Kidney failure. Allergies. Obesity. Death. These are some results of dogs consuming commercial dog food with poor ingredients. Now, new research also shows that over 70% of dog owners don't know or don't care about all the ingredients in their dog's food. Nearly 20 percent of dog owners "don't know any of the ingredients" in the food they feed their dog. Seems pretty dangerous, right?
Photo Credit: Tobyotter/Flickr CC
A reliable web resource Reviews.com has reviewed ingredients from 2,219 dog food formulas and 115 different dog food brands. The company’s team has invested 1400 hours, speaking with top veterinarians, dog trainers, and university researchers, to uncover the truth about dog food and raise awareness around the fact that quality ingredients matter.
The discovery of toxic substances and poor manufacturing processes over the past 15 years was only the beginning. Today, many dogs are still being fed unhealthy dog food that is filled with harmful, low-quality ingredients, like preservatives, grain fillers, "dry rendered tankage," and even other dead pets (yes, that is true).
During an extensive process spanning two months, the Reviews.com team collected proprietary data from research, surveys, expert inputs, and reviewed over 2,000 formulations with the goal of uncovering the truth and raising awareness around the issue.
- What dog foods are wheat, corn, and soy free?
- What is better Royal Canine or Purina Pro Plan dog food?
Here are some of the highlights from the research, including commentary from some top contributors to the project:
--There are specific ingredients found in many dog foods to avoid. "Dogs don’t digest corn well, if at all. Wheat, Soy, and Beet Pulp should also be avoided," says author and lecturer, Darlene Arden.
--Many popular ingredients lead to allergies, digestive problems, obesity, and even behavior issues. "If not healthy and feeling good the dog cannot focus or concentrate. Plus if [the] dog is not fed correctly it can result in physical defects which affect temperament," says long-time dog trainer, Martin Deeley.
--Some believe in a raw-only diet to control every substance their pet consumes, while others feed a commercial diet. However, every expert agrees on quality ingredients.
- Would you rather feed your dog Pedigree or Purina?
- Flint River Ranch Dog Food
- Blue Buffalo, Innova and Wellness - what is better?
--There is an over-saturation of the market. "Personally I feel there’s so much choice nowadays it’s a huge pressure on dog owners to make that important decision," says TV veterinarian, Marc Abraham.
To see other important findings and a list of approved, healthy choices, check out the full Reviews.com dog food article.
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) May 20, 2015
Contact: Mike Jelinek of the Reviews.com (+1 (312) 999-0315)
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