Is Purina Pro Plan or Blue Buffalo better

Blue Buffalo vs Purina Pro Plan Dog Food (2024)

Blue Buffalo vs Purina Pro Plan Dog Food

Both Blue Buffalo Basics LID Grain-Free and Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach are popular diets for dogs suffering from gastrointestinal distress, allergies, or other skin or stomach sensitivities.

Blue Buffalo, a company founded in the United States in the year 2000, makes it their highest priority to craft diets based on the most holistic ingredients possible. Each food is sourced locally with the entire diet manufactured in the United States. This food manufacturer found its start when the founding couples Airedale Terrier Blue was diagnosed with cancer, and a high quality diet was required to combat the effects of the disease.

As with many pet food manufacturers, Blue Buffalo has been subject to several recalls throughout the years. From 2010-2017, there were six recalls on the companys product lines. Since this time, there have been no further formal complaints or recalls.

Purina Pro Plan is one of many pet food lines produced by the Nestle Purina Petcare company. Among its other brands include Purina Dog Chow, Beneful, and Purina ONE. Nestle Purina Petcare also produces cat food, treats, and litter. Though the company traces its origins to 1894 as a farm feed manufacturer, Nestle Purina Petcare was born in 2001 through the amalgamation of the Nestle-owned Friskies PetCare Company with Ralston Purina.

Nestle Purina Petcare currently holds the title of the largest pet food manufacturer in America. Throughout the years, Nestle Purina Petcare has undergone several recalls on its various product lines, many of which were voluntary.

Blue Buffalo Ingredients

Blue Buffalo Basics LID Grain-Free is an excellent quality food to support the needs of dogs suffering from skin or stomach sensitivities. Because this diet contains no grains, it is also well-suited to dogs with allergies.

The primary ingredient in this Blue Buffalo offering is whole salmon, an exceptional quality protein that is high in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to encourage good skin and coat health. Salmon is a highly flavorful meat, ensuring the taste of this food is of great appeal to dogs. The food is also enriched with a proprietary antioxidant blend known as LifeSource Bits to support a healthy immune system to help fight disease.

Blue Buffalo is free from corn, wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, chicken, beef, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, an important help for dogs struggling with digestive issues. Its emphasis on a limited list of ingredients ensures only the best quality foods that are known for their ease of processing are included in this food.

Though this formulation is grain-free, it is still quite rich in carbohydrates in the form of starchy vegetables and fruits. The second ingredient listed in this formulation is potatoes, a complex carbohydrate that contains a large percentage of dietary fiber to support digestion. Potatoes add bulk to a diet, helping dogs to feel full on fewer calories.

Peas, another starchy vegetable that belongs to the legume family, has also been added to this diet. While peas do contribute fiber, they also add to the protein, meaning not all of the protein content in this food is derived from meat. Peas have also been linked to lowered fertility rates in breeding dogs.

Salmon meal is also present in this diet, a rich and powerful concentrated form of protein. Flaxseed reinforces the omega 3 acids found in this food to encourage healthy skin and coat and to provide vital energy to allow dogs to enjoy an active lifestyle. In addition to this, flaxseed is fiber-rich. However, it is also a protein, thus meaning an additional plant ingredient contributes to the protein content found in this food.

The main healthy fat found in Blue Buffalo is canola oil. While this is an excellent source of essential fatty acids, an animal-based fat such as chicken fat or an oily fish is preferred. From canola oil, this food takes such important nutrients as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K.

Natural fish flavor has been included in this recipe. Though fish will certainly increase a dogs interest in a food, natural fish flavor is a poor description of what this ingredient actually is, making its health benefits questionable.

Blue Buffalo has several dried probiotic strains included in this food. These ingredients provide a vital help for the development of healthy gut flora to promote good digestion and ease of stomach distress. Chelated minerals also feature prominently in this diet to ensure adequate absorption of critical nutrients to support optimal health.

Purina Pro Plan Ingredients

Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin and Stomach has been carefully formulated to provide relief for dogs that suffer from skin or stomach sensitivities. Its formulation is free from common allergens such as corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, making it also well-suited to dogs with allergies. However, it is important to note that Purina Pro Plan is not a grain-free diet.

The primary ingredient in this Purina Pro Plan diet is whole deboned salmon. This powerhouse protein is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to help repair damaged coat and skin and promote optimal health.

