Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

Is It OK to Feed My Dog Expired Dog Food? Is Expired Dog Food Safe?

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

expired food

Vet approved

Dr. Paola Cuevas Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

MVZ (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

Learn more »

Let’s be honest, dog food never smells great. But if it’s past its expiration date, can we still feed it to Fido?

Fido might eat it, but the responsibility is yours, and in short, no, you should not feed expired dog food to Fido!  And there is one crucial caveat: if smells rancid, it probably is, so feed it to the trash can, not the dog.

Dry food doesn’t really have an odor if it has gone bad or otherwise, so how do you know if it’s spoiled? If it doesn’t smell bad, do we really have to throw it out when it goes past that date, or can we still feed it to Fido? We all know he’s eaten worse on trips to the garbage can and when he finds discarded food in the park. So, will a week-old tin of food or a month-old cup of kibble really do him any harm?

In this article, we will talk you through the factors to consider when deciding whether food is still safe for your dog to eat.

Divider 2

Does Dog Food Expire?

First and foremost, you need to understand how the expiration dates work on dog food. In the US, there is no statutory requirement for pet foods to display expiration or best-before dates on the packaging. However, many pet food companies provide them to aid both the stores and owners in knowing when a product contains the nutritional content as per the claims on the packaging. Over time, the food degrades, as does the nutritional content.

There are two common types of dates on pet food: best by dates and use by dates. The first lets you know when a product is still in optimum condition to deliver all the nutrients and daily recommended intake levels of proteins, fats, and fiber. Once the best by date has passed, the nutritional value can start to degrade, acting as advice rather than a warning. Use by dates, conversely, are a little more finite and warn that the food may well be bad if eaten after it has passed. As such, they need to be given a little more consideration when choosing whether to feed it to your buddy. Not only is there a chance the nutritional levels may be dropping off, but there is a real chance of the food being spoiled, with things such as bacteria or mold developing.

Yorkshire terrier eating from feeding bowl
Image By: New Africa, Shutterstock

Can Dogs Eat Expired Dog Food?

While some will argue that most dry dog food is still safe if it has passed the best by date by just a few weeks or months in an unopened packet, carton, or airtight container, we strongly recommend you toss the package. The risks of getting your dog sick because you fed expired food are just not worth taking. Dry dog food is anything but fresh; it is dehydrated to extend the shelf life to its limit, and pushing that limit even further is just not a great idea. 

In the case of wet food, don’t even think about it. Wet food is canned with preservatives inside that prevent deterioration and stop the growth of bacteria and mold by starving it of oxygen and the bacteria within it. But, these additives will become less effective over time and eventually fail.

The best way to check tinned food is to open it and check the top layer for mold and a rancid, rotten odor. Because if the color is off, or it smells like rotten meat, it most probably is. If you have recently opened a bag of kibble and noticed that it is only just out of date, it will likely still be suitable for a few more days. If the kibble is still dry, not turning white and powdery, and doesn’t smell musty, it will generally be ok to use in case of an emergency, such as in a natural disaster where there are no other food alternatives available for your dog.

Spoiled dry food rarely smells rotten, so don’t let this be your leading indicator. It will start to taste stale at some point, and your pup may well turn his nose up at it. Once a couple of weeks past the best by date, dry food is best disposed of as it can grow mites, bacteria, or fungi, and the last thing you want is a sick dog.

If bad food goes unnoticed and you feed it to your pup by accident, it may cause a stomach upset. Unlike food that just doesn’t agree with him, bacteria contamination can cause severe infections that last days and can even become life-threatening.

When it comes to your dog’s health the answer is simple: do not take unnecessary risks.

Divider 2

What Are the Issues With Expired Dog Foods?

As you can see, an expired best-by or use-by date means that your dog’s food could be deteriorating to less than-premium conditions. These sub-par foods can impact your dog’s health in harder-to-spot ways, so you need to know what it is and how it affects your pooch.

Low Nutrition Value

As touched on before, these dates are designed to give you the time frame in which the food offers the advertised nutritional content of the label. Expired dates mean less nutritional value that will continue to reduce the further it is past that date.

