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Somerset Veterinary Hospital

1322 Berlin Plank Rd.

Somerset, PA 15501 US

814-443-1323

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  • Reading Pet Food Labels

Reading Pet Food Labels

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Nutrition & Food
Image of a woman shopping for pet food.

When you visit the grocery or pet store, you can find hundreds, if not thousands, of kinds of dog and cat foods. The advertisements and marketing materials for each claims their food is the best. How can you decide what food to feed to your pet?

Dedicated pet owners will attempt to read labels to help them make a decision on what to feed. This certainly is a good thing to do, but unfortunately, not enough information is required to be on the label to really be able to judge a food. It is important to be aware of some terms and definitions to begin to understand and evaluate each food.

1. When a food is described as "for all life stages," that may sound good, but that actually means that the food is a puppy food. It must meet the needs of the stage with the most requirements, which is the puppy stage, but this food is not made for a senior pet.

2. The guaranteed analysis section looks important but it really tells you almost nothing, because all the levels of protein, fat, etc. are listed by minimums and maximums, not the exact amount of each nutrient.

3. The feeding guides are recommended feeding amounts for an intact (not spayed or neutered) working dog. So for the average couch - potato pet, the amount fed should be decreased by about 30%, or they will become obese.

4. For pet foods, the definition of "chicken" is actually any flesh, muscle, bone, or skin from a chicken. Some foods that have chicken high on the list of ingredients, actually have a lot of bone in it, and therefore too much calcium.

5. The terms "human grade" and "holistic" ingredients have no legal definition, so any pet food, good or bad, can put these on their label.

6. The terms weight management and weight control also have no legal definition, so any food can put this on the label, no matter how many calories are in it. On the other hand, the terms "light " or "lite" do have a legal meaning, and are reduced in calories.

7. The fact that a meat is named first in the list of ingredients is not an indication of how much protein is in the food. Some companies may try to hide how much carbohydrate is in their food by "splitting" ingredients. An example is they may list whole rice, rice hulls, brown rice, and enriched rice separately, so they are not at the top of the list, but they are all rice. Conversely, a meat meal is just meat with the water removed. So for example, a food with lamb meal in the second position may actually have more protein than a food with a meat listed in the first position on the ingredient list.

8. Research has found that all regular commercial foods have cross contamination of ingredients as a result of the way they are manufactured. There are ingredients in the bag that are not on the label. This usually is a problem only if your pet has a food allergy.

9. Realize that claims to be "grain free" are just marketing. Grains can be a good source of nutrients for pets.

Sources:

The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, “Understanding Pet Food Labels.” 2014.

FDA, “Pet Food Labels – General.” March 2010.

  • We Help Your Pet With
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  • Today's Veterinarian
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  • "The staff at Somerset Vet Hospital have been taking care of my "Sophie" for 11 years. They are such caring and wonderful people."
    Karen L.
  • "Thanks for providing great care for my little Tortie, Tallie when she was suffering from her skin allergies. You prompt care and tender kindness was wonderful. Being new to the area I feel very fortunate to have found your practice! Thanks!"
    Nancy
  • ""Doctor Robert Henry, We want to thank you for literally - SAVING OUR BEAUTIFUL DOBERMAN'S (Precious) LIFE. Your excellent diagnostic skills accurately diagnosed our Doberman's condition. Your protocol in treating him have made for a healthy, happy, loving and playful dog. We can never forget what you did for our dog. We cannot thank you enough"
    Kathy & Roger
  • "I came here 6 years ago when they were the only ones who would see my sick pup, and they were the best! They helped my girl get better and provided her years of loving service until we lost her to lymphoma last year. They still take care of my other babies and do an excellent job of doing so! We're patients for LIFE! Thank you guys for ALL you do :) With Love, Gina & The Crew Mountain Pride Pits."
    Gina
  • "I just wanted to take a minute to say how very grateful I am for the entire team at Somerset Veterinary Hospital. I recently had a cat and two kittens spayed/neutered, and they all came through the procedure wonderfully. Dr. Penny is THE BEST!! The vet-techs and front desk girls are always super nice and helpful. I feel good knowing that my 'family' is in good hands when being treated. Thank you all for all you do!!"
    Thomas B.

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