Are dog foods sufficient?

According to the plethora of commercials, we are bombarded with day in and day out, our dogs are not receiving the proper nutrition unless we are feeding them X-brand of dog food. Oh no! Drop whatever you’re doing and go buy that brand right now! Your dog’s life depends on it!

    There’s always something newer and “better” coming out. But are these new foods all they are cracked up to be? The packaging has pictures of fruits and veggies, so it must be healthy. Not so much. But how do we know what our fur babies really need? And how do we know if they are getting the right stuff?

While most dog food manufacturers do a great job providing a complete and balanced diet, there are many factors that can cause your dog to still develop deficiencies for certain nutrients.

1. INDIVIDUALITY

Pet food was formulated for the average dog. There are a lot of really cool new foods out there that target specific lifestyles, breeds, life stages and conditions, but each one is designed for the average animal in that category. Some dogs genetically have higher needs for certain vitamins or minerals than others. Some diseases and medications can cause the body to metabolize certain nutrients faster than usual as well. Everyone’s body has their own internal chemistry & metabolism, is exposed to their own environment and has their own genetic make-up. We call that “biochemical individuality”, which is a fancy way of saying that we’re all unique!

2. STABILITY

Feed manufacturers achieve their desired nutrient levels by adding food ingredients (like meats or grains) and by adding vitamins & minerals. Regardless of the source of these nutrients, many materials are sensitive to outside factors such as oxygen in the air, sunlight, water, and heat. While the initial recipe could be ideal, nutrients can degrade during the manufacturing process and shipping. Heat is especially concerning because many manufacturing processes include heat. Shelf life is another important factor because the potency of nutrients will decrease over time.

3. AVAILABILITY

Just because a formula contains a vitamin or mineral that you know your pet needs does not mean that the nutrient is actually accessible by your pet’s body. Minerals are often culprits because not all forms of minerals are bioavailable. Whole food supplements for vitamins and minerals such as algae, brewers yeast or vegetable powders can be good options because the nutrients tend to be more easily assimilated by the body, but are not always as potent or stable as purified options. Always read the ingredient list so you know where the nutrients are coming from to ensure they are healthy sources!

4.FEEDING DIRECTIONS

Pet parents who buy high end, all-natural (read: expensive) food for their dogs can review the Guaranteed Analysis and Ingredient list to see that everything looks perfect. But often times once you notice the feeding directions things do not add up. One popular premium brand of dog food’s label says to give 1 can per 15 lbs of body weight. That means an average 60 lb dog should be getting 4 full cans per day! The pet food company suggests feeding over 4 times the volume of what a vet recommends because that is the amount of food needed to hit those ideal nutrient levels. If you were to follow the directions exactly your dogs would all be grossly overweight and very unhealthy. Even though the food uses high quality, bio-available ingredients, pets could be lacking the nutrients they need because they were not getting enough of them.

5. The truth is there’s not a lot of solid science behind the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) certification of pet foods as ‘complete and balanced.’ AAFCO’s Nutrient Profiles are all we’ve got, and we are thankful we have some guidelines – but they have significant limitations pet owners need to recognize.

The problem is obvious. Inexpensive pet foods containing very low percentages of rendered meat by-products and very high percentages of grains are certified ‘complete and balanced’ right along with premium formulas made from human-grade ingredients and biologically appropriate ratios of high-quality protein, fat, and moisture. And all have synthetic vitamins and minerals added.

Based on just this one example, it’s clear that while the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for dogs and cats have helped to develop some minimum standards for pet food production, they don’t address the quality of ingredients or the digestibility, palatability or bioavailability of nutrients.

The easiest way to ensure that your dogs’ nutritional needs are met is to give them a multi-vitamin or other nutritional supplement. If in doubt, always ask your vet. Your veterinarian will be able to assess your pet and all of his or her individual needs based on their age, breed, genetics and activity level to help you decide which food and supplements are right for your dog.

To find out more click here