Barley has been included in this diet to form the basis of its carbohydrate content. Barley is a whole grain that is rich in fiber; however, it is insoluble fiber, meaning it is more difficult to process and utilize effectively. Ground rice and oatmeal have also been added to round out the carbohydrate profile from grain-based ingredients.

An ingredient that is the subject of some controversy is canola meal. This product is essentially a vegetable compound derived from rapeseed. Since rapeseed is often genetically modified, its health benefits are somewhat questionable. Canola meal is considered to be of lesser quality than canola oil but still contributes some important nutrients such as essential fatty acids to support skin and coat health.

To ensure an adequate amount of healthy fats in this diet, an ingredient labelled as animal fat has been added to this recipe. Healthy fats derived from animal origins are optimal sources of such powerhouse nutrients as DHA, linoleic acid, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. However, what is somewhat concerning about this ingredient is the fact that we do not know which animal the product was sourced from.

Fish meal, a highly concentrated form of protein, has also been added to this Purina Pro Plan formulation. This contributes valuable amino acids to help with the development of strong and healthy muscles. Fish meal is also naturally high in glucosamine, an important help in preserving good joint health.

For dogs suffering with digestive issues or skin sensitivities, both Blue Buffalo and Purina Pro Plan have been proven to provide relief. Both of these diets are well-balanced though Purina Pro Plan does tend to be a little heavier on carbohydrates, most of which are derived from whole grains, making this diet perhaps more difficult for dogs with sensitive stomachs to digest well.

Blue Buffalo contains 20 percent protein, 12 percent fat, and 6 percent fiber to Purina Pro Plans 26 percent protein, 16 percent fat, and 4 percent fiber. Blue Buffalo does include several plant-based proteins in its formulation, thus lowering the percentage of protein content allotted specifically to meat.

Both diets offer solid nutrition to support the needs of dogs with sensitive skin and/or stomachs.

In order for a dog to enjoy the maximum benefits from any food, they have to eat it! This means that the taste of a food is as important as the nutrients found within it.

Both Blue Buffalo and Purina Pro Plan make whole salmon the basis of their formulation, a meat that is highly flavorful and that most dogs just love. Blue Buffalo enriches this flavor through the addition of natural fish oil. While this increases the flavor profile, it is unknown what ingredients make up this product, making its benefits somewhat questionable.

To enhance its rich flavor, Purina Pro Plan includes fish meal as one of its primary ingredients.

Blue Buffalos powerful antioxidant blend LifeSource Bits offer dogs great benefits; however, most dogs find these kibble pieces unpalatable and avoid them if possible.

Though both diets are flavorful and nutritious, Purina Pro Plan reigns supreme in this taste test.

Purina Pro Plan vs Blue Buffalo Cat Food Compared: Which is Best?

Main Differences Between Purina Pro Plan vs Blue Buffalo

The main differences between Purina Pro Plan vs Blue Buffalo are:

• Blue Buffalo is more versatile and it offers a bigger collection of products including wet food, dry food, treats, etc., whereas Purina Pro Plan is more limited with their products.
• Blue Buffalo offers less controversial ingredients, whereas Purina Pro Plan uses questionable ingredients for some of their products.
• Blue Buffalo is generally the more expensive option of the two, whereas Purina Pro Plan is more economical

Blue Buffalo Company | Chewy

Blue Buffalo believes that "Dogs and Cats are family members who should be fed with the same care and concern as any loved one". Find everything from dry, canned to wet Cat Food on Chewy.com or Amazon.

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Blue Buffalo has risen from the ranks to become one of the most prominent pet food manufacturers in the world today.

The brand has endeared itself to the hearts of cat and dog lovers because of how genuine they are when it comes to the welfare of pets.

Blue Buffalo decrees that pets are not owned, but are valuable members of the family, and of course, should be treated as such.

With such a slogan in mind, one can always expect that the formulation of both cat and adult dog foods churned out from the brands kitchens is like meals that are well-planned for high-valued members of the family.

The Blue Buffalo brand has become adept at using the choicest ingredients for the formulation of special foods and diets needed by healthy and sick pets.

They have defied the odds and grown from a family-owned pet food establishment to one that is ranking on the top 5 best pet food companies of the world.

