Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetr72  ...I would hate to read some of the ingredients of most of the foods we eat lol...I am sure we eats lots and lots of by-products daily...
Dawn |
The difference is that dog food by-products are normally what is
not legal for human food.
There is a world of difference in what is allowed in dog food and what is allowed in human food. Don't take my word for it -- google dog food meat by-products and read.
It is not just the "grossness factor" -- it is a matter of good nutrition. By products do not have a consistent nutritional value. Think of the batch made with mostly chicken beaks and feet, versus another batch made mostly with offals. Another factor to consider is that many of those by-products that are not allowed in the human food is full of hormones and pesticides. Meat by-products do not even identify the animal used! Was it an euthanized dog or cat? Was it road kill? A diseased mammal?
Another factor to consider in dog food choice is the total content -- is a meat first, are the by-products kept to a minimum or do they make up the majority of the product? What about corn, wheat, and soy? Look at the total content of the food -- not just an individual item. Pet-nutrition experts say human-grade ingredients like meat, whole grains and vegetables are best for dog food -- stay away from a lot of fillers (rice is fine but oats, wheat and corn have little to no nutritional value for dogs).
I am trying to stay away from by-products, corn, wheat and soy. I look mainly to the first 5 ingredients -- want them to be the best source of protein for my dogs. For instance, the canned Canidae I use has : Chicken, Chicken Broth, Lamb, Chicken Liver, Herring (Source of Omega 3) ... for the first 5 ingredients. The dry food I am using right now has chicken, chicken meal, barley, chicken fat, and egg as the first 5. The canned is more nutritious but I have to have dry for their teeth health and to maintain free feeding.
Bottom line is everyone just has to do what is best for their dog. Some do not like the foods I am feeding mine. Mine did not like some that were very nutritious. I have 4 dogs and found some foods that did well for some while others developed diarrhea. So, I do not have the perfect answer for all dogs by any means. But I do think that we owe it to the dogs to provide something that is healthy and more nutritious than most of the brands offered at department and grocery stores. JMO.