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Entry 234Filed under Breeding

How to Store Opened Canned Dog Food Safely

Refrigerate leftover canned dog food promptly at 40°F or below and cover it tightly. FDA guidance does not specify a maximum number of refrigerator-storage days for opened dog food.
2-minute read By Animalso Team
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Refrigerate unused canned dog food promptly, keep it at 40°F or below, and tightly cover it. If you cannot refrigerate the leftovers, discard them. FDA pet-food guidance does not specify how many days opened canned dog food may be kept in the refrigerator, so avoid relying on a human-food timeline as a dog-food rule.

How to refrigerate opened canned dog food

  1. Refrigerate promptly. The FDA advises: “Promptly refrigerate or throw out unused or leftover canned and pouched pet food.” It does not set a specific room-temperature cutoff, so do not treat any particular elapsed time as an official safe window. FDA: Proper Storage of Pet Food & Treats
  2. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below. A refrigerator thermometer can help you check the temperature. FDA: Are You Storing Food Safely?
  3. Tightly cover the food. Use a clean can cover or transfer the leftovers to a clean, covered, food-safe container. The FDA says to tightly cover refrigerated pet food; it does not endorse a particular cover or require transferring food out of the can. FDA: Tips for Safe Handling of Pet Food and Treats

A reusable silicone can cover or a covered food-safe glass or plastic container is optional. Choose something clean, easy to wash, and sized to cover the food securely in your refrigerator; these are practical selection considerations, not FDA product recommendations.

How long can opened canned dog food stay in the fridge?

The FDA pet-food storage guidance cited here says to refrigerate leftovers promptly but does not give a maximum number of days for opened canned dog food. Follow the product label if it provides storage instructions, and do not invent a dog-food-specific “use within” period from general canned-food advice.

For comparison only, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance for human food says refrigerated opened low-acid canned foods such as meat keep 3–4 days. USDA also says unused portions of opened canned foods may be refrigerated in the can, while transferring them to glass or plastic can preserve optimum quality and flavor. Those are human-food recommendations, not an established safe-storage duration for canned dog food. USDA FSIS: After you open a can, how long can you keep the food in the refrigerator? USDA FSIS: After opening canned foods, is it safe to refrigerate the unused food in the can?

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Keep the product information and feeding equipment clean

  • Keep the original can or its label so you can identify the product, UPC, lot number, manufacturer, and best-by date. The FDA says these details can help when reporting a product problem or recall.
  • Wash and dry your dog’s food bowl after each use.
  • Wash and dry scooping or measuring utensils after each use.

FDA safe-handling guidance

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When to stop feeding the food

Do not feed food that appears to have a problem. The FDA lists foul odor, a swollen or leaking package, and foreign objects as examples. Stop feeding it and contact your veterinarian if your dog becomes ill after eating it. For a suspected pet-food problem, retain the product details and follow the FDA’s reporting guidance.

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FDA: Tips for Safe Handling of Pet Food and Treats

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