Priciest pet food not always the best

mercurynews ^ | 04/17/2009 | Diane C. Lade

[JoeProBono]

A 5.5-ounce can of "holistic pheasant" cat food sells for $1.73 at a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., specialty pet food store. Three blocks away, you can get the same sized can of a supermarket chain brand cat food for 39 cents. Is the more expensive one better for your cat than the supermarket food? Not necessarily, at least according to eight dog and cat nutrition experts at seven well-known veterinary medical schools who were interviewed by Consumer Reports. The bottom line of the article in the magazine's March issue: "There are quality foods at every price point," says Jamie Kopf Hirsh, the associate health editor who wrote the article. Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, was more direct: There is no scientific evidence that "any food is better than the next," regardless of price, he told Hirsh.

[JoeProBono]

[Ancient Drive]

I know someone who works at a pet food plant. All those brands you see at the store... they go to the same source. that’s why I buy the cheapest I can find. Ol Roy’s is good enough for my dog.

[ConorMacNessa]

Anytime we try the cheap stuff our cats produce three times as much feces and many hairballs. We'll stay with the expensive stuff, thank you!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[dr_who]

Luxury! Pretty soon, everyone will develop a taste for only the finest dog foo-I mean- haggis.

[SGCOS]

Is the more expensive one better for your cat than the supermarket food? Not necessarily, at least according to eight dog and cat nutrition experts at seven well-known veterinary medical schools who were interviewed by Consumer Reports. \

Yet only one is named. Sounds like BS.

[rickmichaels]

"There are quality foods at every price point."

There is no scientific evidence that "any food is better than the next," regardless of price..."

Uh...I think we're overlooking the obvious. If dogs and cats don't like it and won't eat it, all of this economic and scientific analysis is irrelevant.

[rickmichaels]

"There are quality foods at every price point."

There is no scientific evidence that "any food is better than the next," regardless of price..."

Uh...I think we're overlooking the obvious. If dogs and cats don't like it and won't eat it, all of this economic and scientific analysis is irrelevant.

[trisham]

Best dog food? Abady.

http://alpha-nutrition.stores.yahoo.net/abady.html?gclid=CKiF2f6P-ZkCFcxL5QodPXMDEg

[smokingfrog]

Pet food? Cats can take care of themselves.

[aft_lizard]

Animals don’t like sudden changes in diet. So if you switched from one brand to another then noticed a change in feces etc that isn’t abnormal, if after a few weeks it still happens then it’s abnormal. FWIW my cat hates any change in diet and absolutely refuses to eat soft cat food.

[mojitojoe]

I completely disagree with this. Most grocery store pet food are junk. Loaded with grains and preservatives. We have an older dog that got a kidney infection. She was left with residual kidney impairment. The vet put her on KD. JUNK. Her BUN and Creatin levels kept going up and down for months. I joined a dog kidney forum and they said high quality pet food or home cooked with vitamins supplements. We tried the home cooked with vitamins and and it was a pain. She smelled the vitamins and would refuse the food.
We put her on all premium pet foods and it was a transformation. Her coat got glossy again, her levels dropped and she has maintained this for 3 years now. We feel our other dogs the same thing now.

Here is a list of ratings for dog food:

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

and here is a good place to buy them if your local pet shops don’t carry them:

http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/

[WorkingClassFilth]

The rescue shelter where I got my last dog recommended Costco’s ‘Kirkland’ brand dog food as having one of the highest protein content. Beats Science Diet all to shame.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Thanks for that tip! I’ll pick up a bag next time I’m there.

[I Drive Too Fast]

Cat food ping

[JoeProBono]

[MIchaelTArchangel]

I would look carefully at the label. It might just read, “@$$holistic pheasant for @$$holistic cat owners”.

[windcliff]

Now to convince the cats.

[I Drive Too Fast]

Just get a price label device and punch in $1.99 and attach it to the can food and then complain to the cats that you spent $1.99 per can when really you spent 39 cents.

[o-n-money]

my rescue shelter told me what to look for in dog foods. The balance in the Kirkland products (real meat vs corn and rice)won me and its probably cheaper than kibbles and bits in the long run.

[ansel12]

I only took my cat to the vet once, that was to get her fixed. I only fed my cat dry Purina cat chow from an automatic feeder that I filled once every ten days or so and she died.

Sometimes I wonder if she would have lived longer than her 18 years if I had fussed more over her food.