It's Important! 'Best By' Dates on Pet Foods | Pets and Animals

By SusanThixton
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A recent article posted on The Consumerist website brings up a very good point (and lesson) that pet owners should take note ofThe article comes from a pet owner whose Yorkie became ill, and after a couple of days in the vet's office, the owner looked at her Eukanuba canned food and realized it had expired 3 years ago. When she checked the cupboard she discovered several other cans of dog food - all recently purchased at PetCo - had expiration dates from 2004. Here is the link to the story - http://consumerist.com/consumer/complaints/petco-sells-dog-food-that-expired-3-years-ago-312921.php

What happened to this pet owner can very easily happen to anyone - any where. How many times do you look at the expiration date on the foods and treats you purchase for your pet?

With pet food - somewhere on the can or bag, usually on the side or back of the bag - is the 'Best By' date. With most of the manufacturers that I have spoken with, this date does NOT mean the food is officially expired - it just means that the food does not provide the nutrition as stated in the Guaranteed Analysis. The 'best' nutrition for your pet has expired - but again in most cases - per what the manufacturers tell me - the food is still 'good'.

The shelf life of a pet food and treat is one of the questions I ask manufacturers for Petsumer Report. It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Dry pet foods can have a shelf life from 4 months to 3 years. Canned or pouched pet foods can have a shelf life from 1 to 5 years. Treats typically have the same shelf life as dry food. The 'Best by' date stamped on the pet food label does not tell you how old the food is. The 'Best by' date does not tell you when the food was made. It only tells you the date that this particular pet food manufacturer determined the food no longer provides optional nutrition.

Pet foods that are naturally preserved begin to lose nutritional value almost immediately. A drawback - but the ONLY drawback to a naturally preserved pet food. The challenge is to purchase a dog food or cat food (and treats) that are very fresh. Pet food manufacturers are not required to put the date the dog food or cat food was made on the label. Again, only the date that particular pet food manufacturer has determined the food is no longer 'best'.

So here's what you can do to assure your pet is eating ONLY fresh food - providing the best that product offersCall the manufacturer and ask them what the shelf life is for their dry foods and/or canned foods. Let's say ABC Pet Food Company tells you that the shelf life of their Premium ABC dry foods is 18 months and their Premium ABC canned/pouched foods is 2 years. With that information - you then look at the 'Best By' date on the product. As an example, if the best by date on the dry dog food you are considering says June 2008 - knowing that ABC told you 18 months for dry food, you would know that the food was made in January of 2007. Using today's date - October 20, 2007 - this would tell you this particular bag of ABC dry dog food is 10 months old.

With a canned pet food, the 'Best by' date is also June 2008. This information tells you the pet food was made in June 2006 (Shelf life 2 years minus from June 2008 equals June 2006). Thus the canned product would be 14 months old in October 2007.

Using my above example, I would not purchase a pet food that is already ten months old. Ideally, a dry pet food should be less than four months old when you purchase it - and you should use the food within two months. Again, with a naturally preserved pet food, the nutritional value begins to deteriorate quickly. The fresher the food - the better. Try to purchase and use the food within six months of manufacturing. Store your pet's food in a air tight container, in a dark, cool pantry. With canned pet foods, the quality of nutrition is protected by the canning process. Any unused portion of the can must be covered, stored in the refrigerator, and used within a couple of days.

Call the manufacturer of your pet's food and ask the shelf life of dry and canned foods. It is a small chore, but it's very important. You want what you pay for and your pet deserves the best nutrition. Get yourself into the habit of looking at the 'Best by' date BEFORE you purchase the food or treat. This little effort will not only provide your pet with better nutrition, but it could also save you from an experience of a sick pet.

About the Author

Before you buy another bag or can of pet food, read more of Susan's secrets to healthy pet foods. Also, sign up for the Truth About Pet Food free newsletter. shelf life, pet food, dog food, cat food

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