Why Grain Free Dog Food

If you decide to switch to or from a grain free dog.

Why grain free dog food.

The food and drug administration s investigation of grain free dog and cat foods highlights how hard it can be for pet owners to figure out whether they are buying the healthiest products for. What are the benefits of grain free dog food. If your dog has a food allergy there are alternatives to grain free diets and exotic ingredients that have no known health risks. This was the original reason why dog food companies began to make grain free foods for dogs with allergies.

This recipe includes chicken meal and turkey meal as the first two ingredients for a meat based protein composition with oatmeal and pearled barley as the main grain carbohydrate sources. Therefore grain free foods are not carb free. In some cases a grain free food may be equal to or higher in carbs than dog foods with grains. Understanding the difference between regular and grain free dog food and the role those ingredients play can help you choose which option is right for your dog.

Grain free dog food dog food with grains. Most vets today recommend that carbohydrates and grains make up a small portion of a dog s diet according to dogster. Regular dog food vs. While grain free dog foods do not have grains they do substitute other carbohydrate sources such as potatoes sweet potatoes lentils peas or quinoa.

While many pet owners continue to feed their dogs with grain free diets fda has in recent months embarked on finding out the link between heart diseases in dogs and grain free foods. Moreover studies have also found many cases where grain free diet can be worse for the dog than a grain containing brand of commercial food. In the fda s july 2019 update on diet and canine heart disease they examined labels of dog food products reported in dcm cases to determine whether the foods were grain free defined as. 50 vegetables 40 meat protein 10 grains many grain free dog foods especially the moist and freeze dried grain free dog foods contain more protein and animal fats and fewer carbohydrates than their grain based counterparts.

The question is grain free food linked to the continued heart diseases in dogs is among many. Why the fda is saying grain free dog food is causing heart problems. If your dog eats a beg diet they should be closely monitored for any signs of heart disease by your veterinarian or even a veterinary cardiologist. If you have a dog who is allergic to a certain grain or grains then absolutely you should avoid feeding foods with those ingredients.

Many dog owners want to know what purpose grains serve in dog food and whether fido really needs them.