Frequently asked questions

Freshpet believes in the difference fresh pet food can make to the health of your pet. Therefore, we have made varieties appropriate for different consumers and their dogs available at many different outlets, including grocery stores, pet stores, and veterinary clinics. The choice between Freshpet formulas depends on the individual needs and preferences of you and your pet. All Freshpet foods are made according to our nutritional philosophy of fresh, meat based nutrition and minimal processing.

All Freshpet^® Foods:
• Made with Fresh Ingredients
• Gently Cooked & Ready to Serve
• Refrigerated
• All Natural, No Preservatives
• 100% Complete & Balanced

Freshpet Select – Natural, Nutritious, Refrigerated

Freshpet Select is a line of freshly prepared meals for dogs and cats. Each recipe includes only select ingredients, like high protein meats and eggs, vitamin-rich vegetables, and wholesome grains. The recipe is much like a meal you would prepare for your family with simple ingredients you are familiar with and can pronounce.

Freshpet Select offers a variety of recipes that your dog and cat will love. Freshpet Select is a good solution for finicky eaters and senior pets that are reluctant to eat.

Vital – Naturally Fresh. Inspired by Nature.

Inspired by ancestral wolf diets, Vital Recipes were created to mimic carnivorous diets with the benefits of leading edge nutrition. Vital Recipes contain 80% or more fresh poultry, meat or fish, are free of grains and include pomegranates, dark berries and leafy greens for antioxidant support.

If you’re interested in the benefits of a protein dense diet, Vital offers four varieties to address the preferences and nutritional needs of your dog, including single and multi-source protein recipes as well as unique proteins such as Salmon and Bison. Vital is also a safe and convenient alternative to raw feeding and home cooking regimens.

Deli Fresh – Fresh Nutrition for Pets

Deli Fresh formulas contain high fiber soluble and insoluble vegetables and wholesome grains to help promote digestive health, inulin which is a prebiotic that aids in the absorption of nutrients, and an ideal ratio of Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids for skin, coat, brain and eye health.

If you are interested in the health benefits that fresh ingredients can provide, Deli Fresh formulas combine the most bio-available protein sources with a multi-source fiber system for superior digestibility. Deli Fresh is great for active or working dogs that require nutrient dense foods. Also a great option for dogs with gastrointestinal issues.

Veterinary Nutrition – Fresh Nutrition to Support Health & Healing

Veterinary Nutrition, available exclusively at your veterinarian’s office, is made with high levels of quality protein sources to provide an ideal amino acid profile to support tissue regeneration and repair. Formulated with the optimal Omega 6:3 ratio, Veterinary Nutrition supports a healthy immune system, reduces inflammation and promotes healing.

Veterinary Nutrition is appropriate for convalescing pets as well as numerous medical conditions. Only your veterinarian can tell you if Veterinary Nutrition is right for your pet.

Freshpet^® foods are made in our own factory in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Dog Joy and Dog Nation Treats are manufactured at human food factories in Wisconsin, which Freshpet^® has partnered with due to their high standards and understanding that pets deserve the same high quality products as people.

Pandean or PAN diets stand for Pasteurized, All Natural, and Nutrient Dense. PAN is a scientific descriptor for fresh pet foods that adheres to the principle of minimal processing to retain nutrient value, contain only all natural ingredients, and are fresh & meat-based.

The vast majority of our ingredients come from the United States and Canada. We do our best to source locally from the United States wherever possible.

No, Freshpet^® foods are not organic. Few, if any, pet foods are 100% organic, due to difficulty in sourcing organic ingredients as well as their costliness. At Freshpet^®, our focus is on finding the highest quality, freshest, all natural ingredients.

Yes, Freshpet^® foods only use only all natural ingredients. You will not find any artificial preservatives or colors commonly found in other pet foods.

Freshpet^® food is fresh, NOT raw. It has been gently cooked and quickly cooled to eliminate any harmful bacteria or parasites. Our products undergo pasteurization similar to milk or cold cuts.

All of our poultry comes from Farmer’s Pride, a leading human poultry supplier. The poultry coming into our plant has been inspected by the USDA.

Poultry liver which consists of only chicken or turkey liver is a rich source of protein, nucleic acids, Vitamins A, D and most of the B Vitamins.

Carrageenan is an extract from red seaweed found in the North Atlantic coastal regions. It is used in human and pet foods as a thickener or gelling agent to help improve the form and texture of the product.

Inulin, also called chicory root, is a prebiotic which helps nutrient absorption. At the same time, inulin is a high quality, soluble and functional fiber source which helps the digestion process and nutrient absorption, especially in products that are high in fresh meat and fish.

Salt provides the essential nutrients sodium and chloride. Although sodium content in prepared foods is of concern to humans, dogs do not suffer from cardiovascular diseases like humans do. Our salt levels are within the ranges recommended by veterinary nutritionists.

