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Pet Food Ingredient Scanner

Scan any pet food.
Know what's safe.

Point your camera at any bag or can — KibbleCare instantly flags dangerous ingredients so you know exactly what you're feeding your pet.

Scan your pet's food quickly at home and see exactly what they're eating.

Dogs & Cats Instant Analysis Clinically Researched Data Every Major Brand Nationwide Any Barcode, Any Shelf No Account Required
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Two seconds to know what's in the bowl.

40+
Flagged ingredients
100%
Always free to scan
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FDA recall data
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2 sec
Average scan time
How It Works

Three steps. Ten seconds.

No account needed. No subscription required to start. Just open the app and point your camera.

1

Open and aim

Launch KibbleCare and point your camera at the barcode on any bag, can, or pouch of pet food. No tapping, no buttons — it reads automatically.

2

Get your score

A safety score from 0 to 100 appears within seconds. Every ingredient is checked against peer-reviewed veterinary research and FDA regulatory data.

3

Know what to do

See exactly which ingredients are flagged and why. Dangerous preservatives, artificial dyes, and known allergens are called out by name with the science behind each one.

Built for Real Pets

Every scan is for them — dogs, cats & beyond.

KibbleCare knows the nutritional science for every species — because what's safe for a dog can be dangerous for a cat, and vice versa.

Lucy the pitbull
Lucy
Chief Dog Officer
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Chief Cat Officer
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Small Pets
Rabbits, ferrets & more
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Our Mission

Reading a pet food label shouldn't require a veterinary degree.

We built KibbleCare because pet food labels are confusing by design — 40-ingredient lists written in chemical names, by-product percentages hidden in fine print, and marketing claims that mean almost nothing. Our mission is to put real veterinary science in your pocket, free of charge, so every scan brings your pet one step closer to a longer, healthier life.

Science First

Every rating traces back to a named study, FDA ruling, or IARC classification. No opinions dressed up as facts.

Always Free to Start

The core scan — the part that actually keeps your pet safe — is free and always will be.

Pets Over Profits

We don't partner with pet food brands. We don't take sponsorships that compromise our ratings. Period.

Whole-Pet Thinking

Good nutrition is the foundation — but so is knowing what to do when your pet has an off day. That's why we go beyond the label.

Scan Pet Food
Point camera at barcode
87
Purina ONE Chicken…
Safe Choice
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Try it right now — no app needed

Type a pet food name or scan a barcode with your camera. We'll run it through our ingredient database and give you an instant safety report.

Why KibbleCare

Your pet can't read labels. We can.

Every scan is checked against peer-reviewed veterinary research — not guesses.

Barcode Scanner

Point your camera at any pet food bag or can. Instant identification and ingredient report in under 3 seconds.

Danger Flags

Red flags for xylitol, propylene glycol, carrageenan, BHA/BHT, artificial dyes — all backed by clinical evidence.

Pet Profiles

Add your pets with their species, breed, and allergies. Get alerts personalized to each animal — not just generic warnings.

Scan History

Every scan is saved so you can compare brands, revisit past results, and track what you've been feeding over time.

Recall Alerts

Live FDA recall data so you're never caught feeding a product that's been pulled from store shelves.

Trusted Gear

Curated products our team actually stands behind — bowls, treats, supplements, and more we'd give our own pets.

Real ingredient ratings from the app
Chicken Meal Brown Rice Fish Oil Mixed Tocopherols Glucosamine HCl Brewers Rice Pea Protein Corn Gluten Meal BHA Artificial Colors Corn Syrup Carrageenan
Brands in our database
Blue Buffalo Purina Hill's Science Diet Royal Canin Iams Eukanuba Merrick Taste of the Wild Natural Balance Wellness Orijen Acana Victor Diamond Nutro Fromm 4Health Pedigree Fancy Feast Meow Mix Friskies 9Lives + thousands more
Whole-Pet Care

Common ailments & home care

Simple, vet-informed remedies for everyday pet issues — and a few homemade snack recipes your dog or cat will actually beg for.

