A dog chew formed from a dairy-based material, wherein said dairy-based material is a mixture of one or more dairy ingredients combined with a binding agent, and said mixture of one or more dairy ingredients comprises the largest portion, by weight, of the dog chew, and said binding agent is added in a sufficient quantity to allow the dairy-based material to be pliable and stable. In the preferred embodiment, the dog chew also includes a flavoring material wherein the dairy-based material comprises the majority of the exterior surface of the dog chew, and said flavoring material includes meats from poultry, mammals, or fish.

A method of treating or preventing a bacterial infection in an animal comprises administering to the animal an effective amount of an antibacterial peptide, the antibacterial peptide being derived from degraded date pits which are degraded by solid state degradation by a fungus, Trichoderma reesei. The antibacterial peptide has a molecular mass of less than 10 kDa and an amino acid sequence including (a) SEQ ID NO:4 or (b) SEQ ID NO:6. The bacterial infection is caused by a Gram-positive bacteria or a Gram-negative bacteria, for example, a Salmonella species, a Campylobacter species, a Shigella species, an Escherichia species, a Pseudomonas species, and a Staphylococcus species.

The present invention provides a composition and/or an animal feed comprising polypeptides having muramidase activity and uses thereof.

A food product ingredient formed from a keratinous protein-containing material, e.g, feathers, and methods of making the same. The methods include cleaning the keratinous protein-containing material, combining the keratinous protein-containing material with a cereal bran to form a mixture, and hydrolyzing the mixture to form the food product ingredient. Optionally, of the keratinous protein-containing material is cleaned and/or frozen within 5 hours of collection. The methods generate fewer unpleasant odors, and food product ingredients produced by the method can similarly benefit. The food product ingredient may be incorporated into a food product, such as a pet food product.

A composition of matter for dental plaque removal comprising at least one of a strain of the bacteria Bacillus licheniformis and the extracellular enzymes produced by B. licheniformis, and at least one of a natural and synthetic polymer, are disclosed. A method of manufacturing an animal chew or food item coated with the disclosed composition of matter, and animal chews or food items produced therefrom, are also disclosed.

An edible pet chew has a member of meat based material chewy sheet. The “meat based material” chewy sheet imitates the durability and strength property of known rawhide sheet and simultaneously has inherent attraction to dogs with meat in its formula. A first aspect of present invention is that, the edible pet chew has a SINGLE chewy sheet of meat based material. A second aspect of present invention is that, the edible pet chew has a meat based material chewy sheet member and additionally an edible material member being wrapped therein. A third aspect of present invention is that, the edible pet chew has an edible material member and additionally a meat based material chewy sheet member being wrapped therein. A forth aspect of present invention provides a method for making the edible pet chew with the essential member of meat based material chewy sheet.

An edible pet chew has a member of meat based material chewy sheet. The “meat based material” chewy sheet imitates the durability and strength property of known rawhide sheet and simultaneously has inherent attraction to dogs with meat in its formula. A first aspect of present invention is that, the edible pet chew has a SINGLE chewy sheet of meat based material. A second aspect of present invention is that, the edible pet chew has a meat based material chewy sheet member and additionally an edible material member being wrapped therein. A third aspect of present invention is that, the edible pet chew has an edible material member and additionally a meat based material chewy sheet member being wrapped therein. A forth aspect of present invention provides a method for making the edible pet chew with the essential member of meat based material chewy sheet.

Disclosed herein is an animal toy having an outer cover defining a chamber that contains a filling material and a noise making device. The outer cover, the filling material, and/or the noise making device can be made of at least one material that is edible for an animal. In some embodiments, the outer cover is reusable.

Dog chews with an inner material and an outer coating. The animal-hide materials of the present invention, when used as an inner material, advantageously can increase durability and chew times. A meat-based coating, when used as the outer coating, advantageously can increase taste of the interior material.

Dog chews with an inner material and an outer coating. The animal-hide materials of the present invention, when used as an inner material, advantageously can increase durability and chew times. A meat-based coating, when used as the outer coating, advantageously can increase taste of the interior material.