Dog food is plant or animal material intended for consumption by dogs or other canines. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order The Canidae (ˈkænədiː ′kanə′dē family is a part of the order Carnivora within the Mammals (Class Mammalia Special dog foods given as a reward, and not as a staple, are known as dog treats.

Some people make their own dog food or feed their dogs meals made from ingredients purchased in grocery or health-food stores; many others rely on commercially manufactured dog food.

There are many different recommendations on what diet is best for dogs. Some people argue that dogs have thrived off of leftovers and scraps from their human owners for thousands of years and that commercial dog foods (which have only been available for the past century) contain poor-quality meats, additives, and other ingredients dogs should not ingest, or that commercial dog food is not nutritionally sufficient for their dogs. Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavour or improve its taste and appearance

Contents 1 Commercial dog food 1.1 Dry dog food 1.1.1 Manufacturing process 1.2 Wet dog food 1.3 Alternative dog food 1.4 Contents 1.5 Special varieties 2 Raw dog food 3 Labeling 4 Recalls 4.1 Past recalls 5 See also 6 References 7 External links 7.1 Nutrition

Commercial dog food

Most store-bought dog food comes in either dry form, also known as kibble, or wet canned form. Dry food contains 6-10% moisture by volume, as compared to up to 78% in canned food. Semi-moist foods have a moisture content of 25-35%. Pet owners often prefer dry food due to the convenience and price. Besides usually being significantly cheaper, dry pet food can also be left out for the animal to eat at will over the course of several days; whereas, canned food spoils or becomes unappetizing after several hours. On the other hand, canned food has a longer shelf life than most dry food.

Dry dog food

The average dry food is the least expensive, per pound, when compared to its canned (wet) or semi-moist counterparts. It may be beneficial in the prevention of tartar buildup, as well as being less likely to spoil quickly than an open can. In Dentistry, calculus or tartar refers to calcified deposits on the teeth, formed by the continuous presence of Dental plaque. ^[1]

Manufacturing process

Pellets of dry dog food, called kibble, are primarily produced by one of two methods: extrusion and baking. During the extrusion process, cut dough or a mixture of raw materials is fed into an expander, while pressurized steam or hot water is added. Uses A Steam engine uses the expansion of steam in order to drive a Piston or Turbine to perform Mechanical work. When removed from the high pressure that results, the pellets puff like popcorn. Pressure (symbol 'p' is the force per unit Area applied to an object in a direction perpendicular to the surface Popcorn or popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated The resultant kibble is allowed to dry, then sprayed with vitamins, fats and oils, or any other ingredients that are not heat-tolerant. A vitamin is an Organic compound required as a Nutrient in tiny amounts by an Organism. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water

If extruded kibble is exposed to air for too long or not properly stored, the fats and oils added after cooking can become rancid, and vitamins and minerals in the food may be destroyed by heat during storage or shipping. ^[1]

Wet dog food

Wet, or canned, dog food is significantly higher in moisture than dry or semi-moist food. ^[1] Because the food is sterilized after being canned (sometimes it is also cooked in the can), it is often easier to ensure the sterility of wet food. A given wet food will often be higher in protein or fat when compared to a similar kibble on a dry matter basis (a measure which ignores moisture). However, because water accounts for so much of the food, the canned food will generally be lower in protein and fat in terms of actual content. Grain gluten and other protein gels are commonly used by steam cooking formulation in wet dog food to create artificial meaty chunks, which appears to look like real meat. ^[2]

Alternative dog food

In recent years, new types of dog food have emerged on the market that differ from traditional commercial pet food. Many companies have been successful with targeting niche markets, each with unique characteristic ^[3]

Popular Alternative Dog Food Labels:

• Frozen or Freeze-Dried, comes in the form of raw or cooked (not processed). The idea is to skip the processing stage traditional dry/wet dog food goes through. This causes less destruction of the nutritional integrity. To compensate for the short shelf life, products are Frozen or Freeze Dried.

• Dehydrated, comes in the form of raw and cooked. Dehydration ( hypohydration) is the removal of Water ( hydro in ancient Greek) from an object Products are usually air dried to reduce moisture to the level where bacterial growths are inhibited. The appearance is very similar to dry kibbles. The typical feeding methods include adding warm water before serving.

• Fresh or Refrigerated, produced through pasteurization of fresh ingredients. Pasteurization is the process of heating Liquids for the purpose of destroying bacteria, Protozoa, Molds and Yeasts The process was Products are lightly cooked and then quickly sealed in a vacuum package. Then, it is refrigerated until the time it is served. This type of dog food is extremely vulnerable to spoilage if not kept at a cool temperature and have a shelf life of 2-4 month unopened. ^[4].

• Homemade Diet often comes in a bucket or tupperware-like package. Commonly thought to be a diet owners create themselves. However, recently many small companies has begun to home cook dog dishes and then sell them through specialty stores or over the internet.

