Pet Parents, hug your fur baby close- were you aware that the rendered meats used in mainstream pet foods contain the flesh of diseased stock yard animals, euthanized cats, dogs and horses, slaughter house scraps, and can even include road kill?

 

Boiling these scraps at 280F produces the slurry that gets extruded into a piece of dry kibble, which can end up in your best friend’s bowl.

 

And here’s the kicker: because euthanized animals are used, there’s a risk that Pentobarbital can end up in your dog’s food.

 

Freeze-drying the same fresh meats you would throw onto your Sunday grill, is a new way to look a pet nutrition.  It’s also good way to ensure that your canine companion is getting food that is only a few steps away from what they would eat in the wild.

 

Because freeze-drying relies on lowering the temperature and removing moisture from meats during a flash freezing and vacuum process, it produces a versatile, low carb and shelf stable kibble, which can be reconstituted as a meal with a little bit of water, or used as a dry treat.

 

No doubt, every Pet Parent wants to know that their doggy is eating the best food, and sometimes it can be tough to decipher if rendered meats are being used.  Look for the clues: if you see the terms ‘meal’, ‘by product’, or ‘animal fat’ on a bag of your dog’s food, you may want to give that manufacturer a call and investigate further.

 

Furthermore, make an assessment as to whether the ingredients in your pet food are Species Appropriate.  For example, do dogs in the wild typically consume, tapioca, glycerin and barley?

 

*** For all you Pet Food Nerds out there: download the e-book called ‘Essential Rendering’ by the National Renderers Association (download here).  There are in fact some fantastic uses for rendered meats: given that they are high in nitrogen, they can be utilized effectively as fertilizers and soil conditioners.