Worst Dry Food: Iams Proactive Health Adult Minichunks Dry Dog Food
Source: iams proactive health
IAMS ProActive contains a lot of minerals and vitamins, but they are mixed with synthetic proteins. Chicken by-product meal means that this product contains the leftovers of slaughtered chickens that humans dont use. It is quite affordable, though, so many dog owners turn to this brand out of necessity. If you can, invest a little bit more into higher-quality dog food, or prepare your dogs food at home. Dogs who already have some allergy issues shouldnt go near this product as it can cause or boost dog allergies. Corn offers only modest nutritional value to your pooch, and its controversial regarding dogs nutrition. The same goes for beet pulp, which is fifth in the ingredient list.
Guaranteed Analysis | |
Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 2.05%* min |
Ingredients: Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, Caramel Color, Potassium Chloride, Carrots, Choline Chloride, Chicken Fat , Fructooligosaccharides, Calcium Carbonate, Brewers Dried Yeast, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, L-Carnitine, Sodium Selenite, Mixed Tocopherols , Ascorbic Acid, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate , Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement , Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride , Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Rosemary Extract, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid
Final Thoughts On The Worst Dog Food
As youve seen, there are a lot of things to keep an eye out for when it comes to your dogs nutrition. You need to have your dogs needs in mind when opting for their food. Senior dogs shouldnt eat food such as Purina Senior 7+ Healthy Morsels Soft & Crunchy Bites Dog Food, and itll be extremely harmful to your puppy to have Purina Beneful Healthy Puppy Dry Dog Food with Real Chicken included in their diet plan. There are many great food brands out there whose ingredients are high-quality ones, so feel free to avoid Iams ProActive as well as Cesar Filets. Whether you have a puppy or a grandpa dog, you need to look out for their needs. You can find some ideas in the best dry dog food and the best canned dog food lists.
Provide your hairy companion only with the best!
Kibble Is Not Better Than Canned
Canned food is preserved by the process of canning but most kibble is preserved artificially.
Kibble begins as a dry cooked meal while canned food is canned fresh. Kibble is exposed to more heat than canned . Worse yet, kibble is linked to bloat, a deadly problem, especially for large, broad-chested dogs. Its also dehydrating. Of course, canned isnt perfect either. Fresh is best, raw or cooked. Next best is frozen pre-made raw food, and then freeze-dried raw, followed by dehydrated foods. These are all available at better pet stores.
RELATED: Read about the pros and cons of freeze-dried dog food
You May Like: Is Iams Dog Food Any Good
Worst Dog Food Brands To Avoid
This post contains affiliate links. If you click and buy we may make a commission, at no additional charge to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.
- Pin
Not all commercially produced dog foods are made equal. Thats hardly a secret, yet with every product on the market doing their best to convince just how good they are for your beloved companion, recognizing exactly which are the worst dog food brands to avoid isnt always so easy.
After all, while we all know that there are certain human foods , dog food manufacturers go to great lengths to promote every ingredient in their recipes as being beneficial for your pooch even though as youre about to find out- that simply isnt always the case.
In this guide, well explain which dog food ingredients are harmful for your pet, reveal which dog food brands to avoid due to them using those ingredients, and -because were all about presenting you with solutions rather than problems here at Canine Weekly- offer our recommendations on the brands that genuinely are good for Fido.
Buying Bad Dog Food Brands
It’s not entirely fair to blame pet owners for choosing bad dog food brands, because these pet foods are what we often see in commercials spiked with false advertising or misleading dog food labels. Subconsciously, the constant exposure to said worst dog food brands manipulates us and affects our decision-making abilities.
The more we hear a name of a certain dog food brand, the more likely we are to purchase it. That’s just how human psyche works. Therefore, for an average dog owner not particularly interested in investigating guaranteed analysis and ingredients lists, some of those brands become synonymous with dog food, just like Pampers is with diapers, or Xerox is with copying machines. Thats how strong and heavy-handed the marketing of some of these bad dog food brands is.
Unhealthy dog foods are everywhere on the TV screen, on most of the shelves in the pet shop, in your friends dogs food bowls. If you’ve never done the research to try and find top rated dog foods, and haven’t looked at the ingredients list of your pet’s food, chances are you’ve been buying one of these bad dog food brands. Statistically, it seems that more pet owners buy the worst dog food brands from local pet shops than online, and that’s most likely due to dog food reviews under each brand, which keeps the pet owners more aware of potential dangers, and dog food companies more honest.