Blue Buffalo always boasts that their pet foods or canine diet formulations are artificial flavors ingredient-free, grain- free and filler-free.

This outstanding company also has treats for cats and dogs as well as dental chews all geared towards completing the overall care of household pets.

They are considered one of the best and most caring cat food brands out there since their primary emphasis is on what is right and good for your pet.

Key Features of The Blue Buffalo Brand

• Gluten-free and grain-free formula
• Extremely limited ingredient diet formulation
• Wholesome, finest-quality, natural ingredients
• Animal protein is used as the main ingredient

Purina Pro Plan pet foods come in four different variants:

• The Purina Pro Plan Savor This is the brands optimum canine nutrition on a day-to-day basis
• The Purina Pro Plan Focus this is geared primarily for pooches with unique needs such as those with diabetes, arthritis, etc.
• The Purina Pro Plan Sport this variant supports the lifestyle of a highly active sporting dog by furnishing them with the required nutrients for strength and endurance.
• The Pro Plan Bright Mind this is the perfect puppy food plan as it is geared toward optimum development of puppys brains.

The Purina Pro Plan brand is also unique in the sense that they use high-quality, animal-based proteins in all their formulations or diets along with antioxidant-rich fruits, wholesome carbs, healthy fatty acids, vegetables, etc.

The Purina Pro Plan brand believes in customizing a dog diet so that they can meet its nutritional requirements at all times. This is why they have become the go-to brand for any kind of balanced nutrition that your canine friend needs.

Key Features of the Purina Pro Plan Brand

• Optimum-quality ingredients with meat-based proteins
• No artificial flavors
• No wheat, soy, corn or fillers
• Antioxidant-rich and easily digestible carbs

There is presently an unofficial battle for supremacy in the pet food industry. Two pet food brands are squaring off each other in a war of words, prosecution, and counter-prosecution, claims, and counterclaims.

In this pet food-brand comparison article for Purina Pro versus Blue Buffalo, we will take a look at the significant differences between them by making use of the latest price and nutritional information.

There are several factors that you must take into consideration when it comes to selecting the best pet food brand for your beloved canine or feline friend. These factors include:

• Cost
• Quality of ingredients
• Product safety
• Brand history
• Guaranteed analysis, etc.

General comparisons will be made throughout this Purina Pro Plan vs Blue Buffalo comparison article but based on average data.

Without much ado, let us dive into the meat of the matter, shall we?

Purina Pro Plan vs Blue Buffalo: Guaranteed Analysis

All pet food labels are expected to showcase guaranteed analyses of nutrient content. These analyses must provide information such as the guaranteed maximum percentages of moisture and crude fiber as well as the minimum percentages of crude fat and crude protein.

All guaranteed percentages that will be presented in this comparison write-up are averages that are reported on a dry matter source.

Blue Buffalo Dog Food vs Purina Pro Plan Dog Food

Crude Fat Comparison for Dog Food

Fats are essential and needed for proper function and development of the canine body. According to the data showcased in the table below, Blue Buffalo has 2.84% less fat content compared with Purina Pro Plan. This difference may seem too small and probably negligible to many; it is still relatively significant.

Alternatively, Blue Buffalo wet adult dog food options have more fat content than Purina Pro Plan wet foods.

Moreover, there is a minute difference in the fiber content of Blue Buffalo and Purina Pro Plan. The former guarantees approximately 2.81% more fiber than the latter. But for wet dog foods, each pet food brands contained more or less the same amount of fiber.

Crude Protein Comparison for Dog Food

Do you know that your canine companion requires nothing less than 22 amino acids to for sustenance? Twelve amino acids are naturally synthesized while the remaining ten have to be consumed. A high quality protein is the perfect nutrient that contains a majority if not all of the remaining ten essential amino acids.

Now, take a look at the table below: you will notice that Purina Pro Plan has more protein content up to 3.28% than its counterpart, Blue Buffalo. This difference is relatively small but notable.

Additionally, Purina Pro Plan wet dog foods also have more protein content than Blue Buffalo wet foods.

