Do you prefer canned or dry food? Which brand? There are so many different brands, shapes, and sizes of pet food to select from, and pet owners are given very little information to base their decisions on (apart from advertising) - it can be very confusing! Buckle your seatbelt, because depending on your knowledge of the pet food market, this could be a rocky journey! You are about to uncover seven well-kept secrets regarding pet food. Take a seat, brace yourself, and continue reading.

Science Diet "promises" 'precisely balanced nutrition through continuous research and the highest quality food backed by your Vets endorsement' and sells for around $21.00 for only a 20 lb bag. Beneful says it's 'Premium Dog Food for a Happy, Healthy Dog' and sells for around $18.00 for a 31 lb. bag. Then there are the pet meals that make the same claims - 'Premium Dog Food, Highest Quality' - yet cost $30.00 or more for a 20 pound bag. The same can be said for cat owners... Do you go with Whiskas, whose slogan is "Everything we do is about making cats happy!" or one of those high-end cat meals that make the same claim of a happy, healthy buy cat treats but cost three times as much?

With the ongoing pet food recall, pet owners are asking, "Has this food been recalled?" or "Is this food the next one to be recalled?"... "Is my pet safe?" This is perplexing! And terrifying! So, what should a pet owner do? Why not discover a few secrets? It's not nearly as perplexing if you've learned a few pet food secrets.

Secret-1

More things to check for in ingredient lists...chemical preservatives. The use of artificial preservatives in pet food is a well-kept secret in the industry. BHA/BHT are common chemical preservatives included in pet food, and studies have connected them to tumours and cancer. Ethoxyquin is another frequent preservative that has been linked to cancer. Because of the minute amounts, ethoxyquin is only permitted in human food in a few spices. However, it is permitted in far larger concentrations in pet food.

Scanning the ingredient lists will reveal the presence of BHA/BHT and ethoxyquin. BHA/BHT is commonly used to preserve fat in food, which is normally found higher on the list. Also, search for any of these substances near the bottom of the ingredient list. Personally, I would not feed these chemical preservatives to my pets. You want a natural preservative in your pet food, such as 'natural mixed tocopherols' or 'vitamin E.'

Secret-2

The greatest food to feed your pet is one that is well-made and has human-grade components. That should be straightforward... How did you discover that? You are well aware that pet food producers are not permitted to make any statements regarding the quality or grade of ingredients; the only method to determine the grade or quality of your pets' food is to contact the manufacturer and enquire.

Assume you call the ABC pet food manufacturer and enquire, "Is your Premium dog food and Premium cat food created with human grade ingredients?" It's possible that you'll get the response "sure, we use human grade ingredients," when only a few of them are. The trick is to ask them if they are APHIS European certified.

Pet food suppliers who are APHIS European approved guarantee that ALL of their ingredients are human grade. APHIS (Animal Plant Health Inspection Services) is a USDA division. APHIS European certification allows this pet food producer to send their foods/treats to Europe. When importing pet meals from the United States, European countries demand that all ingredients be of human grade quality, necessitating this certification. Most pet food businesses with APHIS European accreditation do not transport their products to Europe; instead, they use it to reassure their clients about the higher quality of their ingredients.

Again, you will NOT see this listed on the label because it is not permitted. You must enquire with the manufacturer. When you ask about APHIS certification, the pet food representative may not even know what you're talking about; if this is the case, you can presume they are not APHIS European certified. APHIS European accreditation is a benefit to pet owners; however, it is not obligatory, nor is it even recommended, that any pet food company go through the extra efforts to achieve this certification. This is an extra step that some pet food companies take to show their clients that they CARE about the quality of their products. Personally, I would not purchase a pet food that lacks it.

By the way, if you can't reach the pet food manufacturer or if they don't answer your call within a reasonable amount of time, save their phone number! Any business that does not prioritise responding consumer queries does not deserve your business!