What Is Really in Dog food? What We Unexpectedly Feed Our Furry Friends

Dogs are a lot of fun. We love our furry friends just as much as we love our human family, but dogs seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to food. Although there are some exceptional dog food options on the market today, the vast majority of dog foods put a lot of ingredients in the mix that are not so healthy for our four legged friends. Recent dog food recalls have taken over and given us cause for alarm, so what is really in the dog food you give your dog every day?

Food Dyes

That beefy look to dog food does not happen naturally unless real beef is being used. High concentrations of food dyes are often used to achieve the desired hue and not all are healthy. Many humans have worked to eliminate food dyes from their diets due to their carcinogenic nature. Food dyes used in dog food are the very same dyes used in harmful human foods known to cause certain types of cancer. These dyes have attributed to a spike in animal related cancers within the past few years.

Grains

Dogs are naturally carnivorous. That means they love meat. If we could all afford to give our dog a healthy dose of meat daily, they would be happy little guys. Meat is, however, more expensive than grains. For generations, grains such as corn have been used in dog food manufacturing as a filler. Where this practice is perfectly fine if grains are used in moderation, most dog food manufacturers go a bit overboard with grains. Look at your dog’s food bag and notice where grains stand. If they are the first ingredient listed, that means they are used as the main ingredient. The best dog food brands have meat listed as the first ingredient.

Carrageenan

Many people understand the harmful effects of food dyes and an over consumption of grains in dogs, but few have seen the word carrageenan. This ingredient is derived from seaweed and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in dog food products. Carrageenan may seem like a natural thickening resource, but it has been linked to cancer in both humans and animals. It has been known to cause inflammation and many other health problems in animals as well.

Processing Procedures

Standard processing procedures for dog foods can be pretty gruesome. A lot of heat is used in processing even the healthiest of dog foods diminishing the natural nutritional value of the products involved. Deplorable conditions and an unclean environment have led to countless dog food recalls and the deaths of many furry friends. If you want to keep your dog safe, only use dog food that was processed with Gentle Processing™.

At Gentle Processing™ we take great care to maintain the nutritional integrity of the product and ensure that all ingredients are safely processed to avoid the possibility of contamination. Ask your dog’s veterinarian about dog food brands processed with Gentle Processing™. What are you feeding your best friend.