Wet/Canned Dog Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Crude Fat	25.2%	16.4%
Crude Protein	40.4%	47.3%
Crude Fiber	7.5%	7.2%

Dry Dog Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Crude Fat	15.0%	17.9%
Crude Protein	28.5%	31.8%
Crude Fiber	7.1%	4.3%

Blue Buffalo Cat Food vs Purina Pro Plan Cat Food

Crude Fat Comparison for Cat Food

Dietary fat contributes to the overall well-being of our feline companions. Here is a non-exhaustive but a brief overview of the benefits that fats provide:

• Hinders the development of yeast infections
• Sustains healthy blood pressure
• Enhances the production of metabolite which assists in controlling inflammation
• It improves the texture or taste of cat food.
• It aids the transportation of nutrients across every cell membrane

The table illustrates below shows that both Purina Pro Plan and Blue Buffalo guarantee similar amounts of crude fat content. But for wet cat food, Purina Pro Plan lacks some points there while Blue Buffalo picks up points by having more fat up to 7.535 than its counterpart.

Average data indicates that Blue Buffalo has considerably more fiber content than Purina Pro Plan, though the difference is so small that it is assumed to be negligible. But for wet cat foods, both brands provide almost the same amount of fiber.

Crude Protein comparison for Cat Food

Cats also require at least 22 amino acids for sustenance; eleven amino acids are naturally synthesized while the remaining eleven are consumed. The source of all these amino acids is protein.

Purina Pro Plan dry cat food recipe shows that it contains 8.64% more protein than Blue Buffalo recipes. The same goes for wet cat foods: Purina Pro Plan has more protein up to 6.06% more than its counterpart, Blue Buffalo.

You can see the significant difference in protein content in both pet food brands

Wet/Canned Cat Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Crude Fat	24.7%	17.1%
Crude Protein	45.4%	51.5%
Crude Fiber	8.2%	6.9%

Dry Cat Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Crude Fat	16.3%	17.4%
Crude Protein	37.0%	45.6%
Crude Fiber	6.4%	3.6%

Blue Buffalo Ingredients vs Purina Pro Plan Ingredients

Both Blue Buffalo and Purina Pro Plan use some ingredients that are considered controversial such as:

• Pea Protein Pea protein is produced when the starchy parts of peas are eliminated. It is considered controversial since it is primarily a considerable plant-based protein enhancement. This boost is not desirable because plant-based protein has lower biological value when compared to protein obtained from meat.
• Caramel Color Caramel color is a natural ingredients food colorant, a concentrated variety of caramel. It has been linked in the past to cancer in lab animals. Our animals dont care about food color; so it doesnt make any sense to expose them to danger by the unnecessary addition of caramel color.
• Powdered Cellulose Powdered cellulose is produced from the minute pieces of plant fibers and wood pulp. It does not contribute nutritionally to the overall diet of pets, other than its fiber content.
• Canola Oil Canola Oil is derived from the seeds of the canola plant. Even though it is an essential nutrient of any diet, using canola oil in pet food is somewhat unacceptable and provoke controversy. Some advocates believe that canola oil has and provides a much better fat profile compared to other plant-derived oils. But opponents disagree by claiming that canola oil in most cases is produced with genetically-engineered rapeseed. Rapeseed oil has several adverse effects which may affect the overall health of pets.

The following controversial ingredient was found to be used only by Purina Pro Plan. They include:

• Animal digest Animal digest is the result of a chemical reaction known as hydrolysis. It is undecomposed animal tissue which is used as a form of flavor to enhance the taste. Animal digest is considered a poor choice for flavor since it is a low-quality ingredient. Moreover, the source animal is not specified anywhere on the label, meaning that the undecomposed animal tissue could be that of any animal including cats and dogs.
• Soybean Protein Concentrate Soybean protein concentrate is formed when water-soluble carbohydrates are removed from soybeans. If non-meat proteins are included in any pet recipe, it degrades the overall quality of protein in such a recipe. The degradation is brought about as a result of inferior amino acid profiles of plant-based proteins.
• Meat By-Products AAFCO has defined By-products as the non-rendered, clean parts, excluding meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. This implies that meat by-products contain almost all parts of an animal that cannot be consumed by humans. These parts include:

1. Liver

2. Kidney

3. Blood

4. Bone

5. Intestine

6. Stomach, etc.

The source of this ingredient is never specified, hence the controversy. Furthermore, ingredients that are typically anonymous are usually of low quality. Another disagreeable possibility is that the animal source can be obtained from any animal including cats and dogs.

