Is There Any Problem With Feeding Grain To Dogs
Wholegrains such as rice, spelt and rye are nutritious and healthy and do play a part in many dogs diets with no problems at all. They just need to be consumed in moderation, as nature intended.However, many everyday types of dog food contain a disproportionately high level of highly processed grain, such as wheats and other cereals. And sometimes, grains are even used as a cheap source of protein, in place of proper amounts of meat! Only around 15% of UK dog food is actually grain free.Along with this high cereal trend in dog foods, human diets have also had relied very much on wheat in the past few decades and the number of people suffering with either true gluten allergies or immune mediated diseases and sensitivities, has risen dramatically.Many dog owners who themselves have experienced great benefits from going gluten or grain free want their pets to have the same improvements to their lifestyle hence choosing to offer their pets gluten free foods.
Common Misconceptions About Grain
One misconception is that grain-free food for dogs is a low carbohydrate diet. This is not true. In grain-free food, the grains are replaced with vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, green peas, and tapioca. These vegetables replace and are plenty as far as carbohydrate intake requirements. Vegetables are healthy for your pet and should be a main component of their diet.
Why Is The Fda Investigating Grain
It is easy to panic anytime we see an FDA headline about pet food. After all, keeping our dogs healthy is essential to us, and we know that diet can make a big difference in a dogs well-being. We reached out to Dr. Jerry Klein, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the AKC, to hear his thoughts on the ongoing FDA investigation.
The FDA is investigating a potential dietary link between canine dilated cardiomyopathy and dogs eating certain grain-free dog foods. The foods of concern are those containing legumes such as peas or lentils, other legume seeds, or potatoes listed as primary ingredients. The FDA began investigating this matter after it received reports of DCM in dogs that had been eating these diets for a period of months to years. DCM itself is not considered rare in dogs, but these reports are unusual because the disease occurred in breeds of dogs not typically prone to the disease.
Between January 1, 2014 and April 30, 2019, the FDA received 524 reports of DCM , and most reports were submitted after the FDAs first public alert in July 2018. The total number of pets affected is greater than 524 because some reports included multi-pet households.
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Things To Be Considered While Choosing A Particular Diet
Traditional veterinarians usually do not recommend a grain-free diet for pets, while holistic veterinarians support it. So it can be quite difficult for pet owners to decide what kind of food they should choose for their dogs. As a pet owner, you should always weigh the pros and cons of a particular type of food before incorporating or excluding it from your pets diet. So, consider the following things before completely eliminating grains from your dogs diet.
Each dog is different and has different nutritional requirements. There is no magic formula that fits all dogs. The nutritional requirement of a chihuahua is definitely not the same as that of a working dog like a German Shepherd or Siberian Husky.
Dogs with a more active lifestyle can be fed a high-protein diet, but this type of diet is usually not recommended for older and less active dogs.
Some dog food experts are of the opinion that dogs dont have a problem in digesting grains, as they do possess the enzymes required for digesting starchy carbohydrates. According to Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, dogs can digest cooked grains.
Many veterinarians maintain that grains, especially whole grains, are essential for dogs, as these can provide crucial vitamins and minerals. Whole grains also provide a significant amount of fiber that helps maintain digestive health.
Most Are Still Rich In Carbohydrates From Non
Many people believe that non-grain dog treats contain more protein than carbohydrates. The truth is that most non-grain dog foods are richer in carbohydrates than meat. While processed foods have starch, which helps in cohesion and creating a dry kibble, it is not uncommon to find grain-free dog treats made from cheap sources of carbohydrates without any nutritional value.
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Is Grain Bad For Allergies
If your furry friend is susceptible to allergies, we suggest looking at our blog on hypoallergenic dog food.
Although at Beco all our food is grain free and hypoallergenic, that does not mean that all brands selling grainless food will be hypoallergenic. Grain-free food reduces the chance of reactions, due to grains being a common cause of dog allergies, however they won’t necessarily be completely hypoallergenic.
If, your dog does have allergies make sure you eliminate typical commercial ingredients like corn, wheat or soy. Feeding them novel proteins, as this narrows down what could be causing them to have reactions, can also help. A novel protein, is a protein that is not commonly used, such as:
- Wild Boar
Pros And Cons Of Grain Free Dog Food & Treats
Everyone wants their pets to live a well-nourished and rich life. What you feed your pet can go a long way in impacting their wellbeing. The options when it comes to pet nutrition are endless, from hydrolyzed proteins to raw diets. Recently, grain-free dog food has joined the fray and has become hugely popular. This is mostly because of claims that dogs cant easily digest grains seeing how they cause gastrointestinal tract damage, food allergy or intolerance.
