Welcome to the age of “fridge” meals for your pooch pal. You can find these foods in refrigerator cases inside pet supply stores and some supermarkets and yes, even delivered to your door packed in dry ice. Most offer fresh ingredients that are free of any preservatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s something naturally appealing about feeding your dog a \u2018fresh meal,\u2019\u201d says Dr. Ernie Ward, veterinarian, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and co-author of The Clean Pet Food Revolution<\/em>.<\/p>\n He Offers This Checklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIf the fresh food checks all of those boxes and the pet parent doesn\u2019t mind the added cost, then I say go for it,\u201d Dr. Ward says.<\/p>\n Dr. Jean Hofve, a holistic veterinarian in Colorado, says pet parents need to set priorities.<\/p>\n \u201cThese commercial, refrigerated foods do take a bite out of your wallet, but it boils down to pay now or pay later,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you want to save on veterinary bills in the future, you are going to invest in your dog\u2019s nutrition now. Less processed ingredients are better digested and provide more nutritional value for your dog.\u201d<\/p>\n Key Word:<\/strong> d-i-g-e-s-t-i-b-i-l-i-t-y. Dogs who eat quality foods tend to digest efficiently and produce healthy poop.<\/p>\n \u201cOften, the first moment pet owners might notice a gut health or nutritional concern is when cleaning up after their pet,\u201d says Dr. Tabitha Hookey, a veterinarian and Royal Canin scientific support specialist. \u201cSymptoms of poor gastrointestinal health include vomiting, diarrhea, change in appetite, weight loss or abnormal stool quality.\u201d<\/p>\n She adds, \u201cA high-quality diet should start with carefully selected ingredients, which are digestible and bioavailable \u2014 meaning that the nutrients will be well-absorbed and used by the body.<\/p>\n Considered a pioneer in this fresh-from-the-fridge food movement is Freshpet (freshpet.com<\/a>), created in 2006 and based in Secaucus, New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cSince 2006, Freshpet embarked on a mission to improve the lives of dogs and cats through the power of fresh, real food,\u201d says Dr. Aziza Glass, the company\u2019s veterinarian. \u201cThat means creating recipes with 100% natural farmraised poultry, beef and fish, along with fiber-packed garden veggies and antioxidant-rich fruits.\u201d<\/p>\n Prepared meals are quickly transported by temperature-regulated vehicles to specially designed Freshpet refrigerators in stores. And Freshpet offers delivery directly to homes in premade food rolls that stay fresh when stored up to seven days in refrigerators. They offer more than 20 different pet rolls with more than half of them grain-free.<\/p>\n \u201cFreshpet\u2019s meals are gently cooked, making all 12 essential amino acids available for our pets \u2014 much more than what you find in the harsher, high-temperature cooking methods required to make kibble,\u201d Dr. Glass adds.<\/p>\n Nom Nom Now (nomnomnow.com<\/a>), based in Oakland, California, is another major player in this \u201cfreshcooked foods\u201d market. All recipes are grain and gluten-free and are formulated by the company\u2019s veterinary nutritionist, Dr. Justin Shmalberg. Each of the five recipes are formulated with a single protein, such as chicken and turkey.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a veterinary nutritionist, I\u2019ve long recommended and developed home-prepared diets for clients\u2019 pets,\u201d Dr. Shmalberg says. \u201cThe Nom Nom food is prepared to order and individually portioned in vacuum-sealed pouches that ensures that food is fresh on arrival. Additionally, the product is shipped with dry ice.\u201d Popularity of these fresh pet food options is steadily growing. Freshpet, for example, has maintained double- digit net sales growth each year since 2014.<\/p>\n Safely prep Dr. Hofve advises people warming up to the idea of serving their dogs these freshly made refrigerated and frozen foods to maintain good hygiene habits in the kitchen. Too much time left on a kitchen counter \u2014 and not properly refrigerated \u2014 can cause salmonellosis and other health risks.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you are buying these foods, make it your last errand and get promptly home to refrigerate them,\u201d she says. \u201cMost of these meals are cooked to some degree, but not all of them. Don\u2019t leave it on the kitchen counter and take a phone call from your uncle, because if you let it come to room temperature, the meat can quickly become contaminated with bacteria.”<\/p>\n Her parting advice: Work with your veterinarian about adding prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes to your dog\u2019s diet to maintain a healthy gut.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s just a sample of some of the fresh, cooked and refrigerated foods out there that you can get at the grocery and pet store or on a subscription basis.<\/em><\/p>\n Get more tips on choosing commercial pet food:<\/em><\/p>\n The World Small Animal Veterinary Association\u2019s Global Nutrition Committee identifies more guidelines. Visit: wsava.org<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Dogster\u2019s sister publication Whole Dog Journal<\/em> delved into fresh, cooked commercial dog foods in its article Fresh Dog Food: A Review of Refrigerated Dog Food Sold in Stores<\/em>, which you can read on whole-dog-journal.com<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n The post The Growing Trend of Fresh From the Fridge Meals for Fido<\/a> by Arden Moore<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post The Growing Trend of Fresh From the Fridge Meals for Fido<\/a> by Arden Moore<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n Welcome to the age of “fridge” meals for your pooch pal. You can find these foods in refrigerator cases inside pet supply stores and some supermarkets and yes, even delivered to your door packed in dry ice. Most offer fresh ingredients that are free of any preservatives.