• Soybean Hulls Soybean hulls are by-products of meal processing and soybean oil. They are regarded as inexpensive fillers of low nutritional value and quality.
• Poultry Giblets Poultry giblets include the gizzards, liver, heart, as well as other internal organs obtained from poultry. Organs are usually nutritiously dense ingredients which provide high-quality fat and protein. But this particular ingredient is considered inappropriate and anonymous since the type of poultry is not stated. Turkey giblets or chicken giblets are more preferred over poultry giblets.

• Chicken By-Product Meal Chicken Meal by-products are produced when chicken by-products are cooked via a process called rendering. Since by-products are those parts that are unsuitable for human consumption, it is safe to assume that chicken meal by-products are those parts of a chicken that is unsafe for human consumption. They include the stomach, blood, bone, etc.

Chicken by-products are also considered controversial just like other meat by-products since they are inexpensive ingredients that most people associate with slaughterhouses. But many experts and manufacturers claim that animal by-products are not criticized justly. Some proponents even stipulate that named by-products such as chicken by-products, turkey by-products, etc. supply a lot of nutrients which pets require on a daily basis.

• Brewers Rice Brewers rice is that small fragments of rice kernel which is separated from the larger kernels of milled rice. These fragments, however, dont share the same nutritional profile of the entire kernel. This implies that brewers rice has a significantly low-quality grain. It is usually regarded as inexpensive filler.
• Ground Yellow Corn Ground yellow corn is the same cereal grain that has moderate amounts of minerals, vitamins, and plant-based protein. Somehow, it has got itself on the controversial list of ingredients used by Purina Pro Plan.

Advocates of corn proclaim that corn is an excellent and easily digestible source of energy, protein, minerals, essential fatty acids, and protein. But opponents believe state that the majority of positive claims about corn are either entirely false or half-truths.

For instance, the highly digestible attribute of yellow corn holds true if it is processed into flour or a meal and then cooked. As regards the contribution of protein by yellow corn, recall that it is a plant-based protein which is considered unsuitable since it doesnt contain all the essential amino acids that our pets need for sustenance.

Therefore, substituting corn for meat is inappropriate as it can significantly cut down the overall quality of protein in the product.

It is true that corn provides decent amounts of minerals and vitamins, but they are not too significant in this regard. There are several other ingredients that can provide richer amounts of minerals and vitamins. So, the use of corn in pet food is highly questionable.

Other Controversial Ingredients Used by Purina Pro Plan Include:

• Vegetable Oil Some vegetable oils are positive ingredients that do a lot of good to our pets bodies. However, it is important to state the particular vegetable that was used in the production of the oil. No specific statements can be made if the vegetable used to create this ingredient remains unknown.

It is important with any fat source to know certain things such as the omega-3 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio, etc. This property cannot be determined with this particular ingredient from an unknown source. This is the primary reason why vegetable oil got on this list.

• Garlic Powder Garlic power is good as an additive in pet foods. But they must be present in very small quantities because garlic can be toxic. If you are a cat or a dog owner you are at liberty to avoid any pet food with garlic in them.
• Poultry Poultry is another controversial ingredient since the source animal is unknown. It is assumed that anonymous animal ingredients are typically low in quality compared to protein sources that are specified such as turkey, chicken, duck, etc.
• Poultry By-Product Meal Poultry by-product meal has no specified source.
• Corn Gluten Meal Corn gluten meal is a by-product derived from the production of multiple corn products such as corn syrup, corn starch, etc. Granted, this ingredient has extremely high protein content nearly 60% protein which is believed to have boosted the overall protein content of the product.

However, the protein derived from corn gluten meal is plant-based, and plant-based protein is always considered inferior to protein obtained from meat sources. This is corn gluten meal is not a worthy substitute of meat-based protein.

• Ground Wheat Ground wheat is another low-quality and inexpensive filler used in pet food. Although wheat has a high plant-based protein content, thus making pet food more affordable for pet owners, it does not provide the same amino acid profile as its meat-based cousin.

• Animal Fat (preserved with varied Tocopherols) Animal fat is derived from tissue tendering, and without the source animal specified, no one knows for sure whether or not the animal is diseased or euthanized cats and dogs.
• Whole Grain Corn Whole grain corn encompasses the entire kernel family i.e. the germ, bran as well as the endosperm. Corn belongs to the cereal family and produces a modest amount of minerals, vitamins, and plant-based protein as well.

