PET FOOD COMPARISON

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WHY I CHOSE FLINT RIVER RANCH...
After the loss of my dog Sam, a beautiful Elkhound-Shepherd mix, I started researching information about pet nutrition and natural pet food.  After much reading I discovered the truth about what is allowed in most commercial pet food: by-products, chemical preservatives, fillers, artificial colors and flavors.  By-products and fillers are commonly used as primary ingredients in pet food which is indicative of a low-quality food.

From time to time you may have noticed  a change in your pet after feeding him or her different batches of the same brand of pet food.  Your pet may have diarrhea, increased flatulence, a dull hair coat, intermittent vomiting, or may scratch more often.  These are the most common symptoms observed over the years and they all are associated with commercial pet foods. 

I cannot help but feel that the long-term, cumulative effects of the chemicals and by-products contained in her food contributed to Sam's illness.  Sam had exhibited many of these symptoms, but I had never attributed nor associated the symptoms to her food.

The common chemicals used to prevent rancidity in pet food are BHA and BHT.  Both are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction.  Another fat stabilizer often used is Ethoxyquin.  Ethoxyquin is considered a hazardous chemical under the criteria of OSHA Hazard Communication standards and is banned in pet food in Europe.  Propylene glycol, a cousin to antifreeze, is found in many semi-moist dog and cat foods. High levels of propylene glycol will cause abnormalities in a cat's red blood cells.

The average sized dog (44 pounds) can consume 26 pounds of preservatives each year.  The use of chemical preservatives may be associated with dry skin, allergic reactions, dental disease, poor health, lack of energy, and degenerative organ dysfunction.

There is a considerable difference in the digestibility, nutrition, and health value of a natural pet  food  in comparison to foods containing chemical preservatives, fillers, by-products, artificial colors, and flavorings.  The higher the digestibility of these quality foods means that your pet can absorb more nutrients for better health and energy. 

After considerable research, I chose Flint River Ranch and was impressed with their products. Flint River Ranch is oven-baked and contains only natural, human-grade ingredients.  It is baked three times a week for optimum freshness and delivered directly to your home.

HOW TO READ A PET FOOD LABEL...
The list of ingredients printed by law on every bag of pet food is the best source of information about a food.  Ingredients are listed in order of their volume percentages.  Compare the ingredients and decide for yourself.  Look for a natural pet food that contains the hallmarks of a high-quality food and none of the hallmarks of a low-quality food.  A good pet food will contribute to a healthy coat, good energy level, balanced temperament, and flawless health.

High quality food should contain the following:
Superior sources of protein.  This means either whole, fresh meats, or single source meat meal.  (For example chicken meal rather than chicken by-products.)

A whole-meat source as one of the first two ingredients.  Meat is the most natural source of protein for cats and dogs and contains the amino acids most important to pet health.  A mix of meat proteins (such as chicken and fish) helps round out the amino acid profile of the proteins included in the food.  If a list of ingredients begins with whole chicken followed by three or more grains and no other meat proteins, it is likely that the food contains considerably more grain than meat.

Whole, unprocessed grains, vegetables, and other foods.  A previously unprocessed food has the best chance of surviving the food-making process with some of its nutrients intact.

High-quality food should not contain the following:
Food fragments.  Fragments are lower-cost by-products of another food manufacturing process such as brewer's rice  (a waste product of the alcohol industry), wheat flour, and rice flour.  Most foods contain at least one fragment as makers attempt to keep the food affordable.  Beware of a product that contains several fragments of a single food or is the main ingredient.

Meat by-products.  Using an animal by-product (or more than one animal by-product) for a food's main protein source is indicative of a low-quality product.  (i.e. chicken by-product).  Animal by-products are any part of an animal not acceptable for human consumption.  Ingredients listed as by-products are not required to include actual meat. 

Corn products in dog food.  The presence of corn products - particularly if they are high on the list of ingredients - may indicate that corn has been used instead of a more expensive alternative.  About 25% of the corn produced in the U.S. today is genetically modified.  Corn is more difficult to digest either by humans or dogs. 

Corn gluten meal in dog food.  Corn gluten meal is a concentrated source of protein that can be substituted for costlier animal protein.  In many bargain dry dog foods, corn gluten meal provides a large proportion or the total protein in the food rather than more digestible forms of protein such as meat.

