Refrigerated, fresh dog food is a growing market that is predicted to increase to US$473 million in annual sales by 2012, research firm Packaged Facts told The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois, USA) in a recent online article.

The Freshpet Select brand sold at Schnucks is a mixture of brown rice, eggs, peas, carrots and barely cooked meats (chicken, turkey, beef, liver), plus added vitamins and minerals.

“It’s been here over a year, and it’s going really well,” said Dennis McCaddon, grocery manager at the Schnucks in Springfield,. “Customers are saying their dogs really love it.”

Packaged Facts attributes the popularity of fresh dog food to convenience, technological advances, better distribution channels and heightened food-safety concerns.

The WellPet Foundation, part of Wellness Natural Pet Food, recently donated 120 tons of dog food to animal shelters and rescue organizations in the US.

That equates to one bowl of kibble for 500,000 dogs, according to the company.

As the economic crunch persists, some animal shelters are facing challenges in providing enough food and proper nutrition to record numbers of pets being left in their care.

Dawgs N Texas, an animal wellness group and sanctuary based in Dalhart, Texas, USA, received some of the food.

"It is reassuring to know that our dogs will be well nourished and sustained as we help them to find loving homes," said Diane Trull of Dawgs N Texas.

Iams Nature’s Wellness cat food was been named petfood of the Year in last week’s Product of the Year awards. Iams said the award recognizes the product’s healthy balance and the company’s commitment to the long-term health of cats, according to an article by Glee Wire (UK).

“Iams is a brand that is all about offering cats a healthy diet for a lifetime of love,” said Iams UK and Ireland business leader Sophie Holdcroft. “It is great that this award recognizes that.”

Nature’s Wellness, which launched last February, is aimed at the premium end of the petfood market and contains 26% meat along with tomatoes, peas, carrots, spinach and apple. The company has branded the cat food as a five-a-day food, reflecting the government’s healthy eating campaign aimed at humans.

A formerly porky Labrador has been crowned the United Kingdom’s (UK) best slimming pet by a veterinary charity after shedding 22 pounds, according to an article on BBC News.

Keano, from Plymouth, England, UK, was so overweight at 101.4 pounds, he could not roll over on his back before joining the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) scheme.

Five obese dogs and one cat completed PDSA’s 100-day diet and fitness program, devised by vets.

The charity said canine obesity rose by 9% in the last year, which can cause potentially fatal conditions.

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), USA’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently analyzed medical claims received in 2008 to find the year’s most common pet maladies, according to a VPI press release.

The results indicate that pets visit the veterinarian for many of the same reasons humans visit the doctor, with ear infections the No. 1 condition for dogs and lower urinary tract disease No. 1 for cats. The top 10 conditions accounted for nearly 340,000, or close to 25%, of all canine and feline medical claims received in 2008.

“The large number of claims received for these medical conditions attests to their often repetitive or chronic nature,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “A dog with allergies, for example, will most likely require continuing care and a cat with diabetes will be no stranger to the veterinarian’s office.”

With PetAg’s new CatSlim, cat owners can help their pets slim down with the first all-natural, low-calorie liquid meal replacement designed especially for the species, according to a PetAg news release. 

CatSlim, which will be on shelves sometime this spring, is designed to offer a nutrition-packed alternative to regular feedings in a highly concentrated formula that naturally helps curb appetites while helping to metabolize fat.

“CatSlim joins a long line of trusted, effective health and wellness products introduced by PetAg,” said Darlene Frudakis, president and COO for PetAg.