How long does dog food stay fresh? I have food over a year old from a previous dog. Is it OK to use?

Question

I no longer have the bag to check the expiration. It was stored inside a container.

Take it easy. I do have fresh food on hand.

Answer 1

Most dog foods are good for about 8-12 months from the date of manufacture (dry foods). If they have been opened then they only have a shelf life of about 3-4 months. This food is no longer safe to feed.

Answer 2

Dry dog food is ment to last a while as long as it is kept in a decent container. Honestly, a plastic container or bin is NOT a good place for dog food, even when it is new. Plastic is folded and shaped and made with chemicals and other items that could be hazardous to food. I'm not talking about Glad products or anything made for kitchen use. I'm talking about storage plastics or trash plastics or trash cans. The best place to keep the dry kibble is hoenstly, the bag it comes in. Normally, inside the bag, I'd say it could last a couple months. I personally would not feed any of my dogs from food over a year old. The safest bet, is to go out and get a new bag. Also, when getting a new bag, look for a good company that uses some protien (chicken,meat,lamb,fish) as the first ingredient. This is MUCH healther for the animal. If your short on cash, borrow it. If you have no one to lend you the cash, use a credit card. If both fail, use the current food only until you can afford a new bag.

Answer 3

I'm guessing Zak doesn't have his pets for very long! Funny answer I suppose, but bleach is toxic when ingested and it is always toxic to cats! Not good to use bleach in high concentrations around pets. The safe ratio is something like 30 parts water to 1 part bleach; this will kill most of the common infectious bacteria found to be harmful to our pets.
BUT, to answer your question...I overhead a vet answer this question by saying, "would you eat cookies or chips that had been stored that way for that length of time?" Food gets stale once it is opened and exposed to air. The oils found in dry dog food can go rancid rather quickly when stored in a warm area. Our noses may not be able to detect spoiled dry dog food but the dog isn't enjoying it much. He knows that he doesn't have a choice, he has to eat what you give him so he'll eat it anyway. Their stomachs can tolerate much more than ours can, but don't they deserve to be fed fresh yummy food?
Yes, the expiration date is the first place to check if the bag has never been opened. Otherwise I'd say the "would you eat...?" test is accurate enough for me!
This, by the way, is why many shelters and rescue organizations will not use opened bags of food that are donated to them, regardless of the expiration date. They can't be certain is hasn't been tampered with or old food poured into a newer bag. If, they can determine the bag is simply a broken, but otherwise, fresh bag donated by a retailer, they are likely to use it to feed their animals.

Answer 4

I would absolutely NOT feed year old food to a dog. The fat in it will be rancid by now.
You are asking for a vet bill.
If you can't afford to take good care of your new dog, don't get it. Just out of curiosity: what happened to the original dog?

Answer 5

They use a natural preservative. Most bags are lined to preserve the food for a few weeks after opening if you close the bag after each use. How long it will stay fresh depends a lot on humidity and temperatures. I place my open bags inside an airtight container. If it's a large bag I place the open bag inside a trash can with a,lid.

Answer 6

I think food that's a year old I would throw out. You could call a vet's office and ask them. I'm sure it does go bad at some point, but I don't know when.

Answer 7

If it has been opened then i would say dont do it. Dog food is not that expensive (even the "GOOD" brands). Dont be a cheap *** and risk your dog eating expired food. Would you eat cereal that sat in your cupboard for a year OPENED??? Good luck with the new dog.

Answer 8

if its dried food there will be an expiry date on the packet if it has been opened the answer is no food goes off as soon as you open the bag or tin...dont be a cheapskate buy fresh food you could cause all sorts of health problems and that will cost you more in vet bills.......

Answer 9

I would feed it to my dog! How old is the dog food you buy in the store? How long has it been in a warehouse?

Answer 10

I'd throw it away. I wouldn't want to eat year-old cereal or crackers that were stored in a plastic container.