# Do you ever use dog or cat food beyond the expiration date?



## Ruthanne (Sep 29, 2017)

I bought some dog food today that is beyond the "Best if used by" date.  From what I read on the internet it can lack the nutritional value it once had.  I am going to take it back.  I wouldn't feel right feeding it to my dog.

https://www.thespruce.com/expired-dog-cat-food-dates-2661772


----------



## Falcon (Sep 29, 2017)

Hell no !   Since your pet can't read,  it's  depending  upon YOU  to  feed it properly.

If you don't,  your pet is probably  a lot smarter than YOU !


----------



## RadishRose (Sep 29, 2017)

Good for you Ruth.


----------



## tnthomas (Sep 29, 2017)

My dogs gobble up the food so fast it doesn't have a chance to go beyond the "best if used by" date.

Seriously though,  I don't worry too much about those kind of dates, even with human food and medication.   

Exception:    Unless the item is waaay out of date.

I could do a huge cut 'n paste, but here's a link to what the USDA says about product dating:

Food Product Dating


----------



## SeaBreeze (Sep 29, 2017)

I'm very careful about expiration dates when I buy things, including pet food.  If I kept it around the house for awhile and it was a short time after the expiration date, I would probably feed it.  To me dry food should be around a year ahead in expiration when I buy it, otherwise it's pretty old if it expires this month or in two months.  I won't buy it.  

I buy some quality canned for both my dog and cat, and always read the dates on the cans and check that it's not swollen at all, etc.  I've found expired dates still on the shelves several times in the past in various stores, and I'll be sure to tell someone in charge to remove it from the shelves.  Even if discounted, I wouldn't buy old pet food.  

For myself I make a judgement call, go by looks, smell and how much it's out of date.  Some canned or boxed goods I'll use, less likely if it's a dairy product, have also used expired pills and supplements before with no bad side effects.

Ruth, you were smart to return it!


----------



## Ruthanne (Sep 29, 2017)

I am going to return it.  I forgot to check in the store.  When I got it home I saw that it had expired by 4 mos.  Going to return it soon.


----------



## Topcat (Sep 30, 2017)

Shame on the store. They are supposed to check those things.


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 1, 2017)

Topcat said:


> Shame on the store. They are supposed to check those things.


I know.  Now I have to spend my gas to go back and return it.


----------



## Falcon (Oct 1, 2017)

Good for you  Ruthanne.  Pets are like family.  They should be fed  as such.


----------



## CeeCee (Oct 1, 2017)

Ruthanne said:


> I know.  Now I have to spend my gas to go back and return it.




I would hope they give back your money and give you a new bag free of charge.  Someone wasn't doing their job removing that bag from the shelf.

Stores are pretty good about that, at least that's been my experience.


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 1, 2017)

CeeCee said:


> I would hope they give back your money and give you a new bag free of charge.  Someone wasn't doing their job removing that bag from the shelf.
> 
> Stores are pretty good about that, at least that's been my experience.


I'm going this week to take it back. Luckily I bought another bag at the same time that is still fresh.  I don't know if they will give me a free bag; I read they don't even have to take back expired stuff and can keep it on the shelf.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Oct 1, 2017)

I started shopping at a new pet supply store near my house because the prices were reasonable.  Then it seemed that almost every time I checked out, they made mistakes on my total, so I was always having to double check and recount and then it was a big ordeal for them to make it right on my credit card (they didn't take checks).

After awhile I started to see price increases on the shelves almost every time I visited, and outdated canned foods for both dogs and cats.  As the prices kept increasing, so did the mistakes at the register, it seemed they had a lot of different people working there, but nobody really knew what they were doing, and many times preoccupied with their cell phones.

A couple of times after I told them about outdated cans, sometimes up to a year old, they said they would remove them, but they were still there the next time I shopped.  On the last mistake at the register, I told them that I would not shop there anymore, and told them all the reasons why.  Never stepped foot in there again, luckily I have another decent pet supply store near me that I started using after that.  I don't like being limited to Petsmart and Petco, they have high prices and not that much variety, but I do get my dry cat food at Petsmart.  Walmart and supermarkets don't have the brands I feed.


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 1, 2017)

SeaBreeze said:


> I started shopping at a new pet supply store near my house because the prices were reasonable.  Then it seemed that almost every time I checked out, they made mistakes on my total, so I was always having to double check and recount and then it was a big ordeal for them to make it right on my credit card (they didn't take checks).
> 
> After awhile I started to see price increases on the shelves almost every time I visited, and outdated canned foods for both dogs and cats.  As the prices kept increasing, so did the mistakes at the register, it seemed they had a lot of different people working there, but nobody really knew what they were doing, and many times preoccupied with their cell phones.
> 
> A couple of times after I told them about outdated cans, sometimes up to a year old, they said they would remove them, but they were still there the next time I shopped.  On the last mistake at the register, I told them that I would not shop there anymore, and told them all the reasons why.  Never stepped foot in there again, luckily I have another decent pet supply store near me that I started using after that.  I don't like being limited to Petsmart and Petco, they have high prices and not that much variety, but I do get my dry cat food at Petsmart.  Walmart and supermarkets don't have the brands I feed.


This is why I usually shop at Chewy.com.  If they make a mistake they send you a free package of whatever was the mistake and they don't make mistakes often.  They are great and I am not going to go to Pet Supplies Plus after I take back that 5# bag of expired food!


----------



## SeaBreeze (Oct 1, 2017)

I try to get a lot of stuff in the brick and mortar stores, prefer it to shopping online.  But I may have a change of heart in the future.


----------



## Topcat (Oct 1, 2017)

I've also been using Chewy. Other than once when the lid's of litter popped open and made a BIG mess. I've had pretty good results. One thing to keep in mind though is despite their "quick" shipping promise sometimes it's not so quick. They use FedEx to deliver their goods and they claim that Fedex doesn't deliver, (to homes  anyway) on Monday.
That kind of P.O.ed me once when I was really low on cat food.


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 2, 2017)

Topcat said:


> I've also been using Chewy. Other than once when the lid's of litter popped open and made a BIG mess. I've had pretty good results. One thing to keep in mind though is despite their "quick" shipping promise sometimes it's not so quick. They use FedEx to deliver their goods and they claim that Fedex doesn't deliver, (to homes  anyway) on Monday.
> That kind of P.O.ed me once when I was really low on cat food.


I always get their stuff in one or two days but I live in an apt.


----------

