Shocking truths about commercial dog foods!
A study by the 'Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' discovered that 14 out of the 17 most popular dog & cat foods sold in the UK contained meats/ingredients that weren't listed on the packaging.
But how is this even possible? Aren't there any legal implications involved?
Well the short answer is: 'There are no legal implications in the pet-foods industry yet'.
Yes, and this leaves all the pets and the pet-parents at the risk of hollow marketing and labelling gimmicks of the so-called 'glorious brands' out there. Some of the most misused words by these brands are: Natural, Premium, Gourmet, Holistic and what not!
So how does these 'glorified waste products' hide behind the relaxed labelling norms? Well by simply not putting out every details, right. Some of the common ingredients which are hidden from you are:
1. Animal by-products and derivatives - Brain, hooves, testicles, ears, intestines, etc. that have no commercial value are added to the food the name of chicken/meat and the cost and quality is brought down significantly.
2. Rendered/Processed/Waste Meat - Derived from dead animalsΒ
3. Excess Flouride - Inhibits joint mobility in pets
4. Soy, Wheat and Corn - High glycemic carbs that cause rapid spike in blood sugar levels; Leads to leaky gut syndrome
5. GMO ingredients, Pesticides and Herbicides based Raw materials - Highly toxic chemicals for dogs
6. Gluten - Leads to auto-immune diseases
7. Artificial Colours and Flavouring agents - So that dogs don't reject the food right away
8. Fillers - Potatoes and other cheap starch containing products to bring down the cost
9. Antibiotics, Hormones and other Nasties - Derived from cheap quality meat and raw materials
10. Sugar - No nutritional value, only to bring energy content up
The list goes on and on and on. As a pet parent, it is our responsibility to check every food packet we buy, thoroughly. It's important to check if the meat and other contents are clearly mentioned and the sources are clearly mentioned. Just "Contains Chicken" is a first major indicator of a junk food! Do check for all the above ingredients too. If you find anyone of the above, just discard the product and move on!
ItΒ is very important for dog-parents to stick to these fundamentals before choosing any dog-food. I strongly advise to stay away from processed food such as kibbles, and home cooked foods as they lack basic nutrients. With the ecosystem developing, there are many brands includingΒ TailBlazeΒ which are making foods appropriate for dogs. They are completely Raw, Organic and Un-processed making it an ideal food for Dogs' health.
Do search for these brands and make an informed choice. Cheap foods are cheap because they are cheap! π
A blog by:
Manaal Maniyar,
A proud pet-parent, A concerned dogs activist and A certified canine-nutritionist
Woah! Didnβt knew that!
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