ALSO READ: 19 Controversies Surrounding the Pet Food Industry
Don’t Miss: Is Iams Dog Food Any Good
Can Dogs Eat Almonds
If a dog eats almonds, it can cause diarrhea, gas, loss of appetite, lethargy, upset stomach, and vomiting. Almonds can also be a choking hazard and can obstruct your dogs airways. Additionally, almonds can be high in salt and fat, which can cause your dog to retain water and gain weight. Learn more about dogs eating almonds.
Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dry Dog Food
The closest thing to a natural protein in Pedigree is chicken by-product meal. This ingredient isn’t great and can come from unwanted leftovers from a variety of sources.
Ground whole corn and corn gluten meal are also used. A variety of synthetic colors are also utilized, making this formula an unhealthy choice all around.
Read Also: Who Makes Dr Pol Dog Food
Corn And Other Fillers
One of the ways that dog food manufacturers keep their costs down is using ingredients like corn, wheat, soy, and various grains as a filler. They make the food look as if theres more there than what there really is, and can increase the calorie count so that, on the surface, it looks as if your dog is getting a full meal.
Sure, such ingredients may make your furry friend feel full, but theyre also well-known for causing health issues. Though there are some human foods that dogs can eat, corn, soya and the like are all difficult for your pet to consume and can cause digestive issues and other problems.
Can Dogs Eat Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which speed the heart rate and stimulate the nervous system. The type of chocolate, the amount your dog ingested, and your dogs weight will determine how sick your dog may become.
Ingesting too much theobromine and caffeine in chocolate may result in vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, increased urination, tremors, elevated heart rate, seizures, and death. Typically, the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is for dogs.
Below is a list of the most to least risky chocolate for dogs:
- Cocoa powder
- White chocolate
You May Like: Iams Veterinary Formula Renal Plus
The Evolution Of ‘puppy Dog Eyes’
Generally when dogs develop a food allergy, its to a protein, Gelzer said. So, veterinarians will often switch to a food with a different protein source to treat the problem.
One of the big problems with DCM is that dogs dont show symptoms of the disease lethargy, exercise intolerance, shortness of breath until theyre very sick, Gelzer said.
She points to the example of clients who came in with a very sick dog that was diagnosed with DCM. The family had a second dog that seemed healthy, but because both were eating a grain-free dog food, Gelzer suggested bringing in the second dog to be checked.
What we dont know is if used in these diets in place of grains are causing the problem. Its also possible that could be some kind of toxin.
When we evaluated that dog, it also had decreased heart function, but it was still subclinical, she said. The dog didnt look abnormal because it was at an early stage.
Avoid Too Much Corn And Rice
Corn and rice are often used as a filler in dog food. According to PetMD, however, your carnivorous pet should not have a carbohydrate-rich diet, as dog food low in protein has been linked to dogs becoming obese. Foods with high levels of either of rice or corn can also cause chronic conditions in your dog like gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
Also Check: Where To Buy Darwin’s Dog Food
Can I Feed My Dog Pork
Pork is one of those ingredients that many dog parents struggle to understand.
You may find yourself asking I like pork, but can my dog eat pork? What happens if a dog eats pork?
Dogs certainly seem to want to eat pork. If youve ever been on the receiving end of some wide puppy dog eyes staring up at you as you eat bacon, then you know its definitely tempting to feed your dog some pork, but is it safe?
What Happens If A Dog Eats Pork
If you serve your pup plain, cooked pork, most dogs will not experience an adverse reaction to eating small quantities of pork. Many will actually benefit from the high-quality protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants that are available in pork.
In fact, pork is an excellent anti-allergy dog food because it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction in our pups, especially when compared to other popular protein sources like beef and chicken. For example, chicken is a very popular protein source for dogs, but it can cause gut inflammation in some dogs. If your dog regularly experiences constipation, loose stools, or bloating, pork may be a great protein choice for your pup. We recommend consulting with your veterinarian for advice on how to gently transition your dog onto a new pork diet.
Can I Give My Dog Pork? Yes, you can!
Keep in mind that pork should be cooked, unseasoned, and pure Otherwise, many dogs will enjoy pork, and their health can benefit from its many nutrients and high-quality protein content.
Don’t Miss: Blue Buffalo Vs Nutro Dog Food
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dry
Rating:
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Chicken and Rice is one of 23 kibble recipes included in our review of the Blue Buffalo Life Protection product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Other recipes: Puppy, large breed, small breed, senior, lamb, fish and more
- Price: $
This Life Protection example derives the majority of its animal protein from chicken and chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 27% protein, 16% fat and 50% estimated carbs creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58%.
