Organic Foods for Pets

Many consumers are making the choice to eat only organic foods for the health of their family. Fears about pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics are prompting shoppers to buy organic produce and organically raised meats. For many people pets are considered important family members and concerns about what we eat may translate into fears about what our pets eat. With a desire to feed pets healthy, natural, organic and chemical-free diets, many consumers are turning to organic pet food as an option.

Natural Pet Diets Not a New Idea

The concept of feeding pets a natural diet has been gaining popularity since the early 1980's when the book "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats," proposed that eating highly processed foods isn't any better for our pets than it is for us. The author, veterinarian Dr. Richard Pitcairn, suggests that fresh food for our pets prepared at home are more nutritious and lead to better quality of life. Since the commercial pet food industry typically uses rejected parts of feed animals not acceptable for human consumption and processed at extremely high temperatures, the thought is that while these foods may be chemically balanced they may not be truly nutritious.

Another big movement in pet food is the raw diet or BARF (bones and raw foods) diet. The term BARF was coined by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, an Australian veterinarian, after publishing his book, "Give Your Dog a Bone." The concept behind a raw diet is to duplicate what our pets would naturally eat in the wild. The recommendation is for a diet of raw muscle meat, organs and bones, vegetables and yogurts.

Veterinarians Not Convinced

Most veterinarians across the country are openly against a raw or home-prepared diet for pets. The largest concern is a lack of understanding by pet owners of exactly what nutrients are needed for their furry loved one. Another concern is if the meat fed to pets is not cooked owners may be passing along the same dangers that exist in our own food supply, like E. coli, salmonella and botulism. The argument is that the same reason we are told to cook our meats to specific internal temperatures is the same reason our dogs and cats shouldn't be fed raw meats.

So what's a pet lover to do if they're concerned about the contents and nutritional value of their four-legged friends' food? More and more pet owners are turning to commercially packaged organic foods as a solution. As with any product on the market the more popular the idea, the more products pop up in the aisle and the more confusion for consumers. There are a few things to think about when deciding what type of diet to feed your pet.

What defines organic pet food? Just like in organic people food, "organic" can mean many things. Foods, whether human or pet, that carry the USDA Organic seal can range from 70% to 100% organic ingredients, depending on the labeling. So consumers must read the ingredients carefully on organic pet foods to be sure they are feeding their pet what they think they are. For example "meal," like chicken meal or beef meal, can be made from something as good as all chicken breast meat or made from the carcass of an old hen past her prime and mostly bone. Most truly organic commercial pet products are proud to show the source of their ingredients. Many even use the same USDA certified organic ingredients that are human grade food sources. Try to educate yourself as much as possible on the source of the ingredients in the food and the philosophy of the company producing it.

What ingredients are important to you? Most people look to feed their pets an organic diet because they are concerned with chemical additives and processing; looking for USDA Organic labeling helps with this. But looking beyond processing, consumers may want to evaluate what other criteria is important. The ratio of meat to vegetables is a good place to start. Most natural pet food experts say a diet that is 90-95% meat is ideal. The type of vegetables in the food can be another place for concern. Many pets may exhibit an allergy to soy ingredients, so keep this in mind when surveying the ingredients list. Read literature by experts in whichever nutritional ideal you subscribe to or talk with a trusted veterinarian to help you decide which ingredients you should look out for.

Dry, canned, or frozen? Just like our food, organic pet food now comes in a wide variety of forms. Dry food is similar to many commercial varieties available. Since AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) mandates what nutrients are contained in pet foods and states certain vitamins and minerals must be added to dry pet foods to comply, there are no dry pet foods that can currently be labeled "100% Organic." These supplements can't be produced organically. Just look at the label and you'll see "organic" next to any ingredient that was produced organically; for example, "organic beef" or "organic free-range chicken."

Organic canned mixes are of a different consistency than you may be accustomed to seeing in canned pet foods. They are much less of a gelatinous block and more the texture of ground meat and vegetables. In fact, most canned organic pet foods are made from a high percentage of human-grade meats, grains and vegetables. I even know a few people who have (gulp) "taste tested" their dogs' food and remarked that, other than needing a little salt, it tasted like people food. I'll take their word for it.

Organic "chubs," medallions and patties are also available. These are reminiscent of bulk packages of frozen ground beef or beef patties. Typically they contain a high amount of meat protein, usually human grade. The patties and medallions (for smaller pets) are touted as "ready to serve" portions. Just take them out, thaw and serve. These are basically a commercially made raw-food diet, shipped and sold frozen. The concept is that these foods meet AAFCO standards for nutrition but are similar to what you would prepare for your pet at home when trying to feed a raw-food or BARF diet. Be aware: as a result of the very unprocessed nature of these foods, they can also be subject to the same food recalls people food is for things like salmonella.

Just like organic people food, organic pet food comes in a wide variety of options. The best thing you can do if considering switching to organic pet food is to educate yourself. Decide for yourself what is important to you and your pet's health and then read the labels of the foods you're considering.