Written By: Tiffany Ruiz Dasilva, VMD, cVMA | Professional Services Veterinarian, Wild Earth

When it comes to dog food, the saying "you pay for what you get" holds true. Quality ingredients and production methods often come at a higher cost, especially if a company chooses to use higher-end ingredients that are not subsidized. Dog food manufacturers that prioritize premium ingredients for their products have to bear the full cost of sourcing these ingredients, resulting in a higher price tag for consumers.

The Value of Using High-End Ingredients

While it may seem tempting to opt for cheaper dog food options, it's essential to consider the value and long-term benefits. Higher-end ingredients often translate to better nutritional profiles, ensuring that your furry friend receives the essential nutrients they need to thrive. These ingredients are carefully selected for their quality, nutritional content, and potential health benefits, making them a worthwhile investment in your pet's well-being.

The use of higher-end ingredients also reflects a company's commitment to transparency, ethical sourcing, and sustainability. Supporting such brands not only contributes to your dog's health but also encourages responsible practices in the pet food industry.

At Wild Earth, we expertly choose high quality, sustainable plant-based ingredients to provide your dog with the nutrition they need. Compared to animal sourced ingredients, plant-based ingredients are often subject to higher taxes and tariffs, may take more time and effort to prepare, and have higher production costs. All of these factors make them more costly.

Furthermore, meat-based dog kibble often contains animal byproducts and meat meals, which are generally unfit for human consumption, making them cheaper. While the cost of plant-based dog food may be slightly higher, the benefits outweigh the price difference, considering the potential positive impact on the environment, animal welfare, and your dog's overall health.

Plant-Based Feeding Could Lead to Longterm Cost Savings

It is important to remember that the upfront cost of premium dog food can be offset by potential savings on veterinary bills in the future. A balanced and nutrient-rich diet can promote optimal health, reducing the likelihood of costly health issues down the line.

Wild Earth dog food is free from the top 5 most common food allergens for dogs, making it a great choice especially for food allergic dogs. When you switch your food allergic dog to one of our plant-based recipes this will likely mean no more vet visits for recurrent ear infections, itchy skin and allergies.

To illustrate this, I have put together the typical cost for a dog repeatedly visiting the vet for food allergies in a year and compared that to the cost of feeding Wild Earth for one year.

Let’s consider a 25-lb dog named Prince. If Prince were to have gone to the vet 3 times for recurrent ear infections (about $150/visit including diagnosis, ear cleaning and medication) it would add up to $450. Then, let’s say Prince were to do a food trial to confirm food allergies with a prescription dog food for 3 months, that would add up to about $230. And it is likely that Prince would also need to receive 30 mg ($71.35/vial) allergy injections every 4 to 8 weeks (let’s use every 8 weeks), which would add up to $428.10/year. With the associated fees for vet visits ($50/visit), estimating roughly 7 visits, would add $350. All together this would roughly cost $1,458.10.

Now let’s consider the cost of feeding Wild Earth to Prince for one year which would be about $1.88/day or $686.20/year. So starting with Wild Earth would save Prince’s owner $771.90.

All in all, while dog food companies that utilize higher-end, unsubsidized ingredients may be more expensive, the cost is reflective of the quality, nutritional value, and ethical considerations involved.

Investing in your dog's health through Wild Earth’s premium dog food can lead to a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life for your beloved companion dog.