4Health dog food is exclusively produced for Tractor Supply Company. TSC operates one of the largest rural lifestyle retail stores in the US* and sells everything from welders and generators to pet foods! Early 2010, they introduced their 4health premium private label for dogs of all sizes and stages with nutritional ingredients designed to support optimal health. TSC has set forth criteria for premium pet food: they include fresh meat as the first ingredient and offer optimal proportions of protein, fat and carbohydrates depending on a dog’s life stage (29%, 17% and 46% respectively), don’t contain artificial additives or preservatives and are free from wheat, corn and soy.
According to 4health’s website, 4health is manufactured in the US at Diamond Pet Foods facility in Gaston, South Carolina – this same plant produces other popular pet foods including Purina, Hills and Diamond Naturals.
Since 4health does not disclose this information, it can be hard to pinpoint where its other ingredients come from. We can assume most are likely sourced in the United States due to strict regulation in this industry requiring manufacturers to list their sources on product labels.
One notable thing about 4health is their use of flaxseed in many of their recipes, as this ingredient provides omega fatty acids to keep coats soft and skin healthy for pets. Unfortunately, flaxseed has also been known to trigger digestive issues in some dogs; therefore it is always advisable to check the list of ingredients prior to purchasing food for your pup.
One issue brought up when discussing 4health is its extensive recall history. Recalls occurred for its All Life Stages Cat Formula due to low levels of thiamine, and another voluntary recall occurred for canned 4health pet foods due to potential foreign material.
Though these recalls may be distressing, they are far less severe than many others in the pet food industry. Additionally, it should be noted that store-brand pet foods may become subject to recall at some point as they’re produced in large volumes and therefore more vulnerable to contamination than boutique-branded options. It is essential that any time you consider purchasing food for your pet, you perform extensive research first and check any labels to make sure it has not been subject to recalls in the past.
