Decoding Your Dog's Food
Dog food trends change often and with all the technical names of ingredients it can get confusing. A lot of the ingredients we discuss are controversial. Make sure to read various opinions on each topic and always discuss your food choices with your veterinarian to ensure that it will be the best for your pup. We discuss a few of the basic principals to help you decode labels and lists.
Proteins are a healthy and vital part of your dogs diet from puppyhood through to old age. Most dog foods get their protein from cows, birds, pigs or beef. They are usually from a part of that animals organs or other by product that usually ins't consumed by humans. Proteins from plants or grains can also be used.
Carbohydrates and grains are usually the next thing on the list for dog food. This does not necessarily refer to bread and pasta as we humans are accustomed to thinking. Instead many cereals and grains such as soy, oats, corn, beans, etc. are used to add useful calories to the food.
Vegetables and fruits are not present in all pet foods and can be added for vitamins or fiber. They are not essential for a healthy canine diet as they are for a healthy human diet.
Fat is a healthy and tasty part of any diet (human or canine). Fat in a dog's diet is great for hair and skin health, it also adds flavor to the food.
Vitamins and minerals are an essential part of the domesticated dog's diet. Our pups can no longer scavenge in the wild for the vitamins that they are missing. So it is important that our purchased dog food provides that. Vitamin B is an important one to look for it can be found in the form of biotine, pyridoxine, beta carotene, riboflavin or thiamin. Some manufacturers will add other vitamins and minerals that will help your pup be healthy and happy.
Corn and wheat gluten can be controversial items, although they are very safe. Both corn and wheat have a gluten that can be used in dog food. Many people associate this with a common human allergy called Celiac disease. Celiac disease is extremely uncommon in canines. The most common allergen to dogs is beef. And if your pup has an allergy or you think she may, please consult with your veterinarian immediately. Common allergic reactions are scabs, sores, itchy skin, bald patches, etc.
Proteins are a healthy and vital part of your dogs diet from puppyhood through to old age. Most dog foods get their protein from cows, birds, pigs or beef. They are usually from a part of that animals organs or other by product that usually ins't consumed by humans. Proteins from plants or grains can also be used.
Carbohydrates and grains are usually the next thing on the list for dog food. This does not necessarily refer to bread and pasta as we humans are accustomed to thinking. Instead many cereals and grains such as soy, oats, corn, beans, etc. are used to add useful calories to the food.
Vegetables and fruits are not present in all pet foods and can be added for vitamins or fiber. They are not essential for a healthy canine diet as they are for a healthy human diet.
Fat is a healthy and tasty part of any diet (human or canine). Fat in a dog's diet is great for hair and skin health, it also adds flavor to the food.
Vitamins and minerals are an essential part of the domesticated dog's diet. Our pups can no longer scavenge in the wild for the vitamins that they are missing. So it is important that our purchased dog food provides that. Vitamin B is an important one to look for it can be found in the form of biotine, pyridoxine, beta carotene, riboflavin or thiamin. Some manufacturers will add other vitamins and minerals that will help your pup be healthy and happy.
Corn and wheat gluten can be controversial items, although they are very safe. Both corn and wheat have a gluten that can be used in dog food. Many people associate this with a common human allergy called Celiac disease. Celiac disease is extremely uncommon in canines. The most common allergen to dogs is beef. And if your pup has an allergy or you think she may, please consult with your veterinarian immediately. Common allergic reactions are scabs, sores, itchy skin, bald patches, etc.
Ingredients to Avoid
Food dyes and color are completely unnecessary to appeal to a dog. They are only to entice human buyers. Whether or not color chemicals have harmful effects on dogs is still up for debate in the pet food industry. It is a chemical that doesn't seem to have any health benefit for the pup and could and probably should be left off the list.
BHT & BHA - butylated hydroxytoulene and butylated hydroxyanisole are preservative chemicals that will help dog food to last longer. BHT & BHA are also chemicals used in various other non food substances like cosmetics, jet fuels and embalming fluid to name a few. Their effects are up for debate in the scientific community. The USDA still claims they are safe enough for pet foods. There are some that link these preservatives to causing cancerous tumors.
Rendered fat encompasses a whole lot of items. The list could go on and on (I won't list all) as what would qualify, but basically it is anything that was once alive and was added to the mix of food. This is a controversial area as some people claim that there is nothing dangerous about it while others claim that it can be very dangerous as it can include diseased animals, euthanized pets or animals that died on their way to the slaughterhouse. Yes, true story and disgusting. Most people take comfort in that dogs will eat just about anything they come across, dead or alive to begin with. At least the food that has been packaged is sterilized and cooked first.
BHT & BHA - butylated hydroxytoulene and butylated hydroxyanisole are preservative chemicals that will help dog food to last longer. BHT & BHA are also chemicals used in various other non food substances like cosmetics, jet fuels and embalming fluid to name a few. Their effects are up for debate in the scientific community. The USDA still claims they are safe enough for pet foods. There are some that link these preservatives to causing cancerous tumors.
Rendered fat encompasses a whole lot of items. The list could go on and on (I won't list all) as what would qualify, but basically it is anything that was once alive and was added to the mix of food. This is a controversial area as some people claim that there is nothing dangerous about it while others claim that it can be very dangerous as it can include diseased animals, euthanized pets or animals that died on their way to the slaughterhouse. Yes, true story and disgusting. Most people take comfort in that dogs will eat just about anything they come across, dead or alive to begin with. At least the food that has been packaged is sterilized and cooked first.
Food Grade VS Feed Grade
Food grade is equivalent to any food that is made of high enough quality for human consumption. Feed grade is food that passes standards for animal consumption. All dog foods pass the feed grade requirement and are termed safe for animal consumption. Not all dog food will pass food grade standard, in fact many probably wouldn't. Feed grade is totally acceptable in most cases. In some cases it can sound pretty dangerous, for example it is totally legal to use meat from diseased or non-slaughtered (animals that arrive dead before getting killed at the slaughter house) animals. This would never (thank goodness) pass for food/human grade standards and kind of disturbing that it is legal to feed to our fur babies. Most of the time feed grade is just referring to the use of animal lungs and livers being used as a food source, things that many of us wouldn't want to consume.
