze-dried
Freeze-dried pet food isnt the largest sector of the industry but it is the fastest-growing. Other less familiar options are fermented, meals , and of course homemade.
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Can Dogs Eat Horse Meat Here Is Everything You Need To Know
A happy and healthy dog this is every dog parents ultimate dream. Whether you have a houseful of pets or brought home a newborn pup, you want them to be at their healthiest. However, if you have ever taken care of a pet dog, you would know that it is a huge responsibility.
Ensuring the health and wellbeing of your dog involves various aspects, such as taking them for scheduled vaccination and dental exams. It is just as important to provide them with a balanced and nutrient-rich diet to ensure proper physical and mental development. Food, after all, is the fuel that will help them continue to be their playful selves.
What Do Kill Buyers Do With Horses
People known as kill buyers look for healthy horses to meet their quota for meat production, because they are paid by the pound. These kill buyers buy rescued domestic horses at auction, very often outbidding people who are looking for a new riding horse. It can also be dangerous to consume horse meat.
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Has Cesar Dog Food Ever Been Recalled
Yes, there has been one Cesar dog food recall in recent years.
In , Mars Inc. recalled certain lots of Cesar Classics Filet Mignon wet dog food after receiving reports of tiny pieces of plastic being found in the food.
While a small number of consumers have reported finding the plastic pieces, we have not received any reports of injury or illness associated with the affected product, the company said. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this recall.
Several days after the recall was announced, a Maryland woman reported her dog had died after eating Cesar Filet Mignon. She didnt realize it had been recalled.
The woman told reporters that after eating the food, her dog looked really terrible,had a hard time breathing and then vomited up big plastic things before collapsing. He died in her arms as she was carrying him outside to rush him to the vet.
During follow-up safety inspections 9 months later, the company conceded it was still receiving consumer complaints about foreign objects including insects in various brands of its pet food, such as Pedigree. Mars insisted it was working to fully implement corrective actions.
Inspectors from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration themselves observed 2 live roaches. The FDA stressed the seriousness of the pest problem, and the company promised correction.
Best For Small Dogs: Wellness Pet Food
Just like larger dogs, small dogs have special nutritional needsthey burn more calories per pound than larger dogs, for instance, and of course, have smaller mouths which may make smaller kibble more comfortable for them to eat.
Wellness Pet Food makes food for both cats and dogs, and like many of the brands on this list, the company prioritizes using natural ingredients and doesnt include fillers on the ingredient list. They offer many optionsboth wet and dryfor small and toy breed dogs.
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Is Purina A Bad Dog Food
While Beneful by Purina does contain chicken as a protein, its also full of corn, soy, and wheat. These ingredients can cause significant digestive and health issues over time. It also has questionable chicken and poultry by-product. In terms of chemicals, the formula contains numerous artificial dyes.
Unfit For Humansyet Legal For Dog Food
Heres a short list of some of the unsavory raw materials already mentioned plus a few others. And although each of the following ingredients are appalling, each can be lawfully used to make dog food:
- Slaughterhouse waste
- Bread and cereal rejects
- Dying, diseased and disabled farm animals
- Road kill
- Contaminated grain middlings
- Dead zoo animals
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