Some guardians choose to buy bulk dog food instead of traditional dog or cat food. This choice is made mainly because of its reduced value. Bulk dog or cat food is offered outside the original packaging. It is stored in containers or plastic bags and sold by the kilo. Therefore, buying bulk food turns out to be advantageous in terms of price: the guardianpay only the amount you want at a lower price. However, buying bulk dog and cat food can be expensive in other aspects, such as nutritional quality and hygiene. Check out 6 reasons why it is better not to buy bulk food.

1) Bulk feed is improperly stored

The traditional cat or dog food bags that we find in pet shops are specifically made with the aim of ensuring that the product inside is protected, even after opening. In the case of bulk food, the food is in plastic bags or containers that were not made for this purpose. Therefore, the storage of the food is not adequate. In addition, they are open for a long time.In other words, in the bulk type, feed is exposed to humidity, different temperatures and external agents several times throughout the day.

2) Bulk feed has less nutrients due to poor storage

The fact that bulk food containers are exposed too much causes problems for the animal's health. External factors such as humidity, temperature and light influence the conservation of any food. Bulk food in direct contact with these elements undergoes a process called oxidation, which causes the loss of nutrients from dog or cat food. With this, the nutritional values decreaseAs bulk dog and cat food lacks essential nutrients, it becomes an unhealthy food.

3) Insects, rodents and fungi can contaminate bulk feed more easily

Bulk dog food compromises the animal's health in several ways. In addition to the loss of nutrients due to exposure to the environment, the food is exposed to agents such as rats, insects and cockroaches since the bag is constantly open. In addition, storing dog food the wrong way leaves the food subject to the action of fungi and bacteria, as they proliferate more easilyIf the animal eats contaminated feed, the chances of food poisoning are high, usually with reactions such as vomiting and diarrhea.

4) It is not possible to know the nutritional values accurately when buying bulk feed

In an original dog food package we can find all the nutritional information of the food, such as the amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, dyes, among other elements. As bulk food is stored in ordinary plastic containers and bags, it is not possible to find this information when buying it. So there is no way to know exactly what food is being consumed,ensure which brand and what its nutritional values are.

5) Bulk feed does not allow control of what is being ingested by the animal.

Each pet needs to eat an amount of food and nutrients appropriate to its age and weight. In addition, some pets may be allergic to certain components or need one nutrient more than others. That's why nutritional information is so important: it helps you measure the amount of food your pet needs according to age, weight and size. In bulk type, the feed isIt's hard to know if that food is really suitable for your pet's age group and health conditions. You could be feeding a food high in lipids and low in protein, for example, and never know.

6) The expiry date of bulk cat and dog food is rarely informed

Many places that sell bulk feed stock the products for a long time. They are large compartments and, as the food comes out, a new one is put in place. In other words: old and new feed mix and it is impossible to know which is fresh and which is old. Thus, there is a huge risk of offering expired feed. Because they are sold in plastic packaging, the expiration dateThis means that there is a high chance that the animal is eating spoiled food that will cause serious damage to its health.