Do I Need to Refrigerate Canned Dog Food After Opening?
Canned dog food is a convenient and nutritious choice for pet owners. It is shelf-stable, meaning it can be kept unopened at room temperature for up to a year.
But what about after you open the can? Should you refrigerate canned dog food?
The answer depends on the type of canned dog food you have chosen. If your product is a wet, canned food with meat as the primary ingredient, then it should be refrigerated after opening.
This type of food spoils quickly and bacteria can form if left at room temperature for too long. To ensure your pet’s safety, discard any uneaten portions after 24 hours of being opened.
On the other hand, if your canned dog food has grains as the primary ingredient then refrigeration may not be necessary. This type of food has less moisture than wet foods and will stay fresh longer at room temperature before spoiling. It also contains preservatives that slow down bacterial growth and help to keep it fresh longer than wet foods would be able to on their own.
In either case, always check the expiration date before feeding your pet canned food that has been opened or stored in the refrigerator for an extended period of time. If the expiration date has passed, do not feed it to your pet as it may make them ill.
It is also important to note that storing opened cans in the refrigerator can cause oxidation and can affect both taste and nutrition over time which could lead to your pet refusing it once served. If you decide to refrigerate canned dog food after opening, make sure to consume it within 2-3 days of opening for optimal flavor and nutrition benefits for your pup!
In conclusion, if your canned dog food contains meat as its primary ingredient then yes, you should refrigerate it after opening in order to ensure your pet’s safety from bacteria growth. However, if grains are the primary ingredient then refrigeration may not be necessary but either way always check the expiration date before feeding opened cans of dog food and discard any unused portions within 24 hours of being opened or 2-3 days when stored in a refrigerator in order to maintain optimal taste and nutrition benefits for your pup!
Do I Need to Refrigerate Canned Dog Food After Opening? – The answer depends on what type of canned dog food you have chosen with wet foods containing meat as their primary ingredient needing refrigeration while grain-based foods may not need refrigeration depending on how long they have been stored or opened but always check expiration dates before feeding them and discard uneaten portions within 24 hours or 2-3 days when stored in a refrigerator respectively for optimal taste and nutrition benefits for pets.