A top-rated, grain-inclusive kibble. One of The Advisors most popular recommendations.
Sample buyer reviewMy dog is a very picky eater with a sensitive stomach and this food has done wonders for him. Hes finally eating as much as he should without stomach issues and its made him almost a brand new dog. I tried a few different foods with him but this seemed to give me the best results
The Top 10 Ingredients To Avoid In Dog Food
If you spoke to five different veterinarians or animal nutritionists, you would get five different answers in regard to the dog food ingredients that are most important to avoid. This speaks to a major problem within the pet food industry that there are so many low-quality ingredients used by pet food manufacturers, that they cant all be included in one list.
But why exactly do pet food manufacturers use low-quality ingredients in their products? The main reason is money the lower the quality of an ingredient, the lower the price. That means that the manufacturer can cut their own costs for production while still charging pet owners like you the same price.
So what are the top ten worst dog food ingredients you should be on the lookout for? The list could go on forever, but here are our top choices for ingredients you should avoid in your dogs food:
Again, these are just a few of the many low-quality ingredients that sub-par pet food manufacturers try to sneak into their products. For the most part, if an ingredient sounds like a chemical or has a number in it , it probably isnt good for your dog.
Also Check: Where To Buy Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Dog Food
What Diet Is Good For My German Shepherd
Again, this largely depends on the size and activity level of your dog. As we mentioned earlier, german shepherd puppies should eat four times per day until they are 17 weeks old, after which they can transition to three meals per day.
Adult dogs should eat three meals per day, but it is important to consult with your veterinarian to figure out what diet is best for your specific dog. Some dogs may need more or less food depending on their size, activity level, and age.
How To Choose A Good Dry Dog Food
With the wide variety of dry dog foods on the market, owners can easily find an option that’s healthy and beneficial to their dog. Dry dog food is relatively inexpensive, especially when bought in bulk, and can be stored pretty easily.
Not all dog foods are made the same. To avoid a potentially dangerous formula, it’s important to examine the ingredients and packaging. This will ensure that the canine companion is getting the nutrition and protein they need.
Also Check: Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Canned Dog Food
Save Time With Healthy Dog Food From Petplate
Want to save some time in your already busy schedule? PetPlate is here to help!
Our veterinary nutritionist, Dr. Renee Streeter, crafts each of our delicious recipes to ensure they are balanced, healthy, and something your pup will love to eat. We offer various recipes, including our newly launched yummy Power Packed Pork Entrée, which supports weight management and metabolic health.
Pork isnt often used in dog food, and we think thats a shame because we dont want our dogs to miss out on all the fantastic nutrients that pork offers. Our Power Packed Pork Entrée is high in protein and fiber and is a great source of complex carbs and fatty acids. Even more important, its delicious, so your dog is guaranteed to be licking their bowl clean.
Instead of making homemade dog food, save time by having healthy fresh-cooked dog food delivered right to your door so that you can spend more quality time with your dog and provide them with a healthy, fresh meal.
Purina Dog Chow Complete With Real Chicken
Its proudly tagged as having 23 vitamins and minerals as well as containing real chicken, so youd expect it to be a healthy chicken-based dish for your pup. But that would be wrong.
There is no chicken to be found within the first five ingredients. But wheres the chicken? Its in the 7th slot, after the corns and legume.
Well list down the first five ingredients here: Whole Grain Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal. Thats a significant amount of corn and soybean when put together.
We dont have a problem with corn. We recognize that corn contains nutrients and is not a filler. In most cases. However, for a recipe thats not formulated to target specific canine medical conditions, wed expect the corn to be merely a supporting ingredient and not the main one. Quality dog food should always contain more meat than carbohydrates.
The second thing weve noticed is that most of the meats are unnamed. Thats a red flag in dog food. While an unspecified meat ingredient will not harm your pup, its kind of worrying that you dont know whats going in your pets food. Itll even be more worrying if your pet turns out to be sensitive to the ingredient included.
Theres Meat And Bone Meal and Poultry By-Product Meal. What meat do these refer to? Pork, beef, chicken? What kind of poultry? Turkey or chicken?
Read Also: Who Makes Dr Pol Dog Food
Whats In Mac And Cheese
Other than the two main ingredients, macaroni and cheese, there are other things in this dish that might not exactly be toxic to dogs but arent the healthiest food option. This dish might be delicious, but it doesnt offer our dogs or us much nutritional value. It contains things that might be good, like protein and carbs, but it also includes a lot of calories. Here are some of the ingredients included in mac and cheese.