Meat as a Dog Food Ingredient

If you review dog food ingredients knowledgably, you can find a good commercial dog food. Almost everybody uses commercial dog food now and again, in the same way that almost everybody eats take-out food occasionally. Unfortunately, many commercial dog foods aren't healthy for dogs, and good quality isn't guaranteed by brand names or high prices.

Commercial dog foods are divided into three general categories. Dry dog food usually contains less than 10 per cent water; semi-moist foods contain 25 to 40 per cent water; and canned dog foods contain 75 to 80 per cent water. Semi-moist dog foods are usually not particularly healthy, because they have relatively high amounts of sugar and fat. Dried and canned dog foods are healthier choices.

Phrases like premium, super premium, gourmet, and natural are frequently used to describe commercial dog foods. Unfortunately, they have no clear legal definitions, so they aren't helpful to dog owners. Terms like these can mean anything the manufacturers want them to mean, and they often are only advertising.

There's no need to feel guilty for buying dog food! There are several important factors to think about in choosing healthy dog food. Once you know about these factors, you will be able make healthy choices for your dog.

The best dog foods use meat that is good for people to eat also. When the meat listed in the dog food ingredients was inspected by the US Department of Agriculture, it will be good for dogs as well as people. Organic meat, that is free of hormone supplements or antibiotics, is even healthier. High quality meat will be plainly named on the label.

It's all right if some of the meat is listed as 'meat meal' or 'meat digest', but these processed types aren't the only meat in the best dog foods, and they shouldn't be the primary meat in the feed you choose for your dog, either. You should avoid dog foods that list 'meat meal' or 'meat and bone meal' as their major -- or their only! -- source of meat.

These phrases can mean that the original meat was not acceptable for human consumption. If that is the case, it's unacceptable for your dog too. Animals that could not be used for human food because of health problems can be euthanized. Meat from these sickly animals can legally be included in commercial pet food.

Although the meat is sterilized during the rendering process, meat meal from sickly animals usually contains traces of antibiotics. Occasionally, toxic byproducts from the sickness pass from the animal's carcass into the meat meal. When sodium pentobarbital was employed to euthanize the sick animal, it will be present in the meal as well. It does not break down in the animal's body or by rendering, so it is passed directly into the meal. You don't want your dog eating any of these dangerous elements! Checking the label carefully. It will tell you if the meat in your dog food is good for your dog.

Don't be afraid to feed your dog commercial dog food. Once you know how to decipher the meat dog food ingredients on the label, you can choose wholesome and healthy food for your dog.