Some consumers have concerns about the quality of Purina’s dog food — as well as Pedigree.
Feb. 15 2024, Published 2:56 pm ET
Choosing the right food for your pet can take a lot of research, trial, and error. With so many pet foods out there, it can often be stressful to choose one that will provide your pet with the right amount of nutrients and energy, while also meeting their individual needs.
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Purina, one of the most popular pet food brands out there, received a lot of criticism after customers said their pets got sick after eating Purina Pro Plan food. Many people wonder if Purina is good for dogs — here’s what you need to know.
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Is Purina good for dogs?
Many veterinarians state that Purina is good for dogs. In fact, it’s at the top of PetMD’s list of “8 Best Puppy Foods in 2024 Recommended by Vets.” However, numerous online videos claiming that Purina’s Pro Plan pet food made pets sick led to rumors that the food was unsafe.
According to CBS News, the posts include claims that dogs have experienced diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and even death from eating Purina Pro Plan food. Purina made a statement on Jan. 15, 2024, responding to the posts, which the company refers to as “rumors.”
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Purina said:
“In light of the rumor, our Quality Assurance team reviewed all incoming consumer contact, manufacturing, and quality assurance data … over the past year, and we found no data or trends to indicate issue.”
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In March 2023, Purina Pro Plan’s Veterinary Diets EL Elemental dog food was recalled due to its extremely high vitamin D content. However, since Feb. 6, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration no longer recalls Purina Pro Plan pet food, per CBS news.
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Is Pedigree good for dogs?
Pedigree is another well-known brand of pet food, and is generally considered good for dogs, according to Veternarians.org. The article, reviewed by a veterinarian, asserts that Pedigree dog food is a good budget-friendly option that includes “average quality” ingredients to cover all nutritional bases. However, like Purina, pet parents have mixed reviews of the food.
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Within the Q&A forum of Rover, a pet-sitting and dog-walking service website, most Pedigree reviews are cautionary, often criticizing the brand’s use of corn and meat products.
According to Dog Food Advisor, Pedigree has 1 star out of 5. The dog food rating website points to Pedigree’s use of unknown bone meal for protein, which is often a slaughterhouse byproduct, and sometimes does not digest well. . Because of this, including the use of artificial coloring such as red coloring No. 40, and the low-quality fat and grain ingredients, Dog Food Advisor does not recommend Pedigree.
It’s important to remember that no matter what brand of pet food you buy, there will likely be competing opinions about which is best. This is why it’s always a good idea to ask a veterinarian any pet food questions you have, and follow their recommendations based on your pet’s specific needs.
