Pet food freshness levels start to decrease as soon as you open the can or bag
Q: What’s the best way to store pet food, and how can I know if it has gone bad?
Pet foods contain preservatives to help ensure that food stays fresh, but once you open a can or a bag, the freshness level starts to decrease. You can take several steps to help food stay fresh and to know if it’s time to replace it.
• Check the “best by” date before buying. Don’t buy the food if you don’t think you’ll be able to use it all before the date given.
• Once you open a bag of dry food, use it all within four to six weeks.
• If you feed dry food, keep it in the original bag instead of pouring it into another container. The fat in the food forms a film on the container, and you’ll need to clean it regularly with soap and water to prevent the food from becoming rancid. It’s better to place the original bag inside an airtight container to help it stay fresh and prevent raids by bugs or mice.
• Store dry food in a cool, dry place under 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat can cause fat in food to go rancid more quickly.
• If your pet doesn’t eat an entire can of food at one meal, refrigerate the remainder in a glass or plastic container with a tight lid. The food will keep better that way than if you leave it in the can covered with a plastic lid or aluminum foil.
• Use your nose. Give dry food a good sniff to make sure it doesn’t smell stale. And even if it smells all right to you, trust your pet’s sniffer. If he turns up his nose at the food or eats with less enthusiasm, it may be time to replace it.
— Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton
PET BUZZ
Reptiles can be good companions
Reptiles have a number of advantages as pets. They’re quiet, can have long life spans, require little to no exercise, usually don’t need to be fed daily and their waste is easy to remove. They even have personalities and form bonds with their people. Many are active and curious, making them interesting to watch as they explore their habitat.
Depending on the species, reptiles can be good choices for both children and adults. Good “beginner” reptiles include ball pythons, bearded dragons, corn snakes and small box turtles or tortoises.
Whatever you choose, do your homework to make sure you understand and can meet the animal’s needs. Talk to an accredited expert before acquiring a reptile. That can be a veterinarian who specializes in exotics or someone who does reptile education for a rescue group or other organization.
The 'curly' is not a Labradoodle
If you see a dog who resembles a retriever with a curly coat, don’t assume he’s a Labradoodle. He may be an unusual breed called a curly-coated retriever.
The curly, as he’s nicknamed, was developed in the 18th century and is one of the oldest of the retrieving breeds. Bred to hunt pheasant, quail and grouse and retrieve waterfowl, the curly is a wickedly smart, independent thinker. His coat has small, tight, crisp curls. (Don’t blow-dry it unless you want him to look like a Chia Pet.) The coat sheds a little year-round, with a heavier shed twice a year.
Secondhand smoke can be deadly to pets
Do you smoke around your pet? You could be threatening his health — and even his life.
Secondhand smoke can cause malignant lymphoma in cats, lung and nasal cancer in dogs, and respiratory problems and allergies in both species. Other potential side effects include inflammation and pulmonary cancers. E-cigarettes aren’t any safer: Pets can be poisoned if they eat the nicotine cartridges.
Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker. Pet Connection is produced by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, journalist Kim Campbell Thornton, and dog trainer/behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. ©2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Pet Connection: Storing pet food to help it stay fresh
