The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has published a set of questions to ask when selecting a dog food. These questions are meant to help pet parents make an informed decision when selecting food for their dog. Though WSAVA does not offer any certifications, below are the WSAVA questions along with Spot & Tango’s answers in blue.
This allows a member of the veterinary team or the pet owner to contact the manufacturer to ask the following questions:
We work with a team of animal nutritionists and DVMs who lead the product development process from R&D and recipe formulation, to lab analysis, feeding tests, and licensing. This team is employed on a part-time basis. Names are available upon request.
Appropriate qualifications are either a PhD in animal nutrition or board-certification by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) or the European College of Veterinary Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN). What is this nutritionist’s name and qualifications?
Dr. Susan Lauten, PhD
AAVN – American Association of Veterinary Nutrition
Medical Advisory Board, Knoxville Zoo
Reviewer for American Veterinary Medical Association and Journal of Nutrition
If the latter, do they meet AAFCO nutrient profiles by formulation or by analysis of the finished product?
Yes, our recipes are developed according to the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and are Complete & Balanced for All Life Stages. Recipes meet AAFCO nutrient profiles by formulation and by analysis of the finished product.
Spot & Tango’s recipes are prepared in state-of-the-art, USDA audited, SQF Level 3 facilities in New York and Wisconsin.
Spot & Tango has stringent quality control processes from procurement, to production, packaging, and distribution. Our suppliers are thoroughly audited to ensure the highest quality standards, and each ingredient we use is USDA-certified for human consumption (a higher safety standard than most pet foods). Meals are made in small batches at low temperatures because it gives us more control to maintain nutritional integrity and proper safety. We then test each batch for foodborne diseases such as Salmonella and E. Coli prior to packaging. Our Fresh recipes are perishable, and thus require additional safety considerations. These meals are flash-frozen and safely shipped using dry ice and insulation to maintain freshness. By inspecting each ingredient and rigorously testing throughout the supply chain, we ensure that every meal meets our high standards for quality and safety – from farm to bowl.
(Can they provide an average/ typical analysis, not just the guaranteed analysis which is only the minimums or maximums and not an exact number)? You should be able to ask for any nutrient - e.g. protein, phosphorus, sodium, etc. - and get an exact number. This should ideally be given on an energy basis (i.e. grams per 100 kilocalories or grams per 1,000 kilocalories), rather than on an ‘as fed’ or ‘dry matter’ basis which don’t account for the variable energy density of different foods.
Our guaranteed analyses for all products can be found on our recipes page! If you have more specific questions about a nutrient, we’re happy to share that information upon request.
Please visit our recipes page for a breakdown of caloric value (kcal/g) by recipe.
Are the results published in peer-reviewed journals?
All of our products undergo extensive
research and development before they’re
made available to you and your pup! This
process includes research, recipe
formulation, prototyping, lab analysis,
feeding tests, and licensing. We work
with a team of experts in animal
nutrition throughout this rigorous
process, including an industry leading
veterinary nutritionist. All recipes
have undergone extensive testing at New
Jersey Feed Lab and Midwest Laboratories
to guarantee proper amino acid, fatty
acid, and vitamin and mineral levels
appropriate for dogs.
Thousands of happy dogs are thriving on
a fresh, real ingredient diet from Spot
& Tango. Though we haven’t yet published
any peer-reviewed studies, we hope to
make that research available in the
future.
In some countries (including the US), the AAFCO adequacy statement is included on the label. This statement confirms three important facts:
All over- the-counter foods should be complete and balanced. If the statement reads ’for intermittent or supplemental use only,’ it is not complete and balanced. That may be acceptable if it is a veterinary therapeutic diet and is being used for a specific purpose - e.g. in a case of severe kidney disease - but should be avoided in over- the-counter pet foods.
Yes, Spot & Tango is Complete and Balanced.
AAFCO provides nutrient profiles and feeding trial requirements for growth, reproduction, and adult maintenance, but not for senior/geriatric pets. A food that is formulated to meet the AAFCO profiles for all life stages must meet the minimum nutrient levels for both growth and adult maintenance.
Spot & Tango is intended for All Life Stages.
Labels may include one of two statements regarding nutritional adequacy: “[Name] is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog (or Cat) Food Nutrient Profiles for [life stage(s)].” (Analysis of food.), “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate [Name] provides complete and balanced nutrition for [life stage(s)].” (Feeding trial evaluation of food.)
Spot & Tango is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, including growth, reproduction, and adult maintenance.
Formulated foods are manufactured so the ingredients meet specified levels, either based on the recipe or on analytical testing of the finished product, without testing via feeding trials. While feeding trials help to test for the food’s nutritional adequacy, the use of feeding trials does not guarantee that the food provides adequate nutrition under all conditions. It is important to ensure that the criteria in section A also help to ensure that the food is made by a reputable and knowledgeable company with strict quality control measures.