But, are grain-free dog treats good for your dog or should you keep them off the diet completely? Let us look at the pros and cons of grain-free dog food.
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Is There A Proper Way To Introduce My Dog To A Grain
If you have been on a grain-based diet, but have decided that you want to make the switch, make sure that you gradually introduce your dog to this. It may take up to two weeks to make the transition. Slowly introduce your dog to a grain-free diet, as making the change in a drastic manner may cause diarrhea and vomiting. As you feed, start with a portion of grain-free food, each day raising the amount that you mix into the feeding.
A Look At The Ingredients
The following chart shows that these cases may have something to do with common ingredients in grain-free dog food. The findings show high instances of cases reported in foods with ingredients such as peas, lentils, and sweet potatoes.
Image courtesy of FDA
And, to complicate the situation even more, some brands were reported more frequently than others, and some dog breeds also had more cases reported than others.
Image courtesy of FDA
With so many unknowns, its hard to pin down the exact cause of or contributor to these cases. But, as Dr. Patton shares, we should consider how these foods impact our dogs health, and we shouldnt limit our concerns to the risk of DCM. There are other problems that can result from some dog foods that have been labeled grain-free.
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Are Dogs Carnivores Or Omnivores
While most agree that cats are carnivores, dogs are an area of contention with debate around whether dogs are omnivores or carnivores. If our dogs have evolved hunting and eating meat, they must be carnivores, right? Not quite
Arguments for dogs being omnivores include their ability and evolution to digest carbohydrates including grains, the length of their intestine compared to whats observed in carnivores and the fact that they produce amylase in their salivary glands the digestive enzymes that allow them to digest plant-based sources.
Those that argue that dogs are carnivores, refer to their wolf ancestors being carnivores and their carnivorous teeth. They argue that grains therefore are an unnatural source of nutrition for dogs given that their ancestors certainly didnt consume grains. However, most mammals, including herbivores, have canine teeth just look at the very scary herbivore that is a hippo. Essentially, this argument doesnt have any teeth .
On top of that, wolves have been observed to both graze on grass and regularly consume non-meat content from their preys stomachs, so they are not strictly carnivorous, but probably most importantly dogs and wolves are not the same.
So that settles it right? Dogs are omnivores. Im afraid the jury is still out on this one. The evidence is not clear cut either way, although what is clear is that dogs are fully capable of drawing nutrients from grains and that they benefit from meat in their diets.
Is Grain Free Food Good For Dog Allergies
If your dog has food allergies or intolerances, a hypoallergenic food could be a great solution. For dogs with particular sensitivities and who may find it more difficult to digest cereals, grain free dog food could provide your dog with the diet they need to be at their healthiest. James Wellbeloved food is naturally hypoallergenic, with no added artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, so you can rest assured that it wont cause an adverse food reaction in your dog.
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Why Should You Feed Grain Free Dog Food
Cheapest Way To Feed Raw Dog Food In this video I show how cheap it is to feed your dog RAW foods.I feed my dogs the B.A.R.F. Diet . Here are a couple of b. Mar 29, 2019 · This dog would be about 750gms a day of raw feed. 80% meat, 10% bones, 10% offal. Cheapest pure meat
There is no logical reason why it should be true. The attributes and needs of domesticated crops differ a great deal from those of hunted or gathered foods knowing how to raise wheat tells you.
The Right Grain-Free Food for Your Dog. In the rare case where a dog is, in fact, sensitive to grain, you should first talk to your pet’s veterinarian and they may recommend a special food or a high-quality, grain-free dog food that still provides balanced nutritional content. Again, your veterinarian can be a great resource for a recommendation.
If you have a dog who is allergic to a certain grain or grains then, absolutely, you should avoid feeding foods with those ingredients. This was the original reason why dog food companies began to make grain-free foods for dogs with allergies.
They believe it is safest for pet owners to avoid feeding grain-free diets until they know the specifics about what’s causing heart disease in.
Grain-free pet foods are growing in popularity for cats and dogs. This diet, however, could be linked to dangerous health problems.
Since it seems like more pet foods are made without grains than with them these days, you may be feeding your pet a grain-free diet without even.
Reasons Why They Could Be
John Burns BVMS MRCVS
In the UK, many people are changing their eating patterns for health, environmental and animal welfare reasons for example, 8.5 million of us are choosing to eat a gluten free diet. And it seems were keen to pass on more selective eating habits to our dogs too. Dogs have been living with humans and sharing their food for thousands of years. That was, up until a few decades ago, with the advent of the pet food industry.