The natural flavors are a proprietary blend of ingredients such as vinegar, celery, lemon juice, and natural hickory. The total amount is less than 2% of the recipe. These flavors enhance the natural flavors of the meat.

Freshpet^® recipes include small amounts brown rice, oats and barley in some of its formulas. These grains are a good source of soluble fiber for colon health. These grains are good alternatives for pets with allergic reactions to corn and wheat. Freshpet also offers grain-free varieties under its Vital brand.

Yes, they can be frozen, however no Freshpet^® foods are frozen before you purchase them in your local stores. If you choose to freeze the food, you may see a slight change in texture when thawed out.

Just like the fresh human food you buy, there is a “sell by” date on each Freshpet^® roll, pouch or container. Use the product within one week of the “sell by” date. All Freshpet products have a shelf life of 22 weeks or less to ensure only the freshest product reaches the consumer.

Dog Foods:
Slice & Serve Rolls – Use opened roll within 7 days. Cover open end with kitchen wrap or place in plastic bag.
Fresh Bites - Use contents of open pouch within 4 days.
Homestyle - Use contents of open container within 2 days.
Freshpet Treats – Use contents of open pouch within 14 days.
Cat Foods: Use contents of open container within 2 days.

Because Freshpet is fresh and refrigerated, not frozen, shipping our products is extremely costly. Until we find a more economical way to send our product, we cannot ship refrigerated Freshpet to your house.

All Freshpet^® meals are 100% complete and balanced. Freshpet^® food exceeds AAFCO’s minimum standards for canine and feline nutrition. While Freshpet’s treats for dogs are high quality and meat based, dogs require specific essential vitamins and minerals. To ensure your dog is getting all the nutrition he requires, feed a complete and balanced food.

Freshpet^® foods are a meat-based product, so you expect our product to be the same moisture content as fresh human grade meat. 70-75% moisture is the natural state of fresh meat. Chicken breast meat contains 74.6% moisture and fresh turkey meat contains 75.8%*.

*Reference USDA database

The Guaranteed Analysis is used to place a value on four nutrients, protein, fat, fiber, moisture however it doesn’t consider the water content of the product and can be misleading. Even the Food and Drug Administration admits to the importance of this problem on its website where it says; “To make meaningful comparisons of nutrient levels between a canned (or fresh) and dry product, they should be expressed on the same moisture basis.”

To determine the amount of protein on a dry matter basis:

• Subtract the moisture percentage from 100% to determine the dry matter percentage
• Divide the protein percentage by the percent of dry matter percentage
• Multiply by 100.

For a simple example, a product with 10% protein and 75% moisture is within the range of Freshpet products. (10% Protein/25% Dry Matter) x 100 = 40% Dry Matter Protein Content
• 100% Total Product -75% Moisture = 25% Dry Matter
• 10% Protein /25% Dry Matter = .4
• .4 x 100 = 40% Dry Matter Protein Content

This same formula can be used to determine the dry matter fat and fiber contents.

No, but keep in mind that Freshpet^® foods are concentrated nutrition so you do not need to feed as much as other less concentrated (dry) foods. For working dogs or those experiencing high levels of activity, increase food allowance by 15 to 25%. For overweight dogs, decrease food allowance by 10 to 20% until ideal or desired body condition is achieved.

For dogs that have pancreatic problems or have a compromised renal function (i.e. kidney), high protein diets made from meat and fish should be avoided. If your dog suffers from these conditions, consult your veterinarian to determine if Freshpet is appropriate for your dog.

Ask your veterinarian if Freshpet is appropriate for your pet’s specific condition before introducing Freshpet into his diet. You can also ask your veterinarian if Veterinary Nutrition, Freshpet’s veterinary exclusive formulas, are appropriate for your dog or cat’s condition.

Freshpet and Tyson created a strategic alliance focused on bringing new and innovative, refrigerated fresh pet food products to consumers. Freshpet’s commitment to fresh, high quality pet foods remains unchanged.

We are currently evaluating creating a line of fresh cat food for pet stores, but have no immediate plans to launch a cat food.

Yes, we are currently developing additional items that meet the nutritional needs of cats to add to the Freshpet line of pet foods.

Freshpet Veterinary Nutrition is only available by prescription by your veterinarian. The veterinarian exclusive formulas are designed with higher levels of protein and fat that may not be appropriate for all healthy pets. In addition, the formulas contain no grains or vegetables found in other Freshpet formulas.

Your veterinarian might recommend Veterinary Nutrition for post surgical recovery, cancer therapy, malnutrition and weight loss, dental extractions, gastrointestinal issues.

If you didn’t find the answer to your question here, please email us.