DRY DOG FOOD IS KILLING YOUR PET!

Really? It looks like it’s time for another episode of Four Seasons Holistic Veterinary Care Mythbusters…

At Four Seasons we think the BEST way to feed your dog is with a home prepared raw diet made with meat and veg that you could eat yourself (and bones which you’d be happy to make stock from!) but we also appreciate that not all our clients are able to provide that, for a variety of reasons, and instead feed their dogs on premium dry or wet foods.

This week a blog about the UK’s worst dog foods has been doing the rounds and it’s got several of our clients worried as it contains brand they thought were high quality, so what should you be concerned about when buying dog food?

INGREDIENTS

Look for a food which lists all the ingredients. If it says ‘lamb meat’ that’s what you’re getting. If it says ‘meat and animal by-products’ it could well include poor quality protein sources including beaks, feet and feathers. These are not toxic to your dog but too many of them mean he may miss out on essential amino acids.

If you have concerns over GM ingredients then there are dry foods which are GM free, and which use meat from animals fed GM free diets. Similarly if you prefer organic foods then several brands offer organic ranges and use free range meat. Fish varieties should state if they are from sustainable wild or farmed sources.

Carbohydrates and grains are a big source of concern for some owners. Grains are not a natural part of a dogs diet but for many dogs they provide a cheaper source of carbohydrates and protein than meat. Some grains are more digestible than others and quality and processing are important factors too. Alternative sources of carbohydrate include pulses and potato and many manufacturers now offer ‘grain free’ dry and wet diets.

ADDITIVES

Most foods will need some additives to prevent spoiling. Avoid the artificial ones like BHT and BHA which may be linked to health problems and look for natural anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C and Rosemary oil. Don’t panic about E- numbers but do take the time to check them out if listed. Even natural colours get an E-number! E-162 is Beetroot juice used for colouring.

PROTEIN, FAT, MOISTURE, ASH!

You might be looking for a low fat dog food,  or maybe a high protein one so with these percentages on the packet it’s easy….right? Actually it’s not because a wet food with 5% fat is much more fatty than a dry food with 5% fat! Confused? It’s all about DRY MATTER.

If a canned food if 5% fat and 80% moisture this makes it’s Dry Matter fat 25%

If a dry food is 5% fat and 10% moisture this makes it’s Dry Matter fat 5.5%!

For most healthy dogs look for a DM protein of at least 25% and fat around 10-15% in pre-prepared food. The rest will be carbohydrates, fibre and ash.  Carbohydrates aren’t the dogs preferred energy source (they work most efficiently from animal fat and protein) but they are a cheaper source of energy than animal fat and protein so make up around 50% of most dog foods. Fibre is indigestible but useful to bulk out diets for overweight dogs and provides certain good gut bacteria with their fuel (sugar beet pulp is often included for this reason and despite the name the product used in dogs foods has had almost all the sugar removed, chicory is another plant added for fibre and gut bacterial health). Ash is everything else; the minerals and trace elements.

MADE IN BRITAIN

We’ve seen some scare stories about foreign dog food containing road-kill, diseased meat and even dead pets! We don’t know how true these tales are but by sticking to foods made in the UK you are assured that only meat passed as safe for human consumption is used (although it might not be the prime cuts!).

There have been verified health scares with ingredients from China (including medicinal herbs) being deliberately or accidentally contaminated with toxic substances; another reason to buy British.

SO WHAT TO FEED?

Avoid: wet or dry foods with unclear ingredients, artificial additives, mostly grain based.

Good: dry food with clear, limited ingredients list, natural additives, high meat content.

Better: sachets or pouches of lightly cooked meat and veg with minimal grain or a pre-prepared raw diet.

Best: home prepared raw diet.

For more advice on feeding your dog make an appointment!