What's the Best Kibble?
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We always say if you're ever alone in the woods and shout "What's the best pet food?" people will come running and debates will start on what they believe is the best thing to feed your pet. The internet is full of great information, but in it you will also find advertisements, opinions, and influencers getting paid to recommend brands. There are now more pet food brands than ever before, all saying their food is the best. We get that question a lot ourselves! What do we answer? It depends on your pet of course and what you're comfortable feeding them.
Reading Labels
The first thing we look at in a food is the ingredients. Just like we read labels for our own food, the same should go with your pet's food. But this is easier said than done!Meat is the #1 ingredient: We're not just talking any meat, it needs to clearly state what animal. Stay away from mystery meats like meat by-product, animal digest, poultry fat, etc. If you can't tell what animal it came from would you eat it yourself? We also want to see meat several times in the first 5 ingredients. The first 5-7 ingredients make up primarily what is in that bag of food. These are sorted based on weight BEFORE cooking. If it says "Salmon, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Oats, Brown Rice, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal" the first ingredient is salmon (which still includes the moisture in that protein, once it's cooked it will appear farther down on that list), followed by 5 forms of carbohydrates (these turn to sugar in our bodies) and heavy GMO plant-based protein. There is more carbohydrates in this food than actual meat!
Meal, by-product, and fresh meat:
Meal is made from meat that's been ground up, cooked, and dehydrated into a powder. Meal (chicken meal, lamb meal, salmon meal, etc) can be made from clean meat, skin, and bones. Meal is a concentrated protein source that's less expensive than fresh meat, but we still need to watch out for "mystery meats." If it's not specifying what animal it's coming from (fish meal, meat and bone meal, poultry meal) there's no guarantee what animal it actually came from.
By-product is made from ground, rendered parts of slaughtered meat that are less desirable, like necks, feet, organs, and undeveloped eggs. The percentage of protein can vary depending on the meat used and the amount of amino acids can be low in comparison to fresh meat. Again, watch out for the "mystery meats."
Research has shown that kibble made with fresh meat is higher in amino acids, fatty acids, and digestibility than kibble made with meal. However, using fresh meat also contains more water. Because the ingredient panel is created and sorted based on weight, once that fresh meat is cooked and the water is cooked out, it would actually appear farther down on that ingredient panel. When looking at labels watch for fresh meat followed by 2-4 other fresh meats to make sure we're getting sufficient amounts of actual meat in the diet.
Ingredient splitting:
Ingredient splitting is the creative practice of dividing a more abundant (inferior) ingredient into smaller portions of similar items. In other words, it’s a sneaky way to artificially boost a more desirable item (like meat) to a higher spot on the ingredients list… while lowering the ranking of a less desirable item (like rice or corn). And it’s all completely legal. Here's an example of ingredient splitting:
Colgate-Palmolive Hills Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Grain Free Chicken & Potato Recipe
Chicken, Yellow Peas, Potatoes, Potato Starch, Chicken Meal, Chicken Fat, Pea Protein, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, Flaxseed, Egg Product, Lactic Acid, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Flavor, Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, Green Peas, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Apples, Cranberries, Carrots, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Broccoli, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Taurine, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene.
Mars Royal Canin Medium Puppy
chicken by-product meal, chicken fat, brewers rice, corn, wheat, wheat gluten, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavors, brewers rice flour, corn gluten meal, monocalcium phosphate, vegetable oil, sodium aluminosilicate, pea fiber, potassium chloride, salt, fish oil, taurine, calcium carbonate, fructooligosaccharides, hydrolyzed yeast, choline chloride, marine microalgae oil, DL-methionine, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, niacin supplement, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin supplement], trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, manganese proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, copper proteinate], marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), yucca schidigera extract, carotene, rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
Zignature Whitefish Limited Ingredient Formula
Whitefish, Whitefish Meal, Peas, Pea Flour, Chickpeas, Sunflower Oil, Flaxseed, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Natural Flavor, Salt, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Potassium Chloride, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacinamide, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin), Taurine, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), L-Carnitine, Rosemary Extract, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Bifidum Fermentation Product.
- Now the difference between this one and the others is the first two ingredients are fresh whitefish and whitefish meal, meaning it has more animal-based protein than the others and less fillers.
How much of this food is carbohydrates: This is always a section on a guaranteed analysis us humans look for, but it's not listed on our pet's food (yet!). Luckily there is an easy calculation you can do to see how much of that bag of kibble is carbs.
1) Turn your bag around and find the Guaranteed Analysis.
2) Add the Protein % + Fat % + Moisture % + Ash % (if not listed the most common is 6%). Then subtract 100. This will give you the carbohydrate percentage that's in your dog's food.
Ex. Farmina Cod, Pumpkin, and Orange 30% + 18% + 9% + 7.3% = 64.3% - 100 = 35.7% carbohydrates. That's a much lower carb percentage than most foods!
Even "fresh" and "farm" diets can have up to 50% carbohydrates. If your food does not list all the needed analysis for the calculation, contact the company to find out. If they won't disclose it to you, it's time to move on.
Unhealthy fillers: What carbohydrates do we recommend to stay clear of? Corn, wheat, and soy. The reason? Apart from GMO's, these three fillers are a heavily pesticide crop, high in sugars, and often times used as a source of protein for pets that need a meat-forward diet. These three are also the top three grains that dogs tend to have an allergy to. Kibble needs some form of carbohydrate to get it into that shape. Using lower-glycemic grains and healthier options are more beneficial and nutrient dense for your pet. Check out another fun blog here to learn more about grain vs grain-free pet food.