Contents

Many commercial dog foods are made from materials considered unusable or undesirable. These may include:

• Meat by-products (which includes euthanized family pets) In 1990, John Eckhouse, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote a two-part exposé on the rendering of companion animals in California. Meat by-products are ground and cleaned slaughtered meat carcass parts such as necks feet undeveloped eggs bones heads and intestines (and a small amount of feathers in the case of While the pet food companies vehemently denied that this was happening, a rendering plant employee told Eckhouse that "it was common practice for his company to process dead pets into products sold to pet food manufacturers. "

. ^[5])

• Meat-and-bone meals
• Grain by-products
• Horse meat

Less expensive dog foods generally include less meat, and more animal by-products and grain fillers. Meat and bone meal (MBM is a product of the rendering industry Meat by-products are ground and cleaned slaughtered meat carcass parts such as necks feet undeveloped eggs bones heads and intestines (and a small amount of feathers in the case of In processed animal foods a filler is an ingredient added to provide Dietary fiber, bulk or some other non-nutritive purpose Proponents of a natural diet criticize the use of such ingredients, and point out that regulations allow for packaging that might lead a consumer to believe that they are buying a natural food when, in reality, the food might be comprised mostly of ingredients such as those listed above. ^[6][7] Several pet food brands do not contain any of these ingredients. Many pet stores stock well-known brands that are free of by-products, and run at around the same price as some grocery store brands. More expensive dog foods may be made of ingredients suitable for organic products or free-range meats. Ingredients must be listed by amount in descending order.

Special varieties

There are dog foods specially formulated for dogs allergic to common ingredients such as chicken, wheat, or corn. Allergy is a disorder of the Immune system often also referred to as Atopy. The chicken ( Gallus gallus, sometimes G gallus domesticus) is a domesticated Fowl which is traditionally believed to have descended from Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica These foods usually contain "novel proteins" and substitute uncommon starches for the usual grains. Meats used in allergy formulas can range from the mundane, such as lamb, beef or whitefish, to the unusual, such as venison or duck. Beef is the Culinary name for Meat from Bovines especially domestic Cattle (cows This article is about demersal fish for more definitions see Whitefish. Venison is the Culinary name for Meat from the family Cervidae. For duck as a food see Duck (food; for other meanings see Duck (disambiguation. Carbohydrates in allergy formulas are usually a less common grain, such as rice or barley, but such ingredients as potato and quinoa are sometimes used. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae For the town with a similar name see Quinua Peru. "Quinoa" is also a title of a 1992 music album by Tangerine Dream. Allergies are more likely to develop with consistent exposure to a protein (i. e. prolonged feeding of the same food).

It should be noted that the commercial approach to allergies in dogs is not the same as the veterinary approach. Prescription diets, purchased from a veterinarian, will often contain common ingredients that have been hydrolyzed to prevent them from triggering an immune response. Hydrolysis is a Chemical reaction during which one or more water molecules are split into hydrogen and hydroxide ions which may go on to participate in further reactions

Some foods are designed for dogs with maladies such as urinary tract infections, and some are tailored to the dietary needs of especially young or aging dogs. A urinary tract infection ( UTI) is a bacterial Infection that affects any part of the Urinary tract. There are also vegetarian dog foods for owners who do not want their dogs to consume meat products, as well as for dogs who have experienced allergic reactions to animal-based dog foods. Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that excludes Meat (including game and slaughter by-products Fish (including Shellfish and other sea

Raw dog food

Main article: Raw feeding

Supporters of raw feeding believe that the natural diet of an animal in the wild is its most ideal diet and try to mimic a similar diet for their domestic companion. Raw feeding is the practice of feeding domestic Dogs and Cats a diet primarily of un cooked meat edible bones and organs They are commonly opposed to commercial pet foods, which they consider poor substitutes for raw feed. Opponents believe that the risk of foodborne illnesses posed by the handling and feeding of raw meats would outweigh the purported benefits and that no scientific studies have been done to support the numerous beneficial claims. The FDA has also openly stated they do not advocate pet owners to feed the Raw Diet ^[8].

Labeling

Further information: Pet food#Labeling and regulation

In the United States, dog foods labeled as "complete and balanced" must meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. Pet food is typically sold in Pet stores and Supermarkets It is usually specific to the type of Pet (such as Dog food or Cat food) AAFCO or the Association of American Feed Control Officials is a commercial enterprise which attempts to regulate the quality and safety of Fodder and Pet food The Dog Food Nutrient Profiles were last updated in 1995 by the AAFCO's Canine Nutrition Expert Subcommittee. The updated profiles replaced the previous recommendations set by the National Research Council(NRC). The National Research Council (NRC of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academy of Sciences and the United States National Academy of

Critics argue that due to the limitations of the trial and the gaps in knowledge within animal nutrition science, the term "complete and balanced" are inaccurate and even deceptive. An AAFCO panel expert has stated that "although the AAFCO profiles are better than nothing, they provide false securities. "^[9]

Certain manufacturers label their products with terms such as premium, ultra premium, natural and holistic. Such terms currently have no legal definitions. There are also varieties of dog food labeled as "human-grade food". Although no official definition of such term exists, the assumption is that other brands use foods that would not pass US Food and Drug Administration inspection according to the Pure Food and Drug Act or the Meat Inspection Act. The Pure Food and Drug Act of June 30, 1906 is a United States federal law that provided federal inspection of meat products and forbade the manufacture The Meat Inspection Act of 1906 was a United States federal law that authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to inspect and condemn any meat product found unfit

The ingredients on the label must be listed in descending order by weight.

