Facts About PEDIGREE^® Dog Food

‘Meat and animal derivatives' are the parts of an animal not classed as ‘flesh’ or ‘meat’ (striated muscle) and include organs such as the liver, kidneys and the heart.

Petfood that is complete and balanced must provide all the essential nutrients needed by your dog, which in nature they obtain from eating the whole animal.

These parts of the animal contain high levels of essential nutrients including various vitamins and minerals. They are often rich sources of amino acids. For example, liver contains a sulphur amino acid called taurine, which helps to keep your dog's eyes and heart healthy

The use of Meat & Animal Derivatives is highly regulated and we only use materials that meet specific quality standards. All the meat & animal derivatives we use in PEDIGREE® comes from animals that have been passed fit for human consumption.

The meat and animal derivatives available to us to use depends on the season, and also on our supply chain, since we use those materials not required for the human food chain.  This means that we vary some of the meat and animal derivatives in our recipes depending on what's available on the day, to help us ensure that your pet gets the right nutrition and the best quality food every time. On the label, we always state the variety that is guaranteed, but in addition to this, recipes can also contain other meat and animal derivatives, such as chicken, turkey, lamb or tripe.

Pet food label declaration requirements occasionally result in labelling that is misunderstood or open to misinterpretation. For example, a product emphasised as a beef variety may state the following on the label: ‘meat and animal derivatives (including 4% beef)’. This can lead to consumers assuming that there is only 4% meat and animal derivatives in our products. This is not the case.

The percentage of a named animal relates to the variety of the product and not the total amount of meat and animal derivatives.

The total meat and animal derivatives content of our PEDIGREE® wet food ranges from 27% to 65%, and for PEDIGREE® dry food it ranges between 15 and 39%.

The ingredients available to us to use depend on the season, and also on our supply chain, since we use those materials not required for the human food chain.  This means that we vary some of the meat and animal derivatives in our recipes depending on what's available on the day, to help us ensure that your pet gets the right nutrition and the best quality food every time. On the label, we always state the variety that is guaranteed, but in addition to this, recipes can also contain other meat and animal derivatives, such as chicken, turkey, lamb or tripe.

All the ingredients we use in our food are there to fulfil a specific role such as providing nutrition, improving safety, enjoyment or owner satisfaction.

It is Mars policy never to use low quality ingredients. We have strict specifications for our recipes and will never compromise on quality.

For example, all the animal derivatives that we use are from animals that have been passed as suitable for human consumption and we fully comply with the European regulations on sourcing and processing of animal materials.

Mars has strict ingredient specifications as well as quality and vendor assurance programs designed to ensure the quality and composition of our products.

All the ingredients we use in pet food are there to fulfil a specific role such as providing nutrition, improving safety, enjoyment or owner satisfaction.

We only include dietary fibres that provide nutritional benefits. Dietary fibre has an important nutritional function to help support the healthy functioning of the digestive tract.

All our products are highly digestible which can only be achieved with good quality ingredients and no fillers.

PEDIGREE® main meal products are 100% Complete and Balanced, meaning they are formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of your dog according to his lifestage or lifestyle. They contain the right levels of energy and nutrients that your dog requires for a happy healthy life.

All of our foods have a feeding guide to help you ensure your dog is fed the correct amount of calories for his lifestage and lifestyle. The nutrients your dog requires are balanced for the energy your pet needs for a healthy weight.

We have strict specifications for the ingredients we use in our pet foods. We only purchase ingredients from suppliers that meet our rigorous approval process. All our pet foods must meet strict digestibility targets.

One of the most visible signs of health in a dog is their faeces. When a pet has diarrhoea it is concerning to the owner, and the cause is often linked to the food the pet is eating. However, diarrhoea is far more likely to be a result of illness, stress, or eating prey (wild mice or birds), human foods or foods found in bins or on the street.

Changing your dog's diet too quickly is another common cause of diarrhoea. Remember that if you're switching your dog from one food to another, you'll need to do it gradually over a period of around a week.

A small percentage of the pet population suffers from allergies, most of which are not related to diet. The majority of pet allergies are in response to environmental factors such as pollen, dust, fleas or mites.

Food allergies in pets are relatively rare and are estimated to account for less than 10% of all allergies. However, in the same way that some people cannot tolerate certain dietary components such as wheat gluten or cow’s milk protein, a small number of pets have allergies or dietary sensitivity to foods such as beef, wheat or dairy. The exact ingredients which affect a pet will vary between individuals, just as with people. Such pets may benefit from special diets with selected protein and carbohydrate sources, fed under veterinary advice, in order to avoid the specific ingredients which trigger their allergic response. However, such cases are in the minority and most dogs enjoy eating a variety of ingredients without any problems.

If you're worried your dog might have a food allergy, take them to see your vet. Your vet will be able to help diagnose any problems.

Your dog may not be able to tell you when something is wrong, but sadly 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 years have gum disease. This is caused by plaque and tartar build-up around the gum line.

The best way to care for your dog’s teeth is daily toothbrushing. If this is not practical, PEDIGREE^® DENTASTIX™ are a great way to care for your dog’s teeth.

Through a combination of a special texture and active ingredients, daily PEDIGREE^® DENTASTIX™ are scientifically proven to help reduce plaque and tartar build-up when fed as part of a regular oral care regime.

Healthy treats for happy dogs. Whether it be for training, rewarding or just playing, PEDIGREE^® Treats offer a tasty and responsible way to do this.  We consult with experts in nutrition, obesity, dentistry and dog behaviour to deliver best in class chews, treats and biscuits.  All our products have clear feeding guides to help reduce risk of overweight dogs.  We use a maximum hardness level to help avoid tooth fracture and we avoid ingredients that are not appropriate for dogs, for example fluoride and garlic.

More specifically, not only are DENTASTIX™ scientifically proven to reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar, they are also low in fat, with no added sugar, artificial colours or flavours.  The rest of our PEDIGREE^® treats contain Omega 3 fatty acids to help keep your dog fit for life, Vitamins to help maintain his natural defences, Minerals including calcium to help give him strong bones, and they are also free from artificial colours and flavours.