INDICATORS OF A LOW-QUALITY FOOD
Generic fats or proteins.  Animal fat can be just about anything; recycled grease from restaurants or an unwholesome "mystery mix" of fats.  Animal protein is far inferior to beef protein or chicken protein.

Artificial preservatives.  BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin, and propylene glycol.

Artificial colors.  Your pet doesn't care what color his food is and doesn't need daily - lifetime - exposure to these unnecessary chemicals.

Sweeteners.  Corn syrup, sucrose, sugar, ammoniated glycyrrhizin, and other sweeteners are sometimes added to lower-quality foods to increase their appeal. Dietary sugar can aggravate health problems in pets including diabetes.

Flavors.   A high-quality food does not require flavoring to be palatable.

For complete Flint River Ranch product ingredients information, please go to INGREDIENTS page.

Compare the FLINT RIVER RANCH "Top Ten" ingredients to the following commercial pet foods. All featured are chicken-based formulas.  Items in "RED" are indicators of a low quality ingredient.*  Ingredients are listed in order of their volume percentages.

DOG FOOD NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON

FLINT RIVER RANCH:  Chicken meal, wheat flour, ground rice, lamb meal, poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and ascorbic acid), ground wheat, dried whole egg, lecithin, fish meal, brewers dried yeast.
EUKANUBA ADULT:  Chicken, chicken by-product meal, rice flour, ground corn, ground grain sorghum, fish meal, chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, dried beet pulp, chicken digest, dried egg product.
IAMS CHUNK:  Chicken, corn meal, ground grain sorghum, chicken by-product meal, ground whole grain barley, chicken meal, chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, dried beet pulp, natural chicken flavor, dried egg product.
PEDIGREE:  Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, animal fat preserved with BHA & BHT, wheat mill run, natural poultry flavor, rice, salt, potassium chloride.
PRO PLAN CHICKEN & RICE: Chicken, brewers rice, ground wheat, poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, corn gluten meal, corn bran, egg product, dried whey.
PURINA BENEFUL:  Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, beef tallow, rice flour, soy flour, minerals, sugar.
SCIENCE DIET MAINTENANCE: Ground corn, poultry by-product meal, animal fat preserved with BHA, Propyl Gallate, & citric acid, dried beet pulp, vegetable oil, dried egg product, flaxseed, potassium chloride, iodized salt, choline chloride.
SCIENCE DIET NATURAL CHICKEN:  Brewers rice, ground wheat, turkey meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, chicken, vegetable oil, peas, carrots. 

CAT FOOD NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON

FLINT RIVER RANCH:  Chicken meal, ground yellow corn, lamb meal, corn gluten meal, poultry fat with mixed tocopherols and ascorbic acid, ground whole wheat, dried brewers yeast, corn germ meal, salt, dried beet pulp. 
EUKANUBA:  Chicken, chicken liver, chicken by-product meal, rice flour, chicken by-products, fish meal, corn grits, chicken fat preserverd with mixed tocopherols, dried beet pulp, dried egg product.
IAMS:  Chicken, chicken by-product meal, ground corn grits, ground sorghum grain, corn meal, chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, dried beet pulp, dried egg product, natural chicken flavor fish meal.
PRO PLAN:  Corn gluten meal, chicken, wheat flour, brewers rice, ground yellow corn, beef tallow preserved with mixed tocopherols, egg product, sodium caseinate, phosphoric acid, calcium carbonate.
PURINA CAT CHOW:  Poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, wheat flour, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, beef tallow preserved with mixed tocopherols, fish meal, brewers dried yeast, animal digest.
SCIENCE DIET MAINTENANCE:  Chicken by-product meal, corn meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with BHA, Propyl Gallate, and citric acid, corn gluten meal, chicken liver digest, taurine preserved with BHT and BHA, beta carotene, potassium chloride.
SCIENCE DIET NATURE'S BEST CHICKEN:  Brewers rice, corn gluten meal, animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, turkey meal, dried egg product, chicken, ground wheat, peas, carrots, dried beet pulp.

PET FOOD COMPARISON DISCLAIMER
*These comparisons are only intended as a tool to assist you in comparing ingredient listings of the various cat and dog foods available.  The manufacturer supplies information regarding the nutritional components and ingredients in the products.