Pet food from the Purina Pro Plan brand still has several other controversial ingredients such as:

• Soybean Protein Isolate Soybean protein isolate is a highly purified variety of soybean protein, with about 90% protein. Since it is a non-meat-based protein, its inclusion as part of the ingredients that make up pet food cuts down the overall quality of the protein in the recipe. This is as a result of the substandard amino acid profile of plant-based proteins.
• Whole Grain Wheat Whole grain wheat comprises the entire grain of wheat family viz. the germ, bran, and endosperm. Corn is the first most-produced cereal grain in the world while wheat takes second place.

Wheat even though its classified in the controversial category in pet food still provides many other nutrients as well as dietary fiber. It also contains plant-based protein, which is considered inferior to its meat-based counterpart.

Wheat is also known as one of the common ingredients i.e. allergen that triggers allergic reactions and intolerance. But then, wheat is not as notorious as beef when it comes to triggering allergies.

• Wheat Gluten Wheat gluten is the main protein part of wheat, yet it is on the controversial list because it boosts up the protein content of the product.
• Corn Germ Meal Corn germ meal is another high plant-based protein by-product which is derived during the extraction of oil from maize (corn). Its plant-based nature makes it unsuitable to provide enough amino acids for pets to sustain life. Its presence in the product degrades its overall quality.

• Dried Corn Syrup Corn syrup originates from corn starch and is usually utilized as a sweetener, humectants (i.e. a substance that helps to retain moisture), and a thickener. It is on this list of controversial ingredients because it increases a pets blood sugar dramatically to unhealthy levels.

The only way to nullify this concern is if the corn syrup is used in minute quantities.

• Soybean Flour Soybean flour is an ingredient that contains over 50% protein, and this can lead to unfair boosting of the protein content of the recipe or product.
• Canola Meal Canola meal is another high plant-based protein by-product obtained during canola oil production. It is believed to be derived via rapeseed that has been modified genetically, and this is linked to numerous adverse health effects.

Harmful ingredients used by the Purina Pro Plan brand

Some food ingredients are instrumental to the development of adverse health effect in animals. These ingredients were identified on products created by the Purina Pro Plan brand. Here they are in no particular order:

• Corn oil Corn oil is obtained from the germ of corn kernels and has omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio 49:1 which is quite unfavorable and undesirable. Consumption of foods rich with such this ingredient can result in health problems in both humans and animals.
• BHT BHT i.e. Butylated hydroxytoluene is an artificial preservative with carcinogenic properties. This ingredient has been banned in more than a few countries around the world, but somehow, the FDA still classifies BHT as generally safe.
• Red 3 Red 3 is another chemical or artificial dye with cancer-causing properties in the lab. Animals.
• BHA Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is another artificial preservative with cancer-causing attributes. Several studies have been done and BHA has been linked to a variety of tumors in lab animals.
• Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex Menadione Sodium Bisulfite is a synthetic version of vitamin K and associated with several health concerns such as lethal reactions in the red blood cells and in liver cells as well. One major supplier gave out the following warning: The substance is toxic to lungs, kidneys, liver, mucous membrane, etc. Prolonged or repeated exposure to this compound can lead to the severe damage of your organs.

• Yellow 5 Yellow 5 is another artificial dye which also has several cancer-causing properties. It has no nutritional value.
• Added Color Added color is an ingredient that is assumed to be one of the numerous dyes that women use. Most of these artificial dyes have been associated with several chronic diseases.

Controversial Ingredients Used Only by the Blue Buffalo Brand

The following ingredients were found only in the Blue Buffalo brand

• Garlic Garlic, present in minute quantities, is an acceptable addition to any pet product. However, this strong-tasting ingredient can also be toxic.
• Pea Protein Concentrate Pea protein concentrate originated from the removal of start from peas. It is on this list because of its plant-based protein content.
• Tomato Pomace Tomato pomace is a by-product of the manufacturing of tomato. Many people believe it is nothing more than a low-quality, inexpensive filler.

But tomato pomace is known to provide substantial amounts of B vitamins, dietary fiber, vitamin A, and Lycopene. Though it may be inexpensive filler, it is not devoid of nutrients in any way.

