Be careful of these Red-Flag Ingredients in your Pet Food

BY | June 26 | COMMENTS PUBLISHED BY
Be careful of these Red-Flag Ingredients in your Pet Food

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When you have pets at home, their health and safety are among our top priorities. Every day, we make sure that our pets receive only the best. When you are feeding your pet commercial pet food as compared to what you could make at home, it is to choose a brand that is safe, healthy, and beneficial for your pet. There are several brands of commercial pet food available in the market. Choosing from them can be daunting, especially if you do not know what to look for. Most people make the mistake of buying pet food without checking the ingredients in cat foods or dog foods. The ingredients are one of the essential factors you should keep in mind. If your pet food has any of these red-flag ingredients, avoid using them, as it can harm your pet's health.

Carrageenan

Carrageenan is an ingredient that is extracted from seaweed and is used for the emulsification of food products. Carrageen is found in most pet foods, especially wet cat food or wet dog food. It is a highly debated ingredient, especially since it can cause intestinal inflammation, edema, and colon cancer in pets. When buying pet food, avoid dog and cat food brands, including Carrageenan, even in small amounts.

Animal fat and bone meal (MBM)

When shopping for pet food, you are likely to find several cat or dog food brands that include animal fat and bone meal in their pet food. Look out for these ingredients and avoid using such products because animal fat and MBM are obtained from sick animals that died on farms, expired food products, and scraps from the restaurant. In most cases, these ingredients are likely to include the grease and fat from deep fryers. In addition, since animal fat and MBM are extracted from sick, dead animals, it is likely to be contaminated with drugs administered for carrying out euthanasia.

White flour

It is a well-known fact that white flour can cause weight gain, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and so on in humans. White flour has the same effect on pets as well. It is stripped of all essential nutrients and leaves your pet feeling full for a short time. As a result, your pet is at risk for overeating, thus leading to weight gain, obesity, and poor heart health. Pet foods that are whole grain or even grain-free dog food like Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food are an excellent alternative to pet foods based on white flour.

Ethoxyquin

It is a preservative that is commonly used in dog food. Studies have shown that Ethoxyquin is dangerous and causes renal failure, severe immune deficiency, and cancer in dogs. Avoiding any pet food that uses Ethoxyquin as a preservative is best. Stick to dog food products that have natural preservatives.

Here's How Dog Food Labels Fool You

If you are a dog owner and a pet lover, you know the importance of giving your dogs the best. We often go out of our way to ensure that our beloved fur kids are comfortable, healthy, and happy. One of the essential things in caring for your dog is paying attention to what your dog eats. Most dog parents know the struggles of getting your dog to eat healthily. We spend hours in pet food stalls trying to come up with food and snacks that are nothing but the best. 

Most of the information about pet food is gleaned through the labels. The issue here is that, in many cases, the information on dog food labels can be pretty misleading. Dry dog food labels can make all kinds of claims, and if you are not careful, you may be fooled by these false claims. Here are some of the most common ways in which dog food labels fool dog owners.

Grain-free products

Grain-free food products like Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain-Free Healthy Weight Recipe are a common trend these days, and while we are still deciding whether we need to go grain-free, it is essential to know what pet food manufacturers mean by grain-free. Sure, your dog food label says that the food is grain-free, and there's no doubt it is true. The only hitch is that pet food manufacturers use grain substitutes instead of actual grains, and while the food is grain-free in the literal sense, the substitutes can harm your dog's health. In addition, it is an excellent way for pet food manufacturers to profit from selling pet food. The next time you see a dog food label marked grain-free, check for other ingredients. The most common grain substitutes are peas and potatoes. Grains are not essentially as bad as they are marketed to be. There is plenty of quality dog food like Nature's Recipe Lamb Meal & Rice Adult Dog Food that proudly feature them on the label.

Meat by-products

It is a common claim on the labels of most dog food companies. It is important to note that although pet food companies claim them to be meat, the by-products are not meat. They are what is left over from what is processed for human consumption. These by-products include the lungs, spleen, beaks, feet, kidneys, brains, etc. In a literal sense, pet food manufacturers can increase the so-called protein levels while reducing their production costs.

Percentage of meat

Many dog food labels claim that they contain a very high percentage of meat. It is not entirely true. The meat in dog food is measured in its raw form and then cooked and dehydrated. Once the meat is cooked and dehydrated, it reduces in weight. So, the next time you see a label that says X percentage of meat, remember that the actual amount of cooked meat in the container is way less than what is specified on the label. It’s best to go for fresh dog food to provide a determined level of meat.

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