What Is Chicken Meal in Pet Food?

Various ingredients are included in commercial pet food---some good and some bad. It may be difficult to know what some of the ingredients are or what the difference is between meat products such as chicken and chicken meal. There is a difference between the two, and one may be healthier than the other.

  1. Chicken

    • When the word "chicken" is listed on the ingredients of your pet's food, it may not be what you think it is. A lot of people don't know that chicken has a lot of water in it. Petlanehome.com states that the definition of the chicken ingredient in pet food is chicken with or without skin and can include some bones from the carcass of the bird. When buying a product that includes only the word "chicken" you are also paying for the weight of the water that is in the chicken, and water will typically weigh more than the actual meat of the bird; up to 70 percent of chicken is just water, according to canidae.com.

    Chicken Meal

    • Chicken meal is considered to be the best protein source in pet foods because it is cooked chicken without the water included. The chicken is typically baked and rid of any bacteria and toxins. When you buy a product with chicken meal in it you are paying for the entire weight of the chicken, instead of water with a little bit of chicken.

    Chicken Byproducts

    • Chicken byproducts are an ingredient that should not be included in your dog's diet. Chicken byproduct is defined as being the ground, clean meat from the chicken carcass, which can include necks, intestines, feet and underdeveloped eggs. Byproducts can also include parts of the chicken that are not safe for human consumption, such as diseased or disabled meat. These ingredients are typically found in lower grades of dog foods.

    Other Healthy Ingredients

    • When choosing which commercial dog food to feed your dog, you should read the ingredients on the label and look for healthy ingredients. Naturapet.com suggests healthy ingredients include whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Other meats to look for are turkey, lamb, beef, herring and salmon. You should also look for antioxidants and chelated minerals such as iron proteinate.

    Ingredients to Avoid

    • While everyone wants his dog to eat healthfully, there are many commercial dog foods that contain unhealthy ingredients. You should avoid ingredients such as any animal byproducts or unnamed food ingredients. Grain remnants, animal fats, poultry fats and synthetic preservatives including BHA and BHT should not be included in your pet's diet. You will also want to avoid caramel coloring, along with FD&C coloring. These ingredients are not healthy for your canine and can often cause health problems.