| most of us don't think about what goes into pet | | | | This means that just about anything might turn up in |
| food, we should. That's because the ingredients in | | | | your dog's food, with labeling meaning little. Even the |
| your dog's food could cause illness and even death. | | | | words "healthy and balanced" mean only that there's |
| We can't trust manufacturers to take care of our | | | | a particular ratio of protein and fat, as well as some |
| pets, because there aren't a lot of well enforced | | | | added vitamins and minerals. |
| rules about the ingredients and processing for pet | | | | Preservatives and Additives |
| food. | | | | All of us have probably heard about the recent recalls |
| Too Bad To Eat | | | | due to melamine contamination. What you might not |
| Dog food can contain a lot of things we wouldn't be | | | | know is that this isn't the only additive in pet food |
| happy about eating, including bones, nervous tissue, | | | | that might cause illness or death. There are a number |
| organs, skin, ligaments, hair and meat from animals | | | | of preservatives used in pet food that cause real |
| with diseases. The bodies of euthanized pets and zoo | | | | problems in humans who work with them, and could |
| animals have been used, too. | | | | cause liver and kidney failure or cancer in your dog |
| Most of even the good meat that ends up in dog | | | | over time. |
| and cat food is heavily processed, removing any | | | | Not Only Cheap Brands |
| nutritive value it once had. Ingredients like poultry | | | | This is happening in cheap dog foods, but there's no |
| broth, animal meal, and other nonspecific foods are | | | | way to tell if the expensive ones are affected, too. |
| unappealing and bad for our pets. | | | | these pet foods are often higher in quality, but |
| Animal meal is what's left after a carcass has been | | | | sometimes they're not. That means that even if your |
| processed to remove all the fat and meat. What | | | | vet recommends it, you have to do your research. |
| remains is ground up and dried, resulting in a meal | | | | Your Options |
| that has a similar texture to corn meal and included in | | | | You have a number of choices when it comes to |
| pet food. Broths and similar substances in pet food | | | | improving your pet's food. First is to learn how to |
| are made of processed carcasses that come from | | | | read the labels. Ingredients that come first are there |
| many different kinds of animals, cooked until a liquid is | | | | in bigger percentages, so look for named meats far |
| produced. | | | | up on the list instead of generic terms. |
| It's Legal! | | | | You should also learn which additives and |
| Unfortunately, none of the disgusting or unhealthy | | | | preservatives are safe and which ones are |
| ingredients in dog food are illegal. While we have | | | | dangerous. Avoid foods with too many grains, since |
| reasonably strict rules about what can be part of | | | | they tend to be bad for your pet in the long run. You |
| human food and those laws are well enforced, pets | | | | can also find a number of quality recipes out there to |
| don't have that protection. Rules about pet food | | | | help you create nutritious diets for your dog. Just |
| ingredients are much looser and more poorly | | | | make sure you do something! |
| enforced. | | | | |