Upset Stomach / Nausea
Fast for 12 hours (adults only, never fast puppies or diabetic pets), then offer a bland diet of boiled chicken + white rice (1:3 ratio) for 2–3 days. Add 1 tablespoon plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling) — the soluble fiber firms loose stools and soothes the gut lining.
Note: See a vet if vomiting persists beyond 24 hours or contains blood.
Mild Diarrhea
Offer plain bone broth (no onion or garlic — check the label!) to maintain hydration. Sprinkle a pet probiotic or a tablespoon of plain, live-culture yogurt over their food. Pumpkin purée (1–2 tbsp) helps restore stool consistency within 24–48 hours.
Note: Bloody, watery, or high-frequency diarrhea needs immediate vet attention.
Bad Breath
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of fresh flat-leaf parsley over their food — natural chlorophyll neutralizes odor-causing bacteria. Raw carrot sticks or apple slices (no seeds) act as natural tooth-scrubbers. Coconut oil (¼ tsp for small dogs, ½ tsp for large) has mild antimicrobial properties; mix into food daily.
Note: Persistent bad breath may signal dental disease or kidney issues — have a vet check.
Dry or Itchy Skin
Break open a fish oil capsule (EPA+DHA) and mix into food once daily — 20 mg EPA/DHA per lb of body weight is a safe starting dose. A small amount of coconut oil massaged into dry patches provides immediate relief. For cats, add a pinch of nutritional yeast to food for B vitamins and coat support.
Note: Severe scratching, hair loss, or sores need a vet — could be allergies or parasites.
Constipation
Add 1–4 tablespoons of plain canned pumpkin to meals (amount by body weight). Increase water intake — try a pet fountain or add warm water or broth to kibble. A small amount of olive oil (½ tsp per 10 lbs) can lubricate the gut temporarily.
Note: No bowel movement for 48+ hours, straining, or pain requires a vet visit.
Stiff Joints (Mild)
Mix a glucosamine + chondroitin supplement into food — clinical trials show significant improvement in dogs over 70 days. Fish oil reduces joint inflammation (Roush et al., JAVMA 2010). Keep walks short but consistent; cold weather stiffness improves with gentle warmth — a cozy blanket or a heated bed.
Note: Sudden lameness, swelling, or pain when touched needs a vet — do not give human NSAIDs (ibuprofen/aspirin are toxic).

Homemade Pet Snacks

Simple recipes with ingredients you already have

Frozen PB Banana Bites Dogs
  • Mash 1 ripe banana with 2 tbsp xylitol-free peanut butter
  • Stir in ¼ cup rolled oats
  • Spoon into ice cube tray, freeze 3 hours
Always verify peanut butter is xylitol-free
Pumpkin Dog Biscuits Dogs
  • Mix ½ cup plain pumpkin purée + 1 egg + 2 cups oat flour
  • Add a pinch of cinnamon (optional) — no nutmeg
  • Roll out, cut shapes, bake 350°F for 25 min until firm
Stores up to 1 week in the fridge
Sweet Potato Chews Dogs
  • Slice a sweet potato ¼-inch thick lengthwise
  • Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 3 hours, flip halfway
  • Cool completely — chewy texture develops as it cools
No seasoning or oil needed
Tuna Pops Cats
  • Drain 1 can tuna in water (no salt), blend with ¼ cup water
  • Pour into ice cube tray or tiny silicone molds
  • Freeze 2 hours — serve as a cool summer treat
Limit to 1–2× per week (high phosphorus)
Blueberry Training Bites Dogs & Cats
  • Mash ½ cup fresh blueberries into a paste
  • Mix with 1 egg + 1 cup oat flour until a dough forms
  • Roll into pea-sized balls, bake 325°F for 15 min
Antioxidant-rich; low calorie per bite
Questions

Common questions

Yes. Scanning any barcode and seeing the safety score, danger flags, and summary is completely free. Always has been, always will be. Premium upgrades add deeper ingredient breakdowns, pet allergy profiles, and scan history — but you never need to pay to know if a product is safe.
Every ingredient is evaluated against a database built from peer-reviewed veterinary research, FDA regulatory actions, and IARC carcinogen classifications. Dangerous ingredients like xylitol, BHA, BHT, carrageenan, and artificial dyes lower the score — beneficial ones like fish oil, chelated minerals, and taurine raise it. The 0–100 score reflects the overall profile.
Yes — and species matters. Propylene glycol is "generally recognized as safe" in dog food but is banned in cat food by the FDA. Our database flags these species-specific differences so you always get the right warning for the right animal.
You can search by product name and brand instead — the app will do its best to find a match or a close equivalent. We're continuously expanding our database, and you can also use the web scanner on this page to try a text search right now.
Michigan. Built by pet owners, for pet owners — with Midwest values baked into every decision. No corporate pet food sponsors, no hidden conflicts of interest.
It's a flat $2 one-time payment for lifetime Premium access — our way of saying thank you to the community that inspired this app. No subscriptions, no renewals. Pay once, Premium forever. See the Pricing section for the link.
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Transparency

The science behind every scan

Every ingredient rating in KibbleCare is grounded in peer-reviewed veterinary research, FDA regulatory actions, and internationally recognized carcinogen classifications — not opinions.

