Future pet-food labels that indicate the number of calories per serving could help obese animals, a veterinarians association recommended to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday.
"Pet owners do not always know how much to feed. They may not realize the high number of calories associated with some of the pet food they are giving their pets," said John Branam, testifying on behalf of the American Medical Veterinary Association.
The FDA held the hearing as part of legislation passed last year that requires the Center for Veterinary Medicine to establish pet-food-labeling standards in two years.
According to the veterinary group, 54 million pets in the United States are obese, an "epidemic" that the association said is growing at an alarming rate.
Nancy Cook, vice president of the Pet Food Institute's technical and regulatory affairs division, said calorie labels are unnecessary and won't prevent obesity in pets.
"It doesn't work for people," said Cook, a voice for the industry's manufacturers.
The labels contain serving sizes based on a pet's size. Calorie information can be obtained from food manufacturers, she said.
But the veterinary group said it's not consumers' and veterinarians' jobs to track down manufacturers for that information.
A standard nutritional label that lists the number of calories per weight of food and per household items, such as a can or a cup, would prevent owners from overfeeding their pets, the group said.
The information also would help consumers and veterinarians compare and choose the best food, Branam said. For example, two cups of one product could have the same calories as one cup of another.
Although pet obesity is determined by other factors, such as genetics, the environment and medical influence, a standard label would make it easier for vets to recommend portions, Branam said.
Written by The Seattle Times Company
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