Human-grade food for dogs is tested in six month feeding trial

The Honest Kitchen, an animal food brand that offers human-grade food, recently completed a 6-month study to substantiate the nutritional adequacy of its human-grade offerings. According to the organizational release, this was an in-home, comprehensive Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) feeding trial.¹

Over 6 months, 3 trials were conducted with 8 dogs per trial. A third-party veterinary group that knows AAFCO standards and The Honest Kitchen’s products conducted the trials. The companies dehydrated grain-free chicken recipe, dehydrated whole-grain chicken recipe, and clusters grain-free chicken recipe for dogs were fed exclusively to the participants for the duration of the trial.¹

“Being able to conduct a feeding trial that goes far above and beyond the basic AAFCO protocol, with dogs living in the comfort of their own familiar surroundings means we have not only been able to prove the health-sustaining benefits of our foods in a scientific manner, but also do it in a conscientious, humane way, which is of paramount importance to me personally, and to the brand,” said Lucy Postins, founder of The Honest Kitchen.¹

The dogs involved in the trial were of multiple breeds and remained living in their own homes for the trial's duration to ensure their comfort and well-being. The dogs selected were also up-to-date on vaccines and flea/tick preventatives, in good health, had no concurrent medical conditions, and were not on any medications.¹

To measure the dogs, weigh-ins, body condition scoring, and muscle condition scoring were performed at the beginning, middle, and end of each trial. Blood work was also taken 3 separate times and included complete blood counts, serum chemistry blood panels, plasma amino acid profiles, whole blood taurine levels, and cardiac biomarker parameters.¹

Echocardiograms were taken once at the start of the trial and once more at the end of six months. Weekly stool samples were collected from each dog partaking in the study.¹ Additional data came from the dog owners' feedback on their dog's overall well-being, energy levels, and performance in their sporting activities.

Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, reviewed the study and stated, “Whole blood and plasma taurine levels are important markers for cardiac health, and echocardiograms further help to confirm that the heart is functioning normally. The results of these in-home feeding trials demonstrate that The Honest Kitchen’s diets are safe for cardiac health and overall well-being.”¹

The Honest Kitchen reported all of their measurements showed positive and ideal health results.¹

Reference

The Honest Kitchen Completes In-Home AAFCO Feeding Trials to Substantiate the Nutritional Benefits of its Human-Grade Food for Dogs. News release. The Honest Kitchen. May 5, 2022. Accessed May 12, 2022.