Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. AAFCO stands for the American Association of Feed Control Officials. AAFCO is a voluntary membership association of local, state, and federal agencies charged by law to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds and animal drug remedies. The organization defines and establishes regulations for pet food and feed ingredients and sets standards for nutritional adequacy. AAFCO has no regulatory authority but works to protect consumers and safeguard the health of both animals and people.
How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a non-profit organization whose primary goal is to regulate safe practices in the pet and animal food industry. Membership includes government officials who are able to regulate how animal consumables are sold.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is an independent organization that has been guiding state, federal and international feed regulators with ingredient definitions, label standards and laboratory standards for more than 110 years, while supporting the health and safety of people and animals.
What Is AAFCO? The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a private, nonprofit, voluntary membership association. AAFCO is made up of officials that are charged with regulating the sale and distribution of animal feeds (including pet foods) and drug remedies.
AAFCO stands for the Association of American Feed Control Official. They provide a set of guidelines that reputable dog food brand follow in order to help consumers understand the purpose and nutrient profiles of their chosen dog food.
When it comes to carrying out feeding trials, Royal Canin respects nutritional standards globally. In addition to AAFCO and FEDIAF standards, the nutritional requirements set by the National Research Council (NRC) are also respected.
Does AAFCO Approve or Regulate Dog Food? No, AAFCO does notregulate the pet food industry, even though its members represent state and federal regulatory agencies. Rather, AAFCO sets standards for pet food that are often adopted into state pet food regulations.
AAFCO does not regulate, test, approve or certify pet foods in any way. AAFCO establishes the nutritional standards for complete and balanced pet foods, and it is the pet food company`s responsibility to formulate their products according to the appropriate AAFCO standard.
Since a raw food diet is unprocessed, it technically does not meet AAFCO guidelines. Nevertheless, raw meals are highly nutritious for your dog, therefore, there is no need to add synthetic vitamins or minerals because this diet has almost everything a dog requires when balanced correctly.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates pet food similar to that for other animal foods. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) requires that all animal foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled.
PetPlate`s Barkin` Beef Entrée is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profile for all life stages, including growth of large size dogs (70 lbs or more as an adult).
Although the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has no regulatory authority, it is made up of representatives from governmental agencies in the US, Canada, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico that do regulate pet food and other animal feed.
It`s likely you`ve seen Hill`s Science Diet available for purchase at your vet`s office, and that`s because this brand has a long-standing reputation for following the highest standards in nutrition and quality control set by the AAFCO and WSAVA.
“Manufacturing our formulas requires raw materials that have been increasingly affected by rising costs. The same goes for packaging, transport, and energy. “We will never compromise on the quality of our nutritional solutions.
Breed specific foods, at least from the Royal Canin line, are based on solid scientific and nutritional research to proactively protect those breeds from diseases common to the breed.
That`s why we always meet or exceed the safety standards established by the FDA, USDA and AAFCO. Rest assured that all of our pet foods are formulated to be complete and balanced for a pet`s life stage, and every quality ingredient plays a role in delivering the nutrients dogs and cats need to thrive.
Purina Beyond Simply Grain Free White Meat Chicken & Egg Recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance of adult cats. Natural cat food with added vitamins, minerals & nutrients. No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
All Royal Canin diets have a complete and balanced profile. We measure and analyse each raw material in order to maintain the most accurate nutritional composition. This important step is taken very seriously as an incomplete or unbalanced diet could affect the health of all pets.
Yes, our foods are complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards. Our foods meet AAFCO nutrient profiles by formulation and by third-party laboratory analysis.
There have been “human-grade” claims on some pet foods for a few years. This term has no definition in any animal feed regulations. Extremely few pet food products could be considered officially human edible or human-grade. A pet food that actually met these standards would be expensive.
Feed your small breed dog a complete and balanced dog food that supports calm behavior with Purina Pro Plan Calm & Balanced Adult Chicken & Rice Calming Dog Formula. This premium dog food formulated for dogs under 20 pounds at maturity is packed with ingredients to support your dog`s mental well-being.
Raw food, especially meat, contains bacteria, parasites and other pathogens that would normally be killed during the cooking process. So feeding raw food brings extra risks, not just to your pet`s health but also to other people in your household.
BARF is a method of believing how dogs should be fed, focusing on ingredients whereas AAFCO sets minimum nutrient standards and doesn`t concern itself with the ingredients, as long as nutrients are met.
Acana – As indicated previously Acana was named in 67 cases and as discussed Acana is one of the top selling pet foods in the USA. Of the 67 DCM cases that had Acana pet food associated with it, nine were on a diet that included other food not produced by Champion Pet Foods (Acana or Orijen).
