(adapted from a handout written by Dr. Carla Pfeiffer, DVM)
There are hundreds of pet foods on the market. We recommend only using certain foods manufactured by companies which comply with ALL the recommendations set by WSAVA for animal feed companies. They should:
- Employ board certified veterinary nutritionists full time to formulate their diets, and are available for consultations and questions.
- The diet(s) are tested using AAFCO feeding trials, by nutrient analysis. Look for the following on the label under the ingredients and guaranteed analysis:
“Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that <this food> provides complete and balanced nutrition for <this specific life stage>.”
- They have specific quality control measures in place to assure the consistency and quality of their product line.
- They have full control over the plants where their foods are produced and manufactured, and allow visitors.
- They provide a complete product nutrient analysis for the dog and cat food of interest, including digestibility values.
- They provide the caloric value per gram, can, and/or cup of their foods.
- They conduct research on their products, and the results are published in peer-reviewed journals
***Hills, Purina, Iams/Eukanuba and Royal Canin are the ONLY pet food companies we know of that comply with all of these recommendations. Please check the label to be certain.
You can find the full recommendations here: https://www.wsava.org/WSAVA/media/Images/Association%20logos/WSAVA-Nutrition-Assessment-Guidelines-(2011)_JSAP.pdf
Also, due to the current investigation being headed by the FDA on the link between boutique, exotic ingredient and grain-free foods (“BEG”), and an increased risk for heart disease, we DO NOT recommend a grain-free diet for any pet that wasn’t specifically diagnosed with a medical need for this diet by a board certified veterinary nutritionist, gastroenterologist, internal medicine or other specialist. In addition, be wary of any foods that list in their top 5 ingredients – peas, sweet potatoes, lentils, potatoes and chick pea as these ingredients are also under investigation as a potential link to an increased risk for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and/or taurine deficiency (a deficiency which cannot necessarily be satisfied by supplementing the food).
More information can be found here: https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm630991.htm
Be aware that all the foods currently under investigation have been “formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog (or cat) Food Nutrient Profiles.” Some of the foods currently under investigation may conduct AAFCO feeding trials, but as of this printing none meet all the WSAVA recommendations. We always recommend feeding your pet a diet that was specifically formulated for their life stage (puppy, kitten, senior…), and we do not recommend food that has been formulated “for all life stages”.
Additional helpful information is available:
- It’s Not Just Grain-Free: An Update on Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy—http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/11/dcm-update/
- A broken heart: Risk of heart disease in boutique or grain-free diets and exotic ingredients— http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/06/a-broken-heart-risk-of-heart-disease-in-boutique-or-grain-free-diets-and-exotic-ingredients/
- Taurine + DCM—https://taurinedcm.org/?fbclid=IwAR33QbDczd9Duaq9G0c_iwGYGZzOC1GdbbuRyFZlGGyBJcNlKT_9ZzwcVNI
- Taurine Deficient (Nutritional) Dilated Cardiomyopathy— https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaurineDCM/
- The Savvy Dog Owner’s Guide: Nutrition on the Internet—https://www.grrmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/The-Savvy-Dog-Owner-s-Guide-to-Nutrition-on-the-Internet.pdf
- How to read pet food labels (FDA article)– https://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20180908064952/https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/AnimalHealthLiteracy/ucm047113.htm