| Dogs and corn, there seem to be several myths and | | | | food allergies are caused by either dairy, beef, or |
| half truths about how dangerous corn, corn gluten | | | | wheat products. 25 percent are caused by chicken, |
| and other corn by products are for dogs. Dogs are | | | | eggs, lamb, or soy products. That leaves about five |
| not carnivores, cats are. | | | | percent. All dogs, just as humans may be allergic to |
| Corn is dangerous in cats and causes several diseases | | | | something, but corn can not be found in 95 percent |
| and conditions, but it is completely safe as well as | | | | of all the causes. |
| being extremely beneficial to your dog's health. | | | | Benefits of Corn: |
| There will always be debates if dogs are carnivores | | | | Corn is by far and away the best form of a |
| or omnivores, but the fact is they are really both. | | | | carbohydrate that your dog could get. It is 99 |
| There are three classifications of animals based and | | | | percent digestible according to Animal Science, |
| their diets: carnivores eat meat, omnivorous eat most | | | | August, 1999, as well as holding more protein |
| anything edible, and herbivores eat primarily plants. | | | | content. The protein content is also 87 percent |
| Have you ever met a dog that will not eat almost | | | | digestible, and is literally twenty times less likely to |
| anything? Certainly we, as owners, must watch what | | | | cause allergy reaction in dogs as wheat does. |
| they eat and be careful in what we feed them, but | | | | Corn also contains five times as much essential fatty |
| they are not cats. | | | | acids as rice, and has extremely high levels of luceine |
| If your dog ate only plants and grains, it would | | | | and lucopene, which are both very important forms |
| jeopardize their health. But they don't and they need | | | | of antioxidants for your pet. |
| several different foods in their diets, including corn | | | | But the best benefits of corn or corn by products |
| products. | | | | come from corn gluten. Corn gluten is actually a |
| Here are some of the myths and the actual benefits | | | | co-product of corn wet milling. In this milling process, |
| of some corn; the key word is some, in your dog's | | | | corn is cleaned and than steeped in a water and |
| diets. | | | | sulfur dioxide mixture which breaks down the corn |
| Myths about Corn: | | | | seed. |
| Corn is filler and your dog can not digest it. | | | | Once it is broken down, it is than dried into a mush |
| True, if the corn used in your pet was whole corn. | | | | form called protein gluten. |
| Most of us can not digest whole corn either. But the | | | | So exactly why is it used in dog food? |
| truth is that all corn in dogs food is ground, meaning | | | | It is used because of its protein content, and it is |
| that it is finely ground and designed specifically to | | | | also very economical. It also has high levels of |
| digest in your pet's stomach. Ground corn is 99% | | | | methionine, which is instrumental in breaking down |
| digestible. Corn is perhaps the best source of | | | | fats as well as removing heavy metals from your |
| carbohydrates for your dog. | | | | pets system. It also converts to cysteine, which |
| Your dog does not need carbohydrates. | | | | helps to detoxify your dogs liver. |
| False, dogs do need carbohydrates, as the linoleic | | | | Corn gluten is also very low in ash and has a full |
| acid in complex carbohydrates like corn provides your | | | | complement of vitamins as well as lutein, critical for |
| pet with both fiber as well as amino acids. It is also | | | | your dog's eye health. |
| essential for helping your pet with keeping the skin | | | | There are other benefits to having some corn |
| and coats healthy as well as several other benefits. | | | | products in your dog's food. Because of the |
| Carbohydrates also help your pet's liver, heart, brain | | | | reduction of other fillers, corn products in your pet's |
| and nerve tissues function properly. They also | | | | food will help protect against skin and food allergies |
| regulate how much starch and fat is broken down | | | | as well as helping their coats to become softer and |
| and utilized in their digestive tract. It is than stored in | | | | shinier. |
| the liver in the form of glycogen and released as | | | | It also helps their eyes brighten and clear up, as well |
| energy as your pet needs it. | | | | as increasing hydration in your pet. There are also |
| Corn gluten is extremely bad for your dog. | | | | several people that claim that corn causes stool |
| Nothing could be further form the truth. First of all, it | | | | problems in dogs, when it actually helps to reduce |
| is not corn, but is a product that goes through an | | | | stools in their size. |
| entire series of corn wet milling processes and has | | | | There are several internet sources that bash any |
| numerous benefits for your dog. | | | | type of corn filler in dog food in every way |
| Raw food diets are much better for your dog than | | | | imaginable. But, it is simply not true. The real problem |
| commercial dog foods as they contain absolutely no | | | | is the other fillers that are added. |
| corn products. | | | | Unless you make your own dog food, the vast |
| Absolutely false, as raw dog food diets put your pet | | | | majority of people will buy commercial dog food. |
| at a very high risk of infections as well as potential | | | | Commercial dog food is going to have additives and |
| poisonings, especially from salmonella. | | | | corn is going to be one of them. Ask yourself, which |
| Corn causes allergies in your dog. | | | | is the better additive? |
| Amazing how wrong this one is. Several studies have | | | | Always check the ingredients, but understand that |
| shown conclusively that over 70 percent of all dog | | | | the myths about corn are just that, myths. |