FDA regulates all foods and food ingredients introduced into or offered for sale in interstate commerce, with the exception of meat, poultry, and certain processed egg products regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Q. What is AAFCO?
ANSWER : A. AAFCO stands for the American Association of Feed Control Officials. AAFCO is a voluntary membership association of local, state, and federal agencies charged by law to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds and animal drug remedies. The organization defines and establishes regulations for pet food and feed ingredients and sets standards for nutritional adequacy. AAFCO has no regulatory authority but works to protect consumers and safeguard the health of both animals and people.
Read Full Q/A … : AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles
Q. What is a statement of nutritional adequacy?
ANSWER : A. The AAFCO requires this statement on all pet foods that claim to meet nutritional profiles as established by the AAFCO to ensure complete nutrition. Foods can either be formulated to meet these requirements or be tested in animals according to specific AAFCO-dictated procedures demonstrating that the food is nutritionally adequate. The statement must describe which life stage the product is suited for, such as for “growth”, “maintenance”, etc.
Read Full Q/A … : Pet Food Labels: Nutritional Adequacy Statement – eXtension
Q. What is AAFCO?
ANSWER : A. Also known as the Association of American Feed Control Officials, the AAFCO is a private organization that defines and establishes regulations for pet food and feed ingredients and sets standards for nutritional adequacy. The AAFCO has no regulatory authority; its purpose is to protect consumers while safeguarding the health of humans and animals. The organization ensures a level playing field for manufacturers in the pet food and animal feed industries.
Read Full Q/A … : AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles
Q. I have two problems with my 16 yrs old dog: he’s constipated and has a ear ache. What can I use to relieve these?
ANSWER : A. Constipation is a common problem in dogs that can be due to a number of things. However it is a good idea to make sure the constipation is not actually diarrhea, as some dogs can strain after a bowel movement, making it look like such. If constipation is present, adding a little pumpkin puree or plain yogurt to the diet can help make digestion easier and make stools easier to pass. However if symptoms do not resolve after a few days, it is best to speak with your vet.
For ear aches, it is best to have your vet examine the ear as many things including allergies, ear infections, mites and more can cause ear problems. If the ear is just dirty, then cleaning the ear gently with cotton balls or a clean washcloth and a dog ear cleaning solution can help. Do not use Q-tips as a dog’s ear has a 90-degree turn in it and placing Q-tips in the ear can cause damage to the canal or inner ear. However if the problem persists or cleaning does not help, it is best to seek care.
Read Full Q/A … : Dog Constipation Causes and Treatment – pets.webmd.com
Q. How were the nutrient ratios in MyBowl determined?
ANSWER : A. Veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists collaborated together to determine the appropriate ratios for each MyBowl nutrient category using reference texts such as Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th edition, the National Research Council’s (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats and the Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCO) Official Publication. All of the nutrient proportions in MyBowl comply with the NRC’s and AAFCO’s most recent nutritional standards.
Read Full Q/A … : Nutrient Ratios & Caloric Needs! – Bodybuilding.com
Q. What does the word “natural” on cat food labels mean?
ANSWER : A. The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulates the use of the word “natural”. It can only be applied to cat foods that don’t contain ingredients or additives that have been chemically synthesized unless their inclusion at a particular level is absolutely necessary.
The official AAFCO definition of natural is: “a feed or ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subject to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing practices”.
Read Full Q/A … : How to Read Cat Food Labels – WebMD
Q. How can I tell how much of a particular nutrient is in my dog’s food by just looking at the label?
ANSWER : A. Pet food labels must meet strict regulations before a product can be sold commercially in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration and AAFCO regulate all aspects of dog food labeling to be sure the consumer is not mislead or misinformed by the packaging. Minimum and maximum guarantees tell consumers the minimum percentages of crude protein and fat and the maximum percentage of crude fiber and moisture contained in the product. When comparing guaranteed analyses, look at the moisture content of the particular product. This is very important when comparing a dry food to a canned product, which has a large amount of moisture.
Read Full Q/A … : AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles – Dog Food Advisor
Q. My cat keeps getting yeast infections in his ears. How can we stop these infections in their tracks? I hate to keep taking him back to the Vets.
ANSWER : A. You have to regularly clean out the cats ears. What can happen is hair will build up in your cat’s ear, and cause yeast infections. If you regularly clean out the hair using swabs and (GENTLY USING) q-tips, you can prevent the yeast infections. You can purchase a cleaner from your veterinarian – I purchased an ear cleaner for my dog from my vet. I clean my dogs ears out at least once a week.
Read Full Q/A … : Ear Infections (Otitis Externa) in Cats – Dog and Cat …