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s something naturally appealing about feeding your dog a \u2018fresh meal,\u2019\u201d says Dr. Ernie Ward, veterinarian, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and co-author of The Clean Pet Food Revolution<\/em>.<\/p>\n He Offers This Checklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIf the fresh food checks all of those boxes and the pet parent doesn\u2019t mind the added cost, then I say go for it,\u201d Dr. Ward says.<\/p>\n Dr. Jean Hofve, a holistic veterinarian in Colorado, says pet parents need to set priorities.<\/p>\n \u201cThese commercial, refrigerated foods do take a bite out of your wallet, but it boils down to pay now or pay later,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you want to save on veterinary bills in the future, you are going to invest in your dog\u2019s nutrition now. Less processed ingredients are better digested and provide more nutritional value for your dog.\u201d<\/p>\n Key Word:<\/strong> d-i-g-e-s-t-i-b-i-l-i-t-y. Dogs who eat quality foods tend to digest efficiently and produce healthy poop.<\/p>\n \u201cOften, the first moment pet owners might notice a gut health or nutritional concern is when cleaning up after their pet,\u201d says Dr. Tabitha Hookey, a veterinarian and Royal Canin scientific support specialist. \u201cSymptoms of poor gastrointestinal health include vomiting, diarrhea, change in appetite, weight loss or abnormal stool quality.\u201d<\/p>\n She adds, \u201cA high-quality diet should start with carefully selected ingredients, which are digestible and bioavailable \u2014 meaning that the nutrients will be well-absorbed and used by the body.<\/p>\n Considered a pioneer in this fresh-from-the-fridge food movement is Freshpet (freshpet.com<\/a>), created in 2006 and based in Secaucus, New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cSince 2006, Freshpet embarked on a mission to improve the lives of dogs and cats through the power of fresh, real food,\u201d says Dr. Aziza Glass, the company\u2019s veterinarian. \u201cThat means creating recipes with 100% natural farmraised poultry, beef and fish, along with fiber-packed garden veggies and antioxidant-rich fruits.\u201d<\/p>\n Prepared meals are quickly transported by temperature-regulated vehicles to specially designed Freshpet refrigerators in stores. And Freshpet offers delivery directly to homes in premade food rolls that stay fresh when stored up to seven days in refrigerators. They offer more than 20 different pet rolls with more than half of them grain-free.<\/p>\n \u201cFreshpet\u2019s meals are gently cooked, making all 12 essential amino acids available for our pets \u2014 much more than what you find in the harsher, high-temperature cooking methods required to make kibble,\u201d Dr. Glass adds.<\/p>\n Nom Nom Now (nomnomnow.com<\/a>), based in Oakland, California, is another major player in this \u201cfreshcooked foods\u201d market. All recipes are grain and gluten-free and are formulated by the company\u2019s veterinary nutritionist, Dr. Justin Shmalberg. Each of the five recipes are formulated with a single protein, such as chicken and turkey.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a veterinary nutritionist, I\u2019ve long recommended and developed home-prepared diets for clients\u2019 pets,\u201d Dr. Shmalberg says. \u201cThe Nom Nom food is prepared to order and individually portioned in vacuum-sealed pouches that ensures that food is fresh on arrival. Additionally, the product is shipped with dry ice.\u201d Popularity of these fresh pet food options is steadily growing. Freshpet, for example, has maintained double- digit net sales growth each year since 2014.<\/p>\n Safely prep Dr. Hofve advises people warming up to the idea of serving their dogs these freshly made refrigerated and frozen foods to maintain good hygiene habits in the kitchen. Too much time left on a kitchen counter \u2014 and not properly refrigerated \u2014 can cause salmonellosis and other health risks.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you are buying these foods, make it your last errand and get promptly home to refrigerate them,\u201d she says. \u201cMost of these meals are cooked to some degree, but not all of them. Don\u2019t leave it on the kitchen counter and take a phone call from your uncle, because if you let it come to room temperature, the meat can quickly become contaminated with bacteria.”<\/p>\n Her parting advice: Work with your veterinarian about adding prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes to your dog\u2019s diet to maintain a healthy gut.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s just a sample of some of the fresh, cooked and refrigerated foods out there that you can get at the grocery and pet store or on a subscription basis.<\/em><\/p>\n Get more tips on choosing commercial pet food:<\/em><\/p>\n The World Small Animal Veterinary Association\u2019s Global Nutrition Committee identifies more guidelines. Visit: wsava.org<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Dogster\u2019s sister publication Whole Dog Journal<\/em> delved into fresh, cooked commercial dog foods in its article Fresh Dog Food: A Review of Refrigerated Dog Food Sold in Stores<\/em>, which you can read on whole-dog-journal.com<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n The post The Growing Trend of Fresh From the Fridge Meals for Fido<\/a> by Arden Moore<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
In The Know<\/h3>\n
\nFridge Foods for Fido<\/h3>\n
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In The Know<\/h3>\n
\nFridge Foods for Fido<\/h3>\n
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