Big pet food industry

Remember about 10 years ago, walking into a store and seeing one shelf of dog food and half a shelf of cat food? Nowadays, you can get lost in the multiple aisles of pet food.

In 2010, Americans spent roughly $19 billion on pet food. By 2024 that spending tripled to nearly $66 billion, while pet ownership increased by only about 30%. Sure, we’ve had medical advancements in prescription diets in that time, but this kind of growth isn’t always about pet health.

A 2022 Pet Nutrition Alliance report found that only a small fraction of the 243 surveyed pet food manufacturers (around 3 to 4%) employ a full-time veterinary nutritionist. And while all companies are required to formulate diets to meet national standards, there is very little transparency around actual quality-control processes and even fewer companies conducting feeding trials to confirm that what’s in the bag truly performs the way the label suggests.

Pet food is big business, and it takes work to separate good marketing from good nutrition. The most expensive food is not always the best researched, nor the best choice for your four-legged friend. When in doubt, check with your veterinarian, and consider looking at resources from the Association of American Feed Control Officials, which offers information on labels, ingredients and how to evaluate diets.

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In partnership with Willamette Veterinary Hospital

& Ark Animal Hospital

Josiah Moses, DVM

Eastgate Veterinary Clinic