Regulatory Bodies

  • FDAU.S. Food & Drug Administration — banned propylene glycol in cat food (1996); requested ethoxyquin reduction (1997); ongoing DCM investigation into grain-free diets (2018–present). Recall data sourced live from openFDA.
  • AAFCOAssociation of American Feed Control Officials — defines "complete and balanced" nutritional standards, ingredient definitions, life stage requirements, and protein/fat minimums used in all analysis.
  • IARC / WHOInternational Agency for Research on Cancer — Group 1 (carcinogenic): sodium nitrite/nitrate. Group 2B (possible carcinogen): BHA, carrageenan, Red Dye No. 3.

Danger Ingredient Research

  • XylitolDunayer & Gwaltney-Brant, JAVMA 2006; Peterson, Vet Clin Small Anim 2013 — dose-dependent hypoglycemia and acute hepatic necrosis in dogs. Fatal at 0.1 g/kg.
  • Onion / GarlicCope, Vet Hum Toxicol 2005 — N-propyl disulfide causes Heinz body anemia. Toxic at 0.5% body weight; cumulative with chronic low doses.
  • Grapes / RaisinsEubig et al., JAVMA 2005 — oliguric acute renal failure at as little as 3 g/kg. No safe dose established.
  • BHAIto et al., Jpn J Cancer Res 1983 — forestomach tumors in rats and hamsters. IARC Group 2B.
  • BHTSher et al., J Toxicol Environ Health 1997 — endocrine disruption, thyroid effects, liver enzyme induction.
  • CarrageenanBhattacharyya et al., Front Pediatr 2012 — intestinal inflammation at low doses; GI ulcers and tumor promotion in animal models.
  • Artificial DyesMcCann et al., Lancet 2007 — Red 40, Yellow 5/6 linked to hyperactivity. Red 3 IARC Group 2B. Zero nutritional value.

Caution Ingredient Research

  • Pea Protein / Grain-FreeFDA investigation 2018–2019 — 16 brands, 560+ reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs fed grain-free, legume-heavy diets. Causation not confirmed; ongoing monitoring.
  • Excess SodiumBrown et al., J Vet Intern Med 2013 — excess sodium linked to hypertension and accelerated chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats.
  • Meat By-ProductsAAFCO definitions — permits lungs, spleen, brain, blood, bone, intestines, tumors. Nutritional variability is extreme; quality is uncontrolled by regulation.
  • Corn / Wheat GlutenCommon allergens used as protein fillers. Corn protein profile does not match carnivore amino acid requirements; wheat gluten linked to IBD in sensitive dogs.

Beneficial Ingredient Research

  • Fish OilRoush et al., JAVMA 2010 — EPA/DHA omega-3s reduce inflammatory markers, improve coat quality and joint mobility in arthritic dogs.
  • Glucosamine + ChondroitinMcCarthy et al., J Nutr Sci 2007 — randomized controlled trial in dogs showed significant pain reduction vs. placebo.
  • Mixed TocopherolsFrankel, Food Chem 1996 — as effective as BHA/BHT as preservatives without carcinogenic risk.
  • DHAKelley et al., JAVMA 2004 — improved cognitive scores and trainability in puppies.
  • Chelated MineralsWedekind et al., J Anim Sci 1992 — 2–3× higher bioavailability than oxide forms.
  • ProbioticsKelley et al., Vet Ther 2009 — reduced duration of acute diarrhea and improved stool consistency in clinical dog trials.
  • TaurineFDA 2018 — essential for cats; deficiency causes feline dilated cardiomyopathy. Critical for dogs on grain-free/low-protein diets.
Disclaimer: KibbleCare is an informational tool, not a substitute for veterinary advice. Ingredient ratings reflect available peer-reviewed research and regulatory positions at the time of analysis. Always consult your veterinarian for diet decisions specific to your pet's health.