Recalls

Main article: 2007 pet food recalls

The 2007 pet food recalls involved the massive recall of many brands of cat and dog foods beginning in March 2007. A product recall is a request to return to the maker a batch or an entire production run of a product usually due to the discovery of safety issues WikipediaManual of Style (spelling, articles should conform to one overall spelling style of English typically the one most linked to the article topic (if it is geographic The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order The recalls came in response to reports of renal failure in pets consuming mostly wet pet foods made with wheat gluten from a single Chinese company, beginning in February 2007. Renal failure or kidney Wheat gluten, also called seitan ( wheat meat, gluten meat, or simply gluten, is a Food made from the Gluten of Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES After more than three weeks of complaints from consumers, the recall began voluntarily with the Canadian company Menu Foods on March 16, 2007, when a company test showed sickness and death in some of the test animals. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Menu Foods Limited is owned by a partnership called Menu Foods Income Fund ( based in Streetsville Ontario, Canada, and is the largest maker of wet cat and dog food Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Soon after, there were numerous media reports of animal deaths as a result of kidney failure, and several other companies who received the contaminated wheat gluten also voluntarily recalled dozens of pet food brands.

By the end of March, veterinary organizations reported more than 100 pet deaths amongst nearly 500 cases of kidney failure, with one online database self-reporting as many as 3,600 deaths as of April 11. Veterinary medicine the application of medical, diagnostic, and therapeutic principles to companion, domestic, exotic, wildlife Events 491 - Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine Emperor, with the name of Anastasius I. As of April 8, Menu Foods has confirmed only about 16 deaths. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian The U. S. Food and Drug Administration refuses to estimate the amount of sick or dead because there is no centralized government records database of animal sickness or death in the United States as there are with humans (such as the Centers for Disease Control). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC) is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services based in unincorporated As a result, many sources speculate that the actual number of affected pets may never be known and experts are concerned that the actual death toll could potentially reach into the thousands.

Overall, several major companies have recalled more than 100 brands of pet foods, with most of the recalled product coming from Menu Foods. Although there are several theories of the source of the agent causing sickness in affected animals, with extensive government and private testing and forensic research, to date, no definitive cause has been isolated. As of April 10, the most likely cause, according to the FDA, though not yet proven, is indicated by the presence of melamine in wheat gluten in the affected foods. Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama This article is about the chemical substance called melamine The term "melamine" may also be used to refer to the plastic Melamine resin. The Chinese company behind the contaminated wheat gluten has initially denied any involvement in the contamination, but is cooperating with Chinese and American investigators.

In the United States, there has been extensive media coverage of the recall. There has been widespread public outrage and calls for government regulation of pet foods, which had previously been self-regulated by pet food manufacturers. This article is for the legal term For regulation of genes see Regulation of gene expression. The United States Senate held an oversight hearing on the matter by April 12. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. The economic impact on the pet food market has been extensive, with Menu Foods losing roughly $30 Million alone from the recall. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The events have caused distrust of most processed pet foods in some consumers.

Past recalls

In 1995 there was a dog food recall when the Nature’s Recipe company pulled thousands of tons of dog food off the shelf after consumers complained that their dogs were vomiting and losing their appetite. Nature’s Recipe’s loss amounted to $20 million. The problem was a fungus that produced vomitoxin (or “mycotoxin,” a toxic substance produced by mold) contaminating the wheat. Mycotoxin (from the Greek μύκης (mykes mukos "fungus" is a Toxin produced by an organism of the Fungus kingdom which includes Mushrooms WikipediaManual_of_Style#National_varieties_of_English --> Molds (or

In 1999, another fungal toxin triggered the recall of dry dog food made by Doane Pet Care at one of its plants, including Ol’ Roy (Wal-Mart’s brand) and 53 other brands. Wal-Mart Stores Inc (or Walmart as written in its new logo is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large discount department stores This time, the toxin killed 25 dogs. ^[10]

A 2005 consumer alert was released for contaminated Diamond pet foods for dogs and cats. Over 100 canine deaths and at least one feline fatality have been linked to Diamond pet foods contaminated by the potentially deadly toxin Aflatoxin, according to Cornell University veterinarians. ^[11]

See also

• Dog food brands

References

External links

• Interpreting pet food labels - Pet food labeling according to AAFCO regulations
• Report on the risk from pentobarbital in dog food by FDA/Center for Veterinary Medicine
• What's Really in Pet Foods by the Animal Protection Institute
• To Buy or Not to Buy: A Dog Food Review by Jane Baetz, Spaniel Journal Informative article deciphers the ingredients list on dog foods. AAFCO or the Association of American Feed Control Officials is a commercial enterprise which attempts to regulate the quality and safety of Fodder and Pet food
• Foods to avoid in dogs

Nutrition

• The Dog Food Project An independent, commercial resource on commercial dog food and dog nutrition.
• Best Dog Food Guide Get educated about the relation between dog nutrition and health today.

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic