Champion Pet Food, owner of Acana and Orijen, has recently had a lawsuit filed against them for heavy metal contamination. WHAT? GET THAT STUFF OFF THE SHELVES! But wait - there may be more to it than you may think. 
According to Pet Food Advocate and Goddess Susan Thixon, of Thetruthaboutpetfood.com, the scientific backing of the claim doesn't hold as much water as you would think. The levels in the food fall well below regulation standards for RODENTS, let alone dogs and cats, and the BPA found in the food tested well below that found in canned food. So why the lawsuit? One would have to look at the unforseen consequences of something called Prop 65, a law put in place in California that, while it had good intentions, has ended up being a cash-cow for lawyers making a career off the backs of small companies. You can read more about that here. 
The general consensus of concerned individuals in the pet food industry is that this lawsuit appears to be frivolous and potentially backed by big kibble. Champion is a fast-growing company that is quickly taking sales away from less-than-scrupulous companies, and like many raw pet food companies deal with regularly, they are facing a backlash from the industry. 
We will be closely watching for further information, but at the moment, we still very much support Champion Pet Food and their high-quality food that is so far above most of the pet food industry. 

Did you know that the pet food industry brings in almost 70 BILLION dollars a year in the U.S.? That means we love our pets! It also means that there are a LOT of choices out there for us as pet parents, and it is up to us to understand our options so we can make the best decision for our pets. Especially when it comes to food, this decision can have long-term consequences, so it is good to know what the differences are and their benefits and risks.
Pet food can be roughly divided into seven categories. Dry, wet, refrigerated, dehydrated, air dried, raw, and freeze dried. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each:

1. Dry pet food: Kibble is any food that is shelf stable, dry, and bite-sized. It is easy to transport and store, it is affordable, and quick and easy to feed. The cons are that it can also be low quality, the lack of moisture can leave your pet dehydrated, and it can be difficult to digest.
   
2. Wet food comes in cans. It is shelf stable, easy to feed, and usually tasty. You can buy in bulk and stock up for years at a time, but It can be more expensive and is cooked to a higher heat, which leads to more nutrient loss. But, it has that important moisture that dry food lacks.
   
3. Refrigerated food can be found in the cooler (not freezer) of your local grocery or pet store. It usually is slightly better quality than your average dry or wet food, it is easy to store, and the moisture content is good for your pet. The drawback is that it has preservatives to make it last for months in the refrigerator, and the few brands that sell this type of food are fraught with recalls due to mold, so I would caution against it.
   
4. Dehydrated foods combine the benefits of dry and wet foods. By cooking the food to a low heat (which helps preserve nutrients and reduces the need for synthetic vitamins and minerals) the products can be shelf stable, but you add water back in before feeding, allowing you the best of both worlds. Dehydrated brands are often smaller, use human-grade ingredients, and use less fillers. The drawback is they can be more expensive and less convenient, since you have to take that few minutes to add the water back in.
   
5. Air dried food is food that has been slowly dried to be shelf-stable without high levels of heat. Commercial brands of air dried are usually mostly meat and very bioavailable, making it so you can feed less while getting the same nutrition for your pet. It can be a very healthy option. The drawbacks is that it is slightly more expensive (though this is balanced when considering you feed less at a time), the best brands are from New Zealand so you have a higher carbon footprint, and it lacks moisture.
   
6. The raw category references food that is mostly meat, has never had any heat or pasteurization applied to it, and meets both AAFCO nutritional requirements and a generally accepted ratio of meat, organs, bones, and veggies and supplements. Commercially prepared raw comes in the freezer, and many people see much healthier pets because the food is so easy for pets to digest. The drawback is that it takes up room in the freezer, it is definitely more expensive than kibble, and you have to take the time to practice safe raw-meat practices such as thoroughly washing your hands and cleaning bowls and surface areas it comes into contact with.
   
7. Freeze-Dried is food that is raw but that has taken the extra step of freeze-drying to make it shelf stable. It has all the benefits of raw food but it is light and excellent for travelling or camping. However, the freeze-drying machines are expensive, making this raw option even more expensive than freezer raw.  It is crucial to rehydrate the food before feeding, or it can cause more dehydration than even dry food can. But as a quick option to keep for travel or if you run out of your regular food, it can’t be beat.
   

With all of these options, literally anyone can find the right fit for their lifestyle, budget, and the health of their pet.

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Owning a raw pet food store, every single day I am answering questions about why a raw food diet is superior to your average dry pet food. So I was thrilled when Pets in the City Magazine asked me to write a Q&A about the most common raw pet food questions I get from day to day. Here goes!
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Q: What is a raw diet?

1. A raw diet is a diet for cats or dogs that is primarily raw meat, including muscle, organ, and bone, that is nutritionally balanced and species appropriate. It may or may not have additional vegetables, fruits, and supplements.

Q. How is raw different from kibble?

1. Dry food was only invented about sixty years ago, and it does not fit well with the way dogs and cats digest food. Because of how hard it is to digest, a lot of health problems can follow. A raw diet is rich in moisture, is biologically appropriate, and it is easier to digest and has important nutrients and enzymes you can’t get naturally in dry food.

Q. Isn’t raw pet food filled with bacteria?

1. Not usually. If you are buying a commercially prepared raw diet, they have been tested thoroughly and are held to much higher standards than kibble or even the human meats you find at the grocery store. If you are mixing in your own raw meat, your pet’s extremely acidic digestive tract keeps them safe from bacteria. As long as you practice the same food-safety techniques you would when handling raw meat for yourself, there is virtually no risk.

Q. My vet says raw diets aren’t balanced.

1. It is possible when doing a home-prepared raw diet that you can miss crucial nutrients that can lead to health problems. But if you are doing at least half of a commercial diet, the work is done for you. All commercial diets say on their packaging whether they meet AAFCO standards, just like a kibble you would buy at the grocery store.

Q. Dogs aren’t wolves. Why would I feed them based on the idea that they are?

1. It is true, your basset hound would make a pretty sad wolf. But dogs share 99.5% of the same DNA and their digestive tracts are still virtually identical, so imitating the way wolves eat makes sense. The same for cats and their larger wild counterparts like lions and jaguars.

Q. Don’t we need the kibble to clean my pet’s teeth?

1. This is a common misconception. Actually, the high carbohydrate count in dry food is doing more damage than good, because dogs and cats don’t produce amylase (the digestive enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates) in their mouths, which means dry food actually sticks to teeth more than a raw diet does. A raw bone from the butcher will do more to keep your dog’s teeth clean than kibble. And dry food is why so many cats suffer from stomatitis and need expensive surgery to have their teeth removed. Cats on a raw diet have much lower rates of stomatitis (and renal failure, and cancer, and…)

Q. What differences will I see if I start feeding my pets a raw diet?

1. Many pet parents see weight loss, shinier, softer coats, cleaner teeth, smaller, less stinky poop, less diarrhea, more energy, lower rates of allergies, and less chronic illness.

Q. What illnesses can be avoided or improved with a raw diet?

1. Obesity, diabetes, allergies, pancreatitis, renal failure, cancer, IBD and gastric issues, and more can often be improved with a raw diet. I have seen dogs with severe allergies become healthy and happy, and fat, sick kitties lose half their body weight and start climbing trees. The number of things the right nutrition can help is simply staggering.

Q. What if I can’t afford a raw diet?

1. Cost is one of the main reasons people don’t do a raw diet, but there are things anyone can do to improve their pet’s diet. Adding water and a digestive enzyme supplement can go far in making kibble easier on your pet. Dehydrated brands are human-grade, rich in moisture, and better quality than most kibbles. They run about the same as higher-quality kibble brands and veterinary diets, but are much healthier. There are mixes that allow you to balance a meal just adding your own meat you can get cheap from Sam’s Club or Costco. Even just mixing in a little ground beef to your kibble or raw chicken when you are cooking for your own family can help your dog or cat stay healthier. Another thing to consider is that many dogs and cats on raw diets avoid numerous health problems that can lead to expensive veterinary bills. So consider what you could save on vet bills when considering whether you can afford it. Many people do dry or dehydrated diets and mix in whatever raw they can afford with good results.

There is a reason I have made it my career to spread the word about raw diets. I saw my own terrier Baxter go from a little old man at six to a young pup again, and at 11 today his whitening hair is the only evidence of his advancing age. There is a reason raw pet food is the fastest-growing segment of the pet food industry. Because it really does make a difference.

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