Dog Health
Diet and Health: Bad and Controversial Dog Food Ingredients
Dog and cat food companies advertise tantalizing food for pups and kittens, but the truth is far from the ads.
What is the pungent odor you smell coming from your dog’s bag of food? Having watched all the savvy commercials advertising their brand of dog food as possessing superior freshness and real meat ingredients you might expect to open the bag and see a live cow
graze right out onto your kitchen floor. The truth is far removed from this image in most cases. Over the past two decades much has come out about the unhealthy additives and processes that go into making Fido’s dinner.
The first thing to understand about pet food is that by and large it is made from parts of animals that are deemed “unfit” for human consumption. Typical material considered “unfit” are kidneys, livers, udders, and diseased parts of cows, pigs, and poultry. Three of the five major pet food companies in the United States are subsidiaries of large multinational companies, which means the majority of pet food is the byproduct of undesirable people food. Veterinarians urge that the consumption of slaughterhouse remains increases an animal’s chance of getting cancer and other degenerative diseases. Since rendering, extruding and baking do not always destroy dangerous hormones or eliminate the presence of toxic chemicals and enhancement drugs used on livestock.
Dry food is made with a machine called an expander or extruder. Raw materials are blended together and fed into the machine. Hot eater is added and the mixture is exposed to hot temperatures and intense steam. The product goes through the steaming process and comes out looking bloated and puffy. The food is allowed to dry and is sprayed with fats and other compounds to make it tastier to the average cat or dog. Some food is baked rather than steamed in the extruding process. The cooking process in either method kills the bacteria in the food, however the final spray over the kibbles or chow can compromise the sterility of the product quite easily. In addition the endotoxins some bacteria produce during their growth are not always eliminated in the cooking process. For the most part pet food manufacturers do not test their products for these trouble-making toxins. Mycotoxins come from fungi and mold. Sloppy farming processes and poor drying and storage lead to the cultivation of these toxins. Wheat, corn, cottonseed meal, fishmeal, and peanut meal are the leading culprits for mycotoxin harboring.
So, how do you protect your loved ones from bad food? Your supermarket selections will determine the health of your pup or kitten. You should be familiar with one industry term before you choose a variety of dog or cat food for your pet. “Rendering” is a term tossed around frequently by companies in describing the process by which pet food is made “safe.” Rending means to separate fat-soluble from solids and water-soluble material. In the process bacterial contaminants are killed, but the natural enzymes and proteins contained in the raw material is altered or destroyed. Rendering is, therefore, not all it is cracked up to be. Rendering essentially takes the nutrients out of raw materials and replaces it with a content-less collection of semi-liquid matter. Added to this rendered material are grain-based products. Seventy-five percent of pet food is some form of grain. Corn is used most frequently because it is the cheapest. Rice and then wheat and soy are the best grain additives to have in your pet’s food for nutritional reasons. Peanut hulls are used strictly for fiber and have no nutritional value. If corn and peanut hulls are close to the top of the ingredient list, be wary of the product.
Chemicals are added to the food to improve the taste and texture of the chow. These additives provide no nutritional value. Emulsifiers that prevent water and fat from separating are high in quantity, as are antioxidants to prevent fat from rotting. Artificial colors and flavors make the product more aesthetically appealing to the human customer and tastier to the animal consumer. Preservatives are added to so the food can stay fresh. Some preservatives are particularly unhealthy. Synthetic preservatives like butylated hydrozyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene, propylene, and ethoxyquin add no nutritional value and are looked up with skepticism by some veterinarians. It is believed widely that these are potentially cancer-causing agents and as a result, pet food is allowed to contain only small quantities of these preservatives. The long-term build-up from years of consumption of small quantities is significant enough for concern, however. The good news is that currently some manufacturers are using natural preservatives such as Vitamin C, rosemary oils, clove, and other spices to preserve the fats in the food. While natural preservatives do no keep food fresh for nearly as long as synthetic preservatives they are more healthy for your pet.
