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There are hundreds of dog food brands on the market. As a pet owner, you want to be sure that you are giving your dog the best possible food to keep him or her healthy.
The problem we face is that most brands contain harmful ingredients that may cause sickness or eventually even death to your dog.
7 Red Flag Dog Foods and Their Harmful Effects to Your Dog’s Health
1. BHA or BHT.Butylated-hydroxyanisole and butylated-hydroxytoluene are preservatives that prolong the shelf-life of your dog’s food. Though they can avoid spoilage, these ingredients cause kidney failure and cancer.
Unfortunately, many products are still using this ingredient. Hence, you have to check the ingredients before buying a particular brand. If the product doesn’t show the ingredients used for making the food, you have to stay away from these brands.
2. Meat By-Products.If you think meat by-products won’t cause harm to your dog’s health, then you better think again. Meat by-products have undesirable ingredients added to the mixture. There may have feet, animal eyes, hair, hooves, and other things, which are too scary to imagine. Hence, you’re giving your pet food that is potentially very toxic.
NOTE: If the by-product contains liver and kidneys, then you can give it to your pet. Doctors and vets consider human-grade organ meats safe for pets. In other words, if the meat is safe for humans, it is also safe for pets.
3. Ethoxyquin. is another preservative found in dog food. It’s actually a pesticide, usually added to dog foods to keep it fresh for months longer. However, a study has shown that this preservative causes cancer and liver problems. Unfortunately, many products still have this preservative; so check your labels!
4. Corn.In most cases the corn is a GMO (Genetically modified Food) and is considered a cheap low quality filler. It does not have any nutritional value except carbohydrates. This food can cause weight gain and may develop mold and fungus.
5. Corn Syrup.It is another GMO ingredient that can affect your dog’s health. Manufacturers add corn syrup to give flavor to the food. Though it makes the food tasty, it causes weight gain, which leads to diabetes. Too much intake of this product results in tooth decay, hyperactivity, and mental problems.
6. Soy is rich in protein and ideal for weight watchers, but it’s also considered as a low-quality filler. When eaten by your dog, it can affect your dog’s endocrine system.
Apart from that, soy products have GMO and pesticides that may result in cancer developing. According to the New York Times, 90% of soy crops’ genetic profile has been changed.
7. Artificial Colors, Flavors, etc.Artificial means fake, and fake products don’t give positive results. Hence, you must avoid dog foods that have artificial ingredients. They disrupt your pet’s metabolism and wreak havoc with its hormones. If your dog exhibits behavioral problems, then these artificial dyes could be the cause.
7 Ways to Avoid Harmful Ingredients in Your Dog’s Food
Even though the market has been proliferated with harmful dog food products, you can still avoid these ingredients. Here are the things that you must do to ensure that you’re giving your pooch healthy and safe food to eat.
1. Check the ingredients.
To ensure that the dog’s food is safe to eat, you must check what’s inside it. Read the labels and check for preservatives (usually hard to pronounce ingredients), colored dyes, and chemical additives.
You can also check for the source of the meat- Although it may not always be apparent, I would google the description to know for sure or visit the manufacturer’s website.
You should also avoid rendered meals which is food that goes through a process of pulverizing the ingredient to turn it into a powder. Though the FDA approves this cooking process, you should not buy such products because you never know what’s in it.
Hence, the best way to avoid these ingredients is to visit a retail pet store that sells natural dog food or search online. When in doubt, always add Juverin Food Booster to his meal once daily so you can have peace of mind that he is receiving his daily amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants!
Beware because natural dog food doesn’t always mean that the product is safe. Manufacturers can easily skirt the rules and know how to present their products as natural when in reality they may contain some harmful chemicals.
Thus, you have to check the labels and the ingredients of the food before buying them. That way, you can have peace-of-mind so you know that your dog is eating organic, healthy food.
2. Look for research-backed products.
There are organizations dedicated to providing information to help manufacturers to produce healthy and nutritious dog food. The Association of American Feed Control Officials is one of them. This company ensures that the pet food has all the nutrients that your dog needs. To make sure that the dog food manufacturer follows the AAFCO guidelines, you have to look for their claims on the website or labels.
3. Beware of celebrity branding.
Every marketer knows the influence of celebrities. If they hire a popular endorser, chances are their followers will buy the product. However, celebrity endorsements don’t guarantee that the product is safe for dogs. Remember that the reason they hire these people is to market their product and increase their sales. Thus, you should never consider the endorser when getting a dog food since their motivation may be the almighty dollar!
4. Watch out for beautiful packaging and witty marketing.
Commercial dog food products use shiny packaging to make their brand stand out from competitors. They also use different marketing techniques to widen their target market. However, beautiful packaging and witty marketing should not be the basis of your choices. You should focus on the ingredients and health benefits of the product to keep your dog in good shape.
When buying a popular dog food brand, you need to read what’s on the label. You need to know what you’re giving to your pet to keep your dog healthy.
5. Food that has been around forever.
Pet owners usually choose brands that have been around for ages. They instantly trust the manufacturer since the product is a well-known brand. However, some of the trusted products on the market can harm your pet because they have harmful ingredients that may trigger the endocrine and digestive system problems. Thus, you have to read the label and the nutritional facts to ensure that you’re giving your pooch the right nutrients.
NOTE: Give your dog a variety of food to keep their endocrines healthy. The same dog food day in and day out is like feeding yourself pasta everyday- your dog’s system is no different and needs a broad nutrient profile from various brands. Doing this is going to help your pet’s endocrine system adjust, no matter what food you give it.
6. Read customers’ reviews.
Knowing what customers have to say about certain products is important. These reviews will tell you if a particular pet food is safe to eat. You should read these write-ups as it can help in finding the best dog food on the market.
Nowadays, it’s easier to search for reviews. You can find them almost everywhere. One of the best places to get information is iheartdogs.com. Join the conversation! When reading reviews, you must consider the negative and positive feedback of the consumers. Weigh in those comments and determine which brand has more positive reviews.
7. Prepare the food by yourself.
It’s probably the best and the safest way to avoid harmful ingredients. If you make your dog’s food, you know what’s in it. You can choose the ingredients of your pooch’s food. Lastly, you’re 100% sure that you’re providing your pet a nutritious meal.
There are several ways to prepare your dog’s food. If you don’t know how to do it, you can search the Internet. Read some blogs to know the best and the tastiest dog food recipes that won’t harm your pet’s health. You may also watch video tutorials as it may tell you how to prepare a dog’s food. Follow their guidelines correctly to ensure that the food tastes good. We will be publishing some great healthy pet recipes in the near future so be on the lookout!
Keep your dog healthy if you want to prolong its life!
Dogs can’t choose the food they eat. They only eat what you give to them. They don’t care if the food can cause sickness or not. Their food consumption lies in your choices. Thus, you have to be careful when choosing a dog food product.
Please keep in mind that the following toxic ingredients must be avoided at all cost- BHT, corn, corn syrup, soy, by-products, artificial flavors, and ethoxyquin. Avoiding these ingredients will keep your pets in good shape and behavior.
If you remember these tips, you will be a responsible dog owner and give your pet the best chance at a long and health life!
Reference:
https://www.petplate.co/blog/how-to-avoid-harmful-ingredients-in-your-dog-s-food
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/17/the-quality-of-pet-food-ingredients-part-2.aspx
https://slimdoggy.com/is-soy-bad-for-dogs/