Where's the salt: Salt makes up 1% of what is in that bag of food. If there are fruits or vegetables after salt, there's less than 1% of produce in that bag of food.
Food colorings: Many grocery store foods will add artificial food coloring to their food, not for the dog's benefit, but to make it look healthier to us pet owners. These can be toxic and create many negative side effects in our pets. Stay clear of any foods or treats with added colors.
Let's take what we've learned so far: Now that we learned about what to watch for, let's compare two different kibbles. We are watching out for the unhealthy fillers, mystery meats, and food coloring in red, and whether the produce highlighted in yellow is before or after the salt (blue).
Example #1 Colgate-Palmolive Hills Science Diet Adult Dog 1-6
Chicken, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Chicken Fat, Brewers Rice, Chicken Liver Flavor, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, Pork Flavor, Lactic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Oat Fiber, Mixed Tocopherols, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene, Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cranberries, Green Peas.
Example #2 Open Farm Salmon with Ancient Grains
Salmon, Oats, Ocean Whitefish Meal, Sorghum, Quinoa, Coconut Oil, Herring Meal, Natural Flavor, Millet, Pumpkin, Carrots, Salmon Oil, Apples, Chia Seed, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Chicory Root, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Calcium Iodate), Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Cinnamon, Turmeric, Rosemary Extract
Example #3 Mars Pedigree Complete Nutrition Steak & Vegetables
Ground Whole Grain Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids [Preserved with BHA and Citric Acid]), Corn Protein Meal, Ground Whole Grain Wheat, Natural Flavor, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Dried Peas, Natural Grilled Steak Flavor, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Tryptophan, Red 40, Yellow 6, Dried Carrots, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Blue 2, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, D-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Potassium Iodide, Vitamin A Supplement, Yellow 5, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid
Example #4 Nestle Purina Pro Plan Adult Shredded Blend Salmon & Rice Formula
Salmon, rice, whole grain wheat, poultry by-product meal, soybean meal, beef fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols, corn gluten meal, barley, oat meal, dried egg product, fish meal, dried beet pulp, natural flavor, glycerin, wheat bran, calcium carbonate, soybean oil, salt, mono and dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, MINERALS [zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, ferrous sulfate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], VITAMINS [Vitamin E supplement, niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin B-12 supplement, riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B-2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), folic acid (Vitamin B-9), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin D-3 supplement, biotin (Vitamin B-7)], choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (Vitamin C), dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, garlic oil.
This is a fun conversation. You may have heard garlic is "toxic" for pets, even on Purina's website you can find an article saying to keep pets away from it because it's toxic, yet here it is in their food. The short answer, no, fresh garlic is not toxic for pets and here's why (click here).
Example #5 Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Chicken & Brown Rice
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley, Pea Protein, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Natural Flavor, Flaxseed (source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Dried Tomato Pomace, Dried Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Fish Oil (source of ARA- Arachidonic Acid and DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Salt, Direct Dehydrated Alfalfa Pellets, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Potassium Chloride, Potatoes, Pea Fiber, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Garlic, L-Carnitine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vegetable Juice for color, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), L-Lysine, Copper Sulfate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Sulfate, Taurine, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), VitaminD3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Sodium Selenite, Oil of Rosemary
Recalls
Food recalls happen in both human food and pet food. Whether they are voluntary or involuntary and if the company takes the necessary steps to fix and prevent them from happening again is another question. We are always watching the FDA list in the event of a major recall happening. Luckily we also select the best brands that will let us know in the event a voluntary recall has been made
View past and current pet food recalls here: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts
A Terminated Recall is a recall where the FDA has determined that all reasonable efforts have been made to remove or correct the violative product in accordance with the recall strategy, and proper disposition has been made according to the degree of hazard. Recalls that are not indicated as being terminated are either ongoing or completed.
Transparency
Where are the ingredients being sourced from? What is in the food? What standards are the brands adhering to? These are all important questions and should be asked by every pet owner. Because pet food contains primarily "feed-grade" ingredients and not "human-grade" the things companies can add to your pet's food will make your stomach turn. Ask the brands you feed where 100% of the ingredients are coming from. If they can't disclose 100%, it's time to move on to better brands. Some of our top brands for transparency are Open Farm, Small Batch, Raised Right, and Green Juju.
Human grade products are safe for human consumption and meet strict safety standards, while feed grade products are not suitable for humans and may contain unsafe ingredients and may contain ingredients like by-products, chemicals, fillers, animal organs, blood, fat, tendons, bones, and tissues and by-products from mammals other than cattle, pigs, sheep, or goats.
Who Makes The Food: You might be surprised who is making your pet's food! We always look for brands that make their own food, in their own facility, using strict quality control and GMP's. Some of the biggest pet food companies on the market however are the following:
Colgate-Palmolive: Hills Science Diet, Hills Prescription Diets
Mars: Royal Canin, Greenies, Champion, Pedigree, Cesar, Nutro, Sheba, Whiskas, Temptations
Nestle: Purina, Beneful, Felix, Friskies, ProPlan, Purina One, Purina Veterinary Diets
Post Holdings: Rachel Ray Nutrish, Kibbles 'n Bits, Nature's Recipe, 9Lives, Gravy Train
We know how overwhelming and confusing it can be with choosing the right food for your pet. Afterall they rely on us to make the tough decision for them! That's where your friends at Local Paws come in! Come and talk with one of our team members and we'll help navigate and share our extensive nutrition knowledge with you to make sure your pets have a happy and healthy future.
Local Paws
435 SW Evergreen Ave Redmond, OR
(541) 604-8990
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