petMD Survey Reveals Pet Owners Are Confused about Dog and Cat Nutrition

MIAMI, Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent petMD survey on the topic of pet nutrition revealed confusion among pet owners regarding the nutritional needs of dogs and cats. While 57 percent of respondents rightfully look to pet food labels for information about the ingredients in their pet's food, what is written on the labels is often misinterpreted.

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"Understanding how to feed our pets properly is critical to their well-being," states Dr. Jennifer Coates, a spokesperson for petMD. "This knowledge gap is worrisome, but also represents an opportunity for improving the health and longevity of our beloved companion animals."

The survey's key findings include:

    1. Misunderstood Terms: A majority of survey respondents said they believe
       that animal hair, teeth and hooves are included in meat by-products, when
       in fact, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
       expressly prohibits these body parts from being included in a by-product
       used in pet food.
    2. The Importance of Feeding Trials: While the majority of pet owners look
       to the label to learn about ingredients, they fail to look for other key
       quality information. According to the petMD survey, only 22 percent of
       respondents check to see if the diet has undergone a feeding trial. All
       AAFCO approved pet foods must display a statement indicating how the pet
       food manufacturer determined that particular diet would meet the needs of
       pets. This can be done in one of two ways: via a computer program or by
       actually feeding the food to dogs or cats. According to Coates, "feeding
       trials are a far superior method for determining whether or not pets will
       thrive on a particular diet."
    3. Misidentifying Potential Allergies: More than 40 percent of respondents
       cited grain ingredients as the most common allergens in pet food, with
       more than 30 percent specifically implicating corn. However, some studies
       have shown that the protein or meat source in pet food is far and away
       the biggest culprit(1).
    4. An Under-appreciation of Balanced Nutrition: 69 percent of respondents
       recognized that protein is a key nutrient for pets, yet only 2 percent
       named fats, 3 percent named carbohydrates, and less than 25 percent named
       vitamins and minerals. "To satisfy all the nutritional needs of dogs and
       cats, pet foods must provide all of these ingredients in the right
       balance," states Coates. "Too much of one or too little of another can be
       harmful to a pet's health.
    5. Skepticism of Label Accuracy: More than 70 percent of pet owners surveyed
       believe pet food labels do not list all of the ingredients; however,
       AAFCO regulations mandate that every ingredient contained within a pet
       food be included in the ingredient list, in order from the biggest to the
       smallest contributor, by weight.

"Misconceptions surrounding pet food and canine and feline nutrition can lead owners to make ill-informed choices about what to feed their companions," states Coates. "Veterinarians are the best source of information about what to feed pets. They can take into consideration a pet's unique combination of life stage, lifestyle, and health to make individualized diet recommendations."

About petMD
petMD.com is the leading online resource focused solely on the health and well-being of pets. The site maintains the world's largest pet health library, written and approved by a network of trusted veterinarians.

(1) Carlotti DN, Remy I, Prost C. Food allergy in dogs and cats. A review and report of 43 cases. Vet Dermatol 1990;1:55-62.
Chesney CJ. Food sensitivity in the dog: a quantitative study. J Sm Anim Pract 2002;43:203-207.

SOURCE petMD