• Caramel This widely-used natural food coolant is a concentrated variety of caramel, and is usually listed as caramel color which has been associated with cancer in lab animals.
• Dried tomato pomace This is another tomato-manufacturing by-product which is also a low-quality filler, according to experts.

Product Safety: Recall History of Blue Buffalo and Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan has only been recalled once since inception and that event occurred on March 9, 2016: Incorrect vitamins and minerals. But Blue Buffalo has been recalled at least nine times over the past few years. Here is a breakdown of the dates Blue Buffalo was recalled since inception:

• April 19, 2007: Melamine
• April 26, 2007: Melamine
• October 8, 2010: toxic levels of vitamin D
• November 6, 2015: Presence of Propylene Glycol
• November 25, 2015: Salmonella
• May 31, 2016: Mold
• February 14, 2017: Presence of aluminum
• March 3, 2017: Foil seal Packaging problem
• March 18, 2017: elevated beef thyroid hormone

Price Comparison: Which Brand is More Expensive?

The average cost per pound is influenced by the variable amounts of moisture that is present in both these brands pet food products i.e. dry vs freeze-dried food, dry vs wet food, etc. But then, the average cost-per-kcal disregards the influence that moisture has on the pet food products.

Average price data identifies whether or not there is an existing price difference between the two competing pet food brands. But then, the actual price that you will pay for Blue Buffalo or Purina Pro Plan depends significantly on your shopping routine.

Here is a breakdown of the price comparison between Blue Buffalo and Purina Pro Plan:

Wet Dog Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Per Pound	$4.29	$2.84
Per Calorie	$0.0088	$0.0063

Dry Dog Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Per Pound	$2.61	$2.01
Per Calorie	$0.0016	$0.0011

Wet Cat Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Per Pound	$5.54	$4.94
Per Calorie	$0.0112	0.0116

Dry Cat Food	Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan
Per Pound	$3.88	$2.90
Per Calorie	$0.0023	$0.0016

Types of Pet Food Available

Blue Buffalo	Purina Pro Plan	Product
85 Recipes	42 Recipes	Dry Dog Food
101 Recipes	29 Recipes	Wet Dog Food
51 Treats	2 Treats	Dog Treats
40 Recipes	22 Recipes	Dry Cat Food
47 Recipes	66 Recipes	Wet Cat Food
15 Treats	4 Treats	Cat Treats

Where to buy Blue Buffalo Pet Foods

The following retailers sell Blue Buffalo pet food products:

• Chewy 337 Recipes In-Stock Today
• Amazon.coom 295 Recipes In-Stock Today
• PetFlow 276 Recipes In-Stock Today
• EntirelyPets 103 Recipes In-Stock Today
• Jet.com 245 Recipes In-Stock Today
• Petco 304 Recipes In-Stock Today
• Only Natural Pet 18 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where to Buy Purina Pro Plan Pet Foods

You can purchase Purina Pro Plan pet foods from any of the following retailers:

• Amazon.com 135 Recipes In-Stock today
• Petco 113 Recipes In-Stock today
• Chewy 154 Recipes In-Stock today
• EntirelyPets 6 Recipes In-Stock today
• Jet.com 123 Recipes In-Stock today

So, there you have it: however, despite their apparent grouse with one another, each pet food brand continues to serve their respective clients exceptionally every single day. We can confidently recommend either one of these brands, as they deliver high-quality ingredients with every scoop.

What type of food do you feed your pet? We would love to know!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Blue Buffalo damage my cats liver?

There have been reports from customers that held Blue Buffalo responsible for their cats illnesses because vets found an increase in liver enzymes in some pets that were consuming a blue buffalo diet but it was certainly not proven that that is correct.

Why did Blue Buffalo pet food leave Mexico?

Blue Buffalos departure from Mexico was just a matter of bad promotion and marketing which lead to not grasping a firm hand with further customers.

Who manufactures Purina pro plan cat food?

The Purina Pro Plan cat food is manufactured by the Nestle Purina Petcare Company which is a subsidiary of Nestle. Their headquarters are in St. Louis, Missouri.

Is Purina Pro Plan good for my kitten?

The Purina Pro Plan Focus formula the most popular option for your kitten. It is formulated with DHA, Omega-3 Fatty Acid and its rich with antioxidant which makes it great for nourishing as well as building a strong immune system for your little one.

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