It is paradoxical that while we tend to humanise our pets as fully paid up family members, pet food trends are going the opposite way. Humans are reverting towards to a more traditional style of eating more whole grains and reduced intake of meat and other animal products. Yet current pet food trends are towards grain-free and high-meat content diets.
If you look at any dog food brand available on the market today, chances are that there will be a grain free range ready to cater to this growing demand. The problem is, is this demand generated out of need or is it simply a trend? And could rushing to feed dogs grain-free alternatives actually be doing more harm than good?
John Burns, veterinary surgeon and founder of Burns Pet Nutrition, looks at six reasons why feeding your dog a grain free diet may not be all its cracked up to be.
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What Does This All Mean
A relationship between grain-free diets and the development of DCM hasnt been fully proven. However, there are numerous reports of dogs with DCM whose condition improved or completely resolved after they were taken off a BEG diet and started on a special amino acid supplementation . The short answer is, we still dont know why this is happening, but it appears that DCM is more likely to occur in dogs who are only eating BEG diets.
What Should I Do To Make Sure My Dog Is Healthy While On A Grain
Romine recommends taking a dog who has been on a grain-free diet to the vet to get checked outeven if that pet doesn’t show any symptoms. The vet will listen to your dog’s heart and take x-rays. Your pooch may even end up getting an echocardiogram by a veterinary cardiologist, which is the gold standard for evaluating cardiac function. But, she says, the good news is, “It’s possible to reverse the disease as long as your dog is not in end-stage DCM and you swap out the grain-free diet.”
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Should I Spend So Much Money On Grain Free Chicken Free Dog Food
An grain free chicken free dog food should live with you for many years to come. Paying more will reward you with a better view, increased speed, and better quality accuracy every time you open the lid. It costs between $$ and $$$ on average to purchase a new grain free chicken free dog food. The price is higher but there are some luxury features that you opt for.
Is Feeding A Grain
Author: Jason Nicholas, BVetMed
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Grain-free diets for dogs have become all the buzz in recent years with lots of dog food companies, bloggers, and pet lovers extolling them as the cure for all that ails dogs. Now, Im not going to get into all of my thoughts on this trend. What I will say though is that it tends to be marketing that’s driving the grain-free pet food craze, rather than science and an actual medical need for excluding grains from the diets of dogs even those with food allergies. But again, that discussion is outside the scope of this particular article.
If you feed your dog a grain-free diet, I would highly suggest that you read both this recent FDA press release and this recent New York Times article on the possible link.
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What Is The Difference Between Grain Free And Gluten Free
Gluten is the protein that is found in specific types of grain, such as wheat, barley and rye. Gluten free food is, of course, free of these proteins. However, not all grains contain gluten. Therefore, gluten free dog food may or may not be grain free, while grain free dog food will always be gluten free.
Is Grain Bad For Dogs
Filled bones can help dogs pass the time safely.
Over centuries of domestication, dogs have adapted to accommodate grain in their diets, so the corn and wheat in ordinary dog food isnt destroying your dogs digestive system. Lower-quality brands may rely too much on those starches as fillers, and thats not ideal. They may also use genetically-modified corn or wheatand we dont fully understand the effects of GMO ingredients on dogs. If that is a concern, however, you can find GMO-free dog food that uses grains.
There is some controversy about whether dogs are omnivores or carnivores. Their guts have certainly adapted to some grains, however, so its not necessarily grains themselves that are the enemy. Instead, consider the proportions. Good-quality foods for dogs should have protein as the first ingredient, and shouldnt be packed with additives and unnecessary fillersincluding low-quality meat byproducts or too much potato, both of which can show up in otherwise grain-free foods. In other words, just because its grain-free doesnt mean a food is healthy or will help your dog maintain a healthy weight to avoid obesity-related health issues.
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What Does Grain Free Mean
Grain free dog food is made using a recipe without cereal. That means no wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize, sorghum, millet, triticale or rice. However, this doesnt mean the food is any less delicious! We replace the cereals with a mix of tasty vegetables, including potatoes and peas, to ensure that the texture and flavour of your dogs food are still just as appealing. A common misconception about grain free dog food is that it is also low-carb or even carbohydrate free. However, as grain free dog food often uses carbohydrates such as sweet potato to replace grains, this does not make it a carb free dog food. Although ingredients like meat are the most important factor in a healthy dogs diet, carbohydrates can be a useful energy source for your dog.
It is possible for a dog to have an intolerance to anything.