The speed at which it degrades varies based on the food type (dry or wet), the brand (cheap or premium ingredients), the environmental conditions of storage, and whether it is open or still sealed. But even taking these factors into consideration, the food could still be bad.

Just because there are no signs of spoilage or a terrible smell, the food still runs the risk of the essential components such as fat and proteins having broken down naturally. Which, in turn, leads to the possibility of illness.

sad labrador
Image Credit: Amy_Gillard, Pixabay

Contamination

Most foods are packaged in airtight containers with preservatives pumped in to remove the air and bacteria that can spoil food. But even these professionally sealed packets can degrade over time, allowing air, bacteria, and even insects into them.

Some cartons and packets can also become permeable. This means moisture makes its way in, which allows mold to form and bacterial toxins to be produced. This, in turn, attracts pests, which can then lay eggs in the food and can lead to serious issues for dogs if ingested.

This is the main reason that packaged food needs to be thoroughly checked before it is fed to dogs. It is even possible for in-date food to have mold present if it hasn’t been stored correctly.

Spoiled Fat

Fat is often vilified as an unnecessary additive to foods because it can cause weight gain, but it is an essential part of your dog’s diet. It provides them with energy, essential oils for a healthy coat and brain function, and adds extra flavor to their food.

Unfortunately, it is one of the first ingredients to turn rancid and spoil. When it does sour, it produces an unmistakable, intense rotting smell. Well, for us, at least. Fido, on the other hand, won’t care and might happily chow down on soured food. If the food is bad and the fat has turned, it can lead to digestion issues.

Mold Growth

Mold is usually pretty easy to spot. The little white fluffy spores seem to stand out even on soft white bread, and if you get up close and personal with your pup’s kibble, it is the same.

Because it tends to grow on the top layer of food, both wet and dry, it is easy to spot. Unlike soured fat, mold gives off a smell that most dogs won’t like. So, if it smells odd and Fido doesn’t eat it, check for mold. If you see mold, throw it out and give him some fresh food. Then keep an eye on him for any stomach upset that may follow.

Black domestic dog are stoop body and vomit mucus
Image Credit: Mumemories, Shutterstock

Divider 5

What Are the Health Risks of Expired Dog Food?

Expired food can present both minor and severe risks to your pup, and, for this reason, we would say not to take the risk with it. Although food marginally out of date could be safe, taking the chance of your pup getting a tummy upset will mean no one wins if you have to clean up after him.

Diarrhea and sickness is the main problem you will encounter if Fido’s food is bad. The spoiled foods will have bacteria present that can upset the balance within the gut and intestine, which causes the body to expel extra fluids in a bid to flush them out.

A more serious aspect of spoiled food is the possibility of serious bacteria breeding and being present when your pup eats it. Bacteria such as Salmonella, E. Coli, Botulism, and many more could cause your dog severe infections. This will cause many health issues, that if untreated, could mean a life-threatening battle for your pup.

A less severe but still serious consequence of feeding food that is past its best is malnutrition. Degraded foodstuffs often lose their vitamin and mineral goodness before they go moldy or rotten. This means that they are not delivering what your pup needs, even if it doesn’t upset his stomach.

dog eating
Image Credit: Chendongshan, Shutterstock

Divider 3

Conclusion

We all know good-quality food is better for us and our pups, so even though expired food that isn’t at its best can be safe for Fido, it doesn’t mean you should give it to him.

If you find yourself in an emergency situation and are forced to feed that bag of food that has just gone over the best by date, be sure to check for the issues above to ensure you aren’t going to cause any tummy upsets. Or worse, severe bacterial infections.

As a rule of thumb, when you purchase food for your dog, buy enough to last a month or so. That way, even if it does expire shortly after purchase, it is unlikely to spoil before you finish it. But, keeping your pup fit and healthy should be your first concern, so why take the risk?


Featured Image: Piyawat Nandeenopparit, Shutterstock

Related Articles

Further Reading

Vet Articles

Latest Vet Answers

The latest veterinarians' answers to questions from our database