HEALTH CENTER
How to Read a Pet Food Label: A Simple Guide
What the Ingredient List Really Tells You About Your Pet's Food
by Darleen Rudnick, B.S.W., M.H.N., Certified Holistic Nutritionist
Reading the label, not the bag's front claims, tells the real story.
Walk down any pet food aisle and you'll see bags and cans covered with words like 'natural,' 'premium,' 'holistic,' 'complete and balanced.' The packaging is designed to make every food sound like the best choice for your pet. The problem is that the front of the bag doesn't tell the whole story.
If you really want to know what you're feeding your dog or cat, turn the package over and read the label.
In this article, I'll walk you through a pet food label step by step. My goal is to help you understand the label in simple terms so you can choose the best food for your dog or cat.
Read the Ingredient List
Look for ingredients you recognize such as chicken, turkey, salmon, or eggs. “Meals” are also good. They include chicken meal, turkey meal, and salmon meal. It simply means the water has been removed, making it a concentrated source of protein.
Below is an example of a quality ingredient list:
Turkey, Beef, Salmon, Duck, Beef Liver, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Flaxseed, Sweet Potato… Apple, Blueberry, Carrot, Cranberry… Pumpkin Seed, Spinach…
Another quality ingredient list:
Duck, Duck Meal, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, … Fish Meal, Roasted Quail, Roasted Duck, …
Are these ingredient lists easy to understand? Yes. You know exactly what your dog is getting.
For more help comparing the quality of pet food ingredients read, Pet Food Ingredients: What’s Really in Your Pet’s Bowl
Not sure if your pet's current food is really as good as the front of the bag claims?
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Now compare these ingredients lists. Which makes more sense to feed: by-products or whole proteins?
Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Protein Meal, Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Soybean Meal…
Another example of an ingredient list I would not recommend:
Whole Grain Corn, Meat Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA …
These ingredient lists can be confusing, so let’s break it down:
What is chicken by-product meal? The parts of the chicken that remain after the meat is removed.
Corn protein meal? A concentrated plant-based protein byproduct derived from corn during the wet-milling process.
Animal Fat? Animal fat is a generic term that does not identify which animal the fat came from.
Soybean meal? A protein-rich by-product left after extracting soybean oil
Corn? An inexpensive carbohydrate source used in many commercial pet foods.
Meat meal? Made by rendering animal tissues into a concentrated protein ingredient. The animal source is often not identified.
Soybean meal? A plant protein remaining after soybean oil has been extracted. It is an inexpensive source of protein.
Preserved With BHA? A synthetic preservative used to prevent fats from becoming rancid. To learn more about these preservatives, read BHA and BHT in Pet Food: What Every Owner Should Know
For a simple explanation for other common pet food ingredients, read Pet Food Ingredients Explained: A Label-Reading Guide
Quality Ingredients to Look for in a Pet Food
No pet food contains every ingredient on this list. Use it as a guide when comparing different foods.
Poultry
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Duck
- Chicken meal
- Turkey meal
Red Meat & Game
- Beef
- Lamb
- Rabbit
- Venison
- Lamb meal
Fish
- Salmon
- Whitefish
- Salmon meal
- Whitefish meal
Eggs
- Whole eggs
Healthy Carbohydrates
- Brown rice
- Oatmeal
- Barley
- Quinoa
- Millet
Healthy Fats
- Chicken fat
- Salmon oil
- Fish oil
- Herring oil
- Flaxseed
Fruits & Vegetables
- Blueberries
- Apples
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Pumpkin
Natural Preservatives
- Mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E)
- Rosemary extract
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
Beneficial Additions
- Probiotics
- Prebiotics
- Glucosamine
- Chondroitin
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Taurine (especially for cats)
Ingredients to Avoid in Pet Food
When these ingredients appear near the top of the ingredient list, I usually recommend choosing a different food.
Animal Proteins
- Meat by-products
- Poultry by-products
- Animal digest
- Meat meal (when the animal source is not identified)
- Animal fat (when the animal source is not identified)
Carbohydrates & Fillers
- Corn
- Corn gluten meal
- Wheat
- Wheat gluten
- Soy
- Soybean meal
- Brewers rice
- Powdered cellulose
Artificial Preservatives
- BHA
- BHT
- Ethoxyquin
Artificial Colors & Flavorings
- Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2)
- Artificial flavor
- Added sugar
- Corn syrup
Other Ingredients to Limit
- Propylene glycol (in dog food)
- Excessive salt
- Unnamed animal ingredients
Final Thoughts
Remember these simple tips:
- Read the ingredient list, not the advertising on the front of the bag.
- Look at the first five ingredients.
- Choose foods with named animal proteins near the top.
- Compare several labels before making your decision.
- No pet food is perfect but knowing how to read a label will help you make better choices for your dog or cat.
Choosing the right food for your dog or cat isn't always easy. If you're unsure whether your pet's current diet is the best choice, I’m here to help. Not sure you are feeding the right food? Schedule a consultation with For Pet Health today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I read a pet food ingredient list?
Look for named animal proteins (chicken, turkey, salmon) near the top of the list, and be cautious of vague terms like "meat meal" or "animal fat" that don't identify the source.
What ingredients should I avoid in dog food?
Unnamed by-products, corn and soy fillers, and artificial preservatives like BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are common ingredients to watch for and generally avoid.
Is chicken meal a good ingredient in pet food?
Yes, "meal" simply means the water has been removed, concentrating the protein, so chicken meal, turkey meal, and salmon meal are quality inclusions.
What's the difference between meat and meat by-products in pet food?
Named meat (like chicken or beef) identifies the specific animal source, while by-products are the parts remaining after the meat is removed, and often aren't clearly identified by species.
How many ingredients should I check on a pet food label?
Focusing on the first five ingredients gives a good sense of overall quality, since ingredients are listed by weight and the earliest ones make up the bulk of the food.
Important Note
The recommendations in this article are general suggestions for treating your pet naturally. It is important to look at each pet individually and determine what works best, and it is highly recommended that you consider a consultation.
A consultation includes a personalized diet and holistic program, all custom-tailored to your pet's personal needs. This is particularly imperative in pets with complicated health issues, or if you've done outside reading and have conflicting information.
Recommended Articles
A closer look at BHA and BHT in pet food and treats, why some pet owners choose to avoid them, and natural preservative alternatives to look for on labels.
A guide to evaluating pet food ingredients, spotting misleading marketing terms, and choosing a high-quality diet that supports your dog or cat's long-term health.
A complete glossary of common pet food ingredients, from animal digest to wheat gluten, plus practical tips for reading labels and avoiding misleading marketing.
A closer look at common pet food additives like artificial colors, sweeteners, propylene glycol, and preservatives, and why ingredient quality matters for your pet's long-term health.
