NPP Journal - NorthPoint Pets

Store News and Updates

Q&A session with Morgan Hunt
In our interview with Morgan, she dives into her typical day as a vet tech, her most memorable moment at work, why she loves to write for our blog, introduces us to her adorable pets, and more!
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Bored Pet? Boredom Bags™ to the Rescue!
Much like humans, pets need mental and physical stimulation. When they’re bored, pets are likely to get into trouble and act disruptive. We've got a solution to keep them safe, happy, and entertained: Boredom Bags™!
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Blog, Food For Thought

Where’s All the Pet Food?!

If you feed canned food to your four-legged companion, it’s likely that you’ve noticed some gaps in the store shelves lately. Some canned pet food items, ranging from grocery brands to premium quality, have been out of stock for weeks or even months. While your pet’s food may not seem like an item to be affected by the pandemic, the COVID ripple has in fact impacted the pet industry tremendously on many levels. Couple this with a large boom in pet adoptions, where the industry has also seen increased demand.

Blog, Store News and Updates

Q&A with our Newest Pack Manager Jenna

In our interview with Jenna, the new Leader of the NorthPoint Pets Pack, she dives into her pet food industry background, recommends some of her favorite pet products, gives great NPP shopping advice, introduces us to her adorable pets, and more!

Blog, Food Quality, Nutrition, Research

Everything You Need to Know About Aflatoxin and Your Pet’s Food

Hundreds of thousands of pounds of pet food have been recalled for contamination with
aflatoxin. Such recalls have been responsible for hundreds, and maybe thousands of pet deaths –
and you may be wondering why such recalls keep happening. The truth is that recalls for
contaminants like aflatoxin contamination are preventable. When pets become ill or die it is very
frustrating for pet parents and anyone in the pet industry. Illness from aflatoxin is called
aflatoxicosis. It can be hard to diagnose since signs associated with it are called ‘non-specific’. In
other words, they are vague and can be the same for many diseases and conditions. So, what do
you need to know as a pet owner? Let’s tackle the basics.

Blog, Food Quality, Nutrition

‘Voluntary’ Pet Food Recalls are NOT Voluntary

Many pet owners, retailers and veterinarians believe that ‘voluntary’ pet food recalls show that pet food companies have caught problems as a result of quality and safety checks. However, this is mostly false. In fact, some of the largest and most dangerous pet food recalls were not caught by the pet food manufacturer – and instead a regulatory authority. So why are these recalls labeled as ‘voluntary?

Blog, Food Quality, Nutrition, Research

Must Read: Aflatoxin Pet Food Recalls

Recently a recall of SportMix dog and cat foods due to ‘potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin’ was announced by the FDA & Midwestern Pet Foods. SportMix is manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods who also makes well-known brands Earthborn, ProPac, Venture, Wholesomes, CanineX and most recently their ancient grain food Unrefined. The first FDA update indicated 28 dogs reported dead, and at least 8 more ill, with 70+ ill and 80+ dead as of the second announcement. It’s likely the FDA announcements will result in more reported cases.

If you are feeding SportMix, you can check the most recent FDA announcement for lot and date codes to see if your food has been recalled. If your pet is ill, be sure to contact your veterinarian right away. You can learn more about filing a Pet Food Complaint with the FDA here: Report A Complaint.

The recall was prompted when the Missouri Department of Agriculture tested multiple SportMix products which contained very high levels of aflatoxin. Currently, the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the FDA are investigating the incident to determine how and why the foods contained such high levels of aflatoxin.

Blog, Nutrition, Research

Pet Owners: Why You Can’t Rely on the Guaranteed Analysis

Pet owners, veterinarians and retailers often rely on the guaranteed analysis (GA) of pet foods to help determine if the food provides adequate nutrition and to assess quality. Is this a good way to evaluate foods? The GA provides percentages – but does it tell us anything about the grams of protein, fat or other amount of other nutrients like calcium?

Blog, Store News and Updates

And the Pet Industry Disruptor Award Goes to…

Our very own Store Owner Nicci Cammack just received the Pet Industry Disruptor Award from Rogue Pet Science. Nicci was recognized for always telling it like it is when it come to pet nutrition, and putting pets before profits. Congratulations!

Food For Thought

I was feeding Performatrin: Now what do I do?

Large chain stores and online retailers such as Pet Valu, Chewy, Pet Smart, Costco and Petco have their own ‘in-house’ brands of dog food to help build customer loyalty. In reality all these ‘house brands’ are essentially a mimic on top selling pet foods under their private label or “house brand”. Their product is a literal copycat of top-selling foods in the marketplace and does not provide anything more superior to what is available to your local pet store. Sales associates are trained to direct consumers to their house brand because they make more money by selling you their brand.

Blog, Food Quality

I was feeding Performatrin: Now what do I do?

Large chain stores and online retailers such as Pet Valu, Chewy, Pet Smart, Costco and Petco have their own ‘in-house’ brands of dog food to help build customer loyalty. In reality all these ‘house brands’ are essentially a mimic on top selling pet foods under their private label or “house brand”. Their product is a literal copycat of top-selling foods in the marketplace and does not provide anything more superior to what is available to your local pet store. Sales associates are trained to direct consumers to their house brand because they make more money by selling you their brand.

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