What Dog Food Brands Are Associated With Dcm
The FDA recently published the 16 brands of pet food that were linked to greater than 10 cases of DCM in dogs.
Here are the brands the FDA is focusing on and the number of cases for each brand:
But before you avoid those foods and move on, theres more you need to understand about taurine.
Our Picks For Budget Dog Food:
Grain-free diets aren’t necessarily superior to diets that contain grains, but they can be helpful if your dog is allergic or intolerant to specific grains. There is also a misconception that these dog foods are carbohydrate-free, but the necessary carbohydrates just come from non-grain ingredients like white potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and tapioca.
Something worth mentioning in any discussion about grain-free food is the fact that the FDA continues to investigate a potential link between dogs fed grain-free diets and the development of a heart condition called non-hereditary dilated cardiomyopathy. For now, no firm correlation between grain-free diets and cardiac issues has been scientifically supported. However, it’s possible we may discover more in the future. Always talk to your veterinarian about feeding your dog a grain-free diet.
Our recommendations are all AAFCO complete and balanced and include whole meats and healthy extras like omega fatty acids, probiotics, and glucosamine. Both Orijen Fit and Trim and Purina One True Instinct have also undergone feeding trials to ensure they are palatable, digestible, and can nutritionally sustain pets over time.
Full Moon Chicken Strips Dog Treats
Made from human-grade chicken breast, rosemary, and a touch of molasses, these chicken strips from Full Moon will make your dog howl with delight. And at less than ten bucks for a 12oz. bag, theyll keep your wallet happy, too.
Helpful review:I have tried numerous treats to see how my dog would react but these chicken strips are his favorite treat in the whole world. I think he would literally do anything for this treatThey seem to be made with great care. I highly recommend!
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Why Is It Important To Check The Fiber Content In Dry Dog Food
Fiber is a crucial component of a dogs diet and it is important to ensure a certain amount of fiber in their daily meal. The presence of fiber improves stool, promotes weight maintenance or weight loss, improves colon health, and helps with digestion issues. It adds to the overall health benefits to your dog.
I And Love And You Nude Super Food Red Meat Medley Grain
Top Ingredients: 1. Pork, 2. Beef Meal, 3. Herring Meal, 4. Peas, 5. Chickpeas
Serve your dog a meal loaded with the wholesome goodness of great ingredients and delicious flavors. Prepared from deboned meat, the recipe features high-quality protein content that serves your little ones nutritional needs.
The meal is also packed with real fruits and vegetables for added minerals and vitamins. With essential omegas blended into the recipe, ensure healthy skin and a shiny coat of your pet.
You can definitely rely on this brand to maintain your buddys health as the recipe is formulated by holistic veterinarians.
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Best Wet Dog Food Formulas Of 2021
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Wed bet its safe to say that pretty much every dog will happily gobble down a can of wet foodbut certain dogs will benefit from a wet food diet more than others. Dogs with kidney issues, senior dogs and puppies, dogs with oral pain or tooth loss, and dogs who are picky eaters will all benefit from a combined or fully wet food diet.
With so many brands on the market and types of dog food, choosing the right one for your pet is a difficult task. The best wet dog food brands should provide both complete nutrition and genuine enjoyment for your pup. Below, we spoke to veterinarians and dog behaviorists in our network to get their insights on exactly how to switch to a wet food dietand which brands and ingredients to look for.
Best Adult Wet Dog Food
Wet food is particularly appealing to dogs. Pet parents often like it for this reason, and it may be a good option for picky eaters who turn their nose up to kibble. Wet food also has a long shelf life when unopened.
We selected wet foods that meet the same AAFCO complete and balanced standards that apply to dry food. However, wet food generally contains more protein and fat and fewer carbohydrates, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian before switching your dog to a wet diet, especially if they have trouble digesting a lot of protein or fat.
Although the same standards apply to dry and wet food, it can be hard to compare their labels. Dry kibble has very little moisture, while canned food contains a lot of water. To read a wet food label, you need to look at the percentages of protein, fat, and fiber on a “dry matter basis.” Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University offers instructions so you can calculate them yourself. You can also call the food manufacturer or ask your veterinarian for help. For the foods we recommend, we contacted the manufacturer.
When shopping, be on the lookout for wet dog food that is 100% meat. More protein might seem like a good thing, but these foods are for supplemental feeding only. “Dogs have evolved from wolves to become obligate omnivores,” says Dodