Risks are greater for small children
Children are more susceptible to foodborne illness than adults because their immune systems aren’t fully developed. Thus, it’s not recommended that you feed your children dog food (6).
Another — often overlooked — risk of dog food is that it may be a choking hazard for small children.
This is especially true for dry kibble, which can be difficult for small children to chew and swallow safely.
If you have a young child at home, make sure you keep the bag of kibble out of reach and keep a close watch on them when it’s time for your dog to eat.
If your child accidentally consumes dog food, contact your pediatrician or local poison control authority for more information about which steps to take to ensure your child’s safety.
Dog food isn’t designed for the unique nutrition needs of humans, though it is made from ingredients that are technically safe for humans to eat. Thus, it’s not inherently toxic for humans and may be safe in an emergency situation.
However, eating dog food may increase your risk of developing foodborne illness. Children are at greater risk of developing complications related to foodborne illness and shouldn’t consume dog food.
Additionally, dog food may contain vitamin K3, or menadione, which may be toxic to humans in higher doses.
All of the same food safety practices used in human food handling and preparation still apply to dog food. It may be wise to keep track of any pet food recalls to ensure the highest level of safety if you plan on eating it.
Last medically reviewed on June 9, 2020
There’s no way to test pet foods for different animal species …
… the high temperature rendering process destroys DNA.
Individual state regulations vary but may allow rendering plants to use road kill, restaurant grease and spoiled meat. Diseased animals may also be in your dog’s food. While the FDA says that cows that are unable to walk or show other signs of disease are not allowed in human food, the CPG allows them in pet food.
Part of the reason adulterated meats are allowed in pet and animal feed is economic, due to the high cost to livestock producers of disposing of dead animals, as well as potential lost sales by the rendering industry. There are also environmental and public health concerns associated with disposing of these animals in landfills.
But the Cornucopia Institute makes the excellent point that, despite the environmental challenges, it’s not an ethical solution to put this material into pet and animal foods “to increase the profitability of rendering plants, livestock producers and pet food companies” … and of course we agree. Our pets shouldn’t have to pay the price with their health.
The best way to be really safe is to feed your dog a home prepared diet, so you know exactly what’s in it. A whole foods based diet, preferably raw, will help ensure your dog isn’t eating diseased or contaminated animals. Here’s a raw feeding primer to get you started.
If you’re feeding commercially produced dog food – whether kibble or canned, or in some cases, even raw – it’s very hard to know what kind of meat is in it, unless the manufacturer chooses to disclose this information. Read the company’s website to find out how their ingredients are sourced, or call them to ask if all their meat ingredients are USDA approved.
Responsible companies who are using high quality ingredients will almost certainly describe their sourcing of meat and other ingredients at length on their websites …
PFI has worked from rulemaking through implementation to ensure our members are well aware of their FSMA obligations. Our efforts will continue through the compliance and enforcement phase, and PFI are continuing to engage our members, federal and state regulators, and other stakeholders to make sure FSMA expectations are clearly understood by pet food and treat makers, as well as FDA and state officials conducting FSMA compliance and surveillance.
Most states regulate pet food products under their animal feed laws. An easy way for states to keep their feed laws current is to adopt the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) model bills and regulations mentioned above, which set out, for example, cGMPs, ingredient definitions and requirements for pet food labels and product claims.
In the United States, pet food is among the most highly regulated of all food products, and must meet federal and state requirements. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates both finished pet food products (including treats and chews) and their ingredients. Nearly all states also require products sold therein to be registered, and for their labels to adhere to strict requirements regarding product names and ingredients. An ingredient cannot be used in pet food until it has been accepted by FDA and adopted by the Association of American Feed Officials (AAFCO), the organization of state regulatory officials that develops model bills and pet food regulations that states can adopt into their respective state laws and regulations.
The passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2011, which amends the FD&CA and is the most comprehensive update to U.S. food safety regulation in more than 70 years, created new requirements and mandatory product safety standards for virtually all U.S. human food and U.S. pet food makers. The focus for human and animal food under the law is prevention of illness, rather than reacting and correcting issues that arise. The law also provides FDA with the authority to conduct facility inspections to verify FSMA compliance; and to ensure imported foods meets U.S. food safety standards.