What else should you be on the lookout for? A large quantity of any one ingredient can be unhealthy. Excess calcium and calories in dog food has been linked to overly rapid puppy growth. This rapid growth can lead to joint diseases in dogs. Hypothyroidism is linked to excess iodine in cat food. This disease is terminal in most cases. Watch out for corn gluten meal as well. This dried residue made from corn is added to pet food to slow down the transition of rancid animal fats. Essentially holding in wastes, corn gluten in even small quantities affects pet’s liver and kidneys. Corn is thought to be the third most common cause of food allergies in dogs. Rice bran is the outer coating of the rice kernel. It is simply an inexpensive source of fiber that companies use strictly as a filler. Similarly rice flour is void of nutritional value because of its highly-processed nature. Rice gluten, or glue, is the dried residue from rice after the starch and germ is removed. Like corn gluten, rice gluten is added to pet food to slow down the rotting process. Some dogs consuming foods with high quantities of rice gluten have unpleasant reactions—swelling feet, overworked kidneys, and itchy lower backs. Soybeans are considered the number one allergy of dogs. Soybeans are obtained by grinding the leftover flakes from soybeans after the oil is removed. It is used frequently by pet food companies because it is cheap.
Although in small amounts, restaurant grease can have a sickening effect on a pet. Grease has become a main component of pet food in recent years. This additive is often left out for weeks in fifty-gallon drums. Exposure to extreme temperature and contaminants makes this a dangerous additive. The grease is combined with fats and is then sprayed onto kibbles to make the meal tasty to your pup.
So now that you know how bad many of the dog and cat food ingredients are, what should you do? You do not have to stop buying pet food altogether, though you may want to. When you go down the aisle in your local supermarket in search of a scrumptious and nutritious meal for your best friend simply take note of the varying prices. As it is with most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you see a can of dog food for fifty cents you may want to hesitate. This does not mean reach for the highest priced item. After you've done a price check, scroll down the ingredients list and notice if any of the additives listed in the article are close to the top. Generally speaking stay away from commercial pet food products unless they have natural ingredients. Large-scale commercial manufacturers are usually the least healthy. Look for smaller manufacturers advertising non-commercial production. In general remember that diets composed mainly of low-quality cereals and rendered meats are the least healthy for dogs and cats. If you are very concerned about the health of you pet you should consider purchasing your own raw ingredients and making Fido dishes from scratch at home.
What is the pungent odor you smell coming from your dog’s bag of food? Having watched all the savvy commercials advertising their brand of dog food as possessing superior freshness and real meat ingredients you might expect to open the bag and see a live cow
The first thing to understand about pet food is that by and large it is made from parts of animals that are deemed “unfit” for human consumption. Typical material considered “unfit” are kidneys, livers, udders, and diseased parts of cows, pigs, and poultry. Three of the five major pet food companies in the United States are subsidiaries of large multinational companies, which means the majority of pet food is the byproduct of undesirable people food. Veterinarians urge that the consumption of slaughterhouse remains increases an animal’s chance of getting cancer and other degenerative diseases. Since rendering, extruding and baking do not always destroy dangerous hormones or eliminate the presence of toxic chemicals and enhancement drugs used on livestock.
Dry food is made with a machine called an expander or extruder. Raw materials are blended together and fed into the machine. Hot eater is added and the mixture is exposed to hot temperatures and intense steam. The product goes through the steaming process and comes out looking bloated and puffy. The food is allowed to dry and is sprayed with fats and other compounds to make it tastier to the average cat or dog. Some food is baked rather than steamed in the extruding process. The cooking process in either method kills the bacteria in the food, however the final spray over the kibbles or chow can compromise the sterility of the product quite easily. In addition the endotoxins some bacteria produce during their growth are not always eliminated in the cooking process. For the most part pet food manufacturers do not test their products for these trouble-making toxins. Mycotoxins come from fungi and mold. Sloppy farming processes and poor drying and storage lead to the cultivation of these toxins. Wheat, corn, cottonseed meal, fishmeal, and peanut meal are the leading culprits for mycotoxin harboring.
So, how do you protect your loved ones from bad food? Your supermarket selections will determine the health of your pup or kitten. You should be familiar with one industry term before you choose a variety of dog or cat food for your pet. “Rendering” is a term tossed around frequently by companies in describing the process by which pet food is made “safe.” Rending means to separate fat-soluble from solids and water-soluble material. In the process bacterial contaminants are killed, but the natural enzymes and proteins contained in the raw material is altered or destroyed. Rendering is, therefore, not all it is cracked up to be. Rendering essentially takes the nutrients out of raw materials and replaces it with a content-less collection of semi-liquid matter. Added to this rendered material are grain-based products. Seventy-five percent of pet food is some form of grain. Corn is used most frequently because it is the cheapest. Rice and then wheat and soy are the best grain additives to have in your pet’s food for nutritional reasons. Peanut hulls are used strictly for fiber and have no nutritional value. If corn and peanut hulls are close to the top of the ingredient list, be wary of the product.
Chemicals are added to the food to improve the taste and texture of the chow. These additives provide no nutritional value. Emulsifiers that prevent water and fat from separating are high in quantity, as are antioxidants to prevent fat from rotting. Artificial colors and flavors make the product more aesthetically appealing to the human customer and tastier to the animal consumer. Preservatives are added to so the food can stay fresh. Some preservatives are particularly unhealthy. Synthetic preservatives like butylated hydrozyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene, propylene, and ethoxyquin add no nutritional value and are looked up with skepticism by some veterinarians. It is believed widely that these are potentially cancer-causing agents and as a result, pet food is allowed to contain only small quantities of these preservatives. The long-term build-up from years of consumption of small quantities is significant enough for concern, however. The good news is that currently some manufacturers are using natural preservatives such as Vitamin C, rosemary oils, clove, and other spices to preserve the fats in the food. While natural preservatives do no keep food fresh for nearly as long as synthetic preservatives they are more healthy for your pet.
What else should you be on the lookout for? A large quantity of any one ingredient can be unhealthy. Excess calcium and calories in dog food has been linked to overly rapid puppy growth. This rapid growth can lead to joint diseases in dogs. Hypothyroidism is linked to excess iodine in cat food. This disease is terminal in most cases. Watch out for corn gluten meal as well. This dried residue made from corn is added to pet food to slow down the transition of rancid animal fats. Essentially holding in wastes, corn gluten in even small quantities affects pet’s liver and kidneys. Corn is thought to be the third most common cause of food allergies in dogs. Rice bran is the outer coating of the rice kernel. It is simply an inexpensive source of fiber that companies use strictly as a filler. Similarly rice flour is void of nutritional value because of its highly-processed nature. Rice gluten, or glue, is the dried residue from rice after the starch and germ is removed. Like corn gluten, rice gluten is added to pet food to slow down the rotting process. Some dogs consuming foods with high quantities of rice gluten have unpleasant reactions—swelling feet, overworked kidneys, and itchy lower backs. Soybeans are considered the number one allergy of dogs. Soybeans are obtained by grinding the leftover flakes from soybeans after the oil is removed. It is used frequently by pet food companies because it is cheap.
Although in small amounts, restaurant grease can have a sickening effect on a pet. Grease has become a main component of pet food in recent years. This additive is often left out for weeks in fifty-gallon drums. Exposure to extreme temperature and contaminants makes this a dangerous additive. The grease is combined with fats and is then sprayed onto kibbles to make the meal tasty to your pup.
So now that you know how bad many of the dog and cat food ingredients are, what should you do? You do not have to stop buying pet food altogether, though you may want to. When you go down the aisle in your local supermarket in search of a scrumptious and nutritious meal for your best friend simply take note of the varying prices. As it is with most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you see a can of dog food for fifty cents you may want to hesitate. This does not mean reach for the highest priced item. After you've done a price check, scroll down the ingredients list and notice if any of the additives listed in the article are close to the top. Generally speaking stay away from commercial pet food products unless they have natural ingredients. Large-scale commercial manufacturers are usually the least healthy. Look for smaller manufacturers advertising non-commercial production. In general remember that diets composed mainly of low-quality cereals and rendered meats are the least healthy for dogs and cats. If you are very concerned about the health of you pet you should consider purchasing your own raw ingredients and making Fido dishes from scratch at home.
Source: essortment