A recent article posted on The Consumerist website brings up a very good point (and lesson) that pet owners should take note of…
The article comes from a pet owner whose Yorkie became ill, and after a couple of days in the vet’s office, the owner looked at her Eukanuba canned food and realized it had expired 3 years ago. When she checked the cupboard she discovered several other cans of dog food – all recently purchased at PetCo – had expiration dates from 2004. Here is the link to the story – http://consumerist.com/2007/10/19/petco-sells-dog-food-that-expired-3-years-ago/
What happened to this pet owner (and pet) can easily happen to anyone. How many times have you purchased something and never looked at the expiration date?
With pet food – somewhere on the can or bag, usually on the side or back of the bag – is the ‘Best By’ date. With most of the manufacturers that I have spoken with, this date does NOT mean the food is officially expired – it just means that the food does not provide the nutrition as stated in the Guaranteed Analysis. The ‘best’ nutrition for your pet has expired – but again in most cases – per what the manufacturers tell me – the food is still ‘good’.
Shelf life varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The shelf life of dry pet foods can vary from 4 months to 3 years – canned and/or pouched products vary from 1 year to 5 years. Treats usually have the same shelf life as the manufacturer’s dry food – but just to keep things confusing, that can vary too. The ‘Best By’ date provided on the food – does NOT tell you how old the product is – it does NOT tell you when the food was manufactured. It only tells you the date that particular manufacturer has determined the food no longer provides the pet with the proper nutrition. While some ingredients in the food might still provide adequate nutrition – other ingredients have faded over time.
All pet foods that are naturally preserved begin to lose their nutritional value almost immediately after they are made. This is the drawback to natural preservatives (but the ONLY drawback – you ONLY want naturally preserved pet foods and treats for your pet ). So the challenge is to find a pet food that is very fresh. Our friends at AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials – rule makers of the pet food industry) have made that a little difficult for pet owners – adding to the challenge. Pet food manufacturers are not required to put the date the pet food was manufactured on the bag or can – ONLY the date that particular manufacturer has determined the food no longer is ‘best’. As I stated above – it varies a great deal from product to product – manufacturer to manufacturer.
Call your pet food’s manufacturer and ask them the shelf life of dry foods and canned foods. I know it’s a chore, just one more thing you have to do and look out for – but it is very important. You want what you pay for – quality nutrition for your pet – and a fresh product will provide that (of course you have to pay attention to ingredients too – but that is a whole different subject!). Get yourself into the habit of looking at the ‘Best By’ date BEFORE you purchase the pet food and or treat. Your effort will not only provide your pet with better nutrition – getting yourself into the habit of looking at the expiration date could just save you from an experience similar to the pet owner mentioned in the beginning of this article – and a sick pet.
Susan Thixton Pet Food Safety Advocate Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsibleTruthaboutPetFood.comAssociation for Truth in Pet Food
What’s in Your Pet’s Food? Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 2500 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
Once you open the package and air hits the product, it begins to degrade. So, if an unopened bag of treats lists December 12, 2024, as its use by date and you open it on February 8, the “best by” date is no longer of interest. Use the same four to six weeks rule of thumb to decide when to toss any remaining treats.
Shelf life varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The shelf life of dry pet foods can vary from 4 months to 3 years – canned and/or pouched products vary from 1 year to 5 years. Treats usually have the same shelf life as the manufacturer’s dry food – but just to keep things confusing, that can vary too. The ‘Best By’ date provided on the food – does NOT tell you how old the product is – it does NOT tell you when the food was manufactured. It only tells you the date that particular manufacturer has determined the food no longer provides the pet with the proper nutrition. While some ingredients in the food might still provide adequate nutrition – other ingredients have faded over time.
Susan Thixton Pet Food Safety Advocate Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsibleTruthaboutPetFood.comAssociation for Truth in Pet Food
Call your pet food’s manufacturer and ask them the shelf life of dry foods and canned foods. I know it’s a chore, just one more thing you have to do and look out for – but it is very important. You want what you pay for – quality nutrition for your pet – and a fresh product will provide that (of course you have to pay attention to ingredients too – but that is a whole different subject!). Get yourself into the habit of looking at the ‘Best By’ date BEFORE you purchase the pet food and or treat. Your effort will not only provide your pet with better nutrition – getting yourself into the habit of looking at the expiration date could just save you from an experience similar to the pet owner mentioned in the beginning of this article – and a sick pet.
What happened to this pet owner (and pet) can easily happen to anyone. How many times have you purchased something and never looked at the expiration date?
With pet food – somewhere on the can or bag, usually on the side or back of the bag – is the ‘Best By’ date. With most of the manufacturers that I have spoken with, this date does NOT mean the food is officially expired – it just means that the food does not provide the nutrition as stated in the Guaranteed Analysis. The ‘best’ nutrition for your pet has expired – but again in most cases – per what the manufacturers tell me – the food is still ‘good’.
Jerky Treats are easy to store in resealable bags or air tight containers. The smoked meaty treats may last a bit longer than other treats, but they tend to attract unwanted visitors over time. Bugs are tricky little pests and your jerky treats will be safe if handled with care. Jerky Treats sitting on the shelf for a while as your pup works on another bag of goodies need to be checked for any indication – through appearance, smell, and texture – of spoilage before serving to your pal.
If you have a surplus of fruit and vegetable treats, it’s a good idea to throw a few bags in the freezer. Preserve them as quickly as you can. The suggested length of time to keep treats in the freezer is up to 8 months.
Keep all treats away from damp environments like basements and garages – especially in super hot summer months. A year is the longest length of time suggested for keeping treats in a cabinet. Anything kept longer than a year would indicate that your pup isn’t really a fan of those treats, so it would probably best to toss them!
Treat your pup to drool-worthy treats every month. Whether your dog has a taste for biscuits, chews, jerky snacks, or even freeze dried treats, consider getting them a BarkBox subscription! These treats won’t be on your shelf for long! Sign up here and receive a free extra toy every month. (<– This deal is worth up to $120 in value if you sign up for a 12-month subscription!) If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to the friend Happy Team via [email protected].
That said, we’ve come up with some tips on how to store your dog’s treats, in addition to some information on how long they should be kept…just in case.
DEBUNKING THE CANNED GOOD EXPIRATION DATE MYTH
FAQ
Can you use expired dog treats?
What if my dog ate expired treat?
Can dogs eat expired snacks?
How long after expiration date is dog food good?
Do dog treats expire?
Just like human food products, dog treats do indeed have any expiration date. You should find this printed somewhere on the packet of any store-bought treats, but you’ll usually find that most dog treats have a pretty long shelf life.
How long can you keep dog treats?
You can keep most store-bought dog treats for a fairly lengthy amount of time, especially if you’re keeping them in sealed or unopened packets. Before buying large amounts of treats it’s worth checking the expiry dates on the packets if you can and considering how quickly your dog will get through the treats you buy.
Can dogs eat expired dog food?
In dog foods, you can see the expiry date on the back of the bag. But, that date does not necessarily mean the food is no longer safe. If used at any time between these two, it is safe for the dogs. It is because the date mentioned on the can, or bag, is not about the time for the food to become poisonous, but only lose nutrition.
How long does dog food last?
Though generally, it is safe from 6 to 18 months for the dog food to be taken by the pet, yet the expiration date can well keep informed the owner to be sure if the date has exceeded well the benchmark. The fourth way is to witness excessive heat or humidity. This is especially the case for the regions with heat waves and high humidity.