Picking the right food for your dog is important. Many people don’t realize how important it is for there are several dog food brands that might be downright dangerous for your pup.
To make matters more confusing, some humans confuse healthy human diet options as healthy for their dog which is not always the case.
The FDA is investigating over 500 cases that link dog foods that are marketed as "grain free" to a condition called canine dilated cardiomyopathy, basically: heart disease in your dog. To learn more about the Grain Free dog food brands that may be effected by this, you can read further about it here: 16 brands of dog food linked to canine heart disease.
Besides avoiding grain free dog foods, it is recommended to avoid foods that have artificial colorings. The reason they have bright yellows and reds is not to make your dog want to eat it, those colors are used to market that dog food to the human. Colored dog food is designed to appeal to YOU, not your dog! But if it LOOKS more appetizing it must be, right? No, those colorings may be poisoning or creating havoc for your dog’s health. Red No. 40, has been linked to cancer. Other colors can make your dog more vulnerable to viral illnesses.
The pet food industry is not as heavily regulated as the human food industry. A lot of things are added to dog food that would never be accepted in human products. Labels like "natural" and "organic" are used loosely when it comes to dog food.
Artificial Preservatives are also something you want to avoid. A common artificial preservative is a synthetic compound known as ethoxyquin which is commonly used in dog foods. Unfortunately, it has been noted to increase the risk of toxicity in dogs. Another drawback of this preservative is that it is also used as a PESTICIDE! Its generally a good idea not to feed your dog a pesticide!
Just like you do with your food, read the ingredients on your dog’s food. By-products are also not something that is generally good for your dog. By-products can be difficult for your dog to absorb into their system or use. This means they go to the bathroom a lot more and eat more to get the nutrition their body requires.
Controversial ingredients found in many popular dry dog foods and the potential health danger each may be linked to:
BHA Preservative Cancer
BHT Preservative Cancer
TBHQ Preservative Cancer
Ethoxyquin Preservative Liver pigmentation
Menadione Synthetic vitamin Hemolytic anemia
Artificial dyes Colorant Cancer
Propylene glycol Moisturizer Heinz body anemia
Generic “meat” Unknown source Food allergies
If you would like to read more on finding a quality dog food for your dog, see our blog article on Finding A Good Dog Food.
Here is another good article on healthy dog food options Healthy Dog Food Options
K-9 Culture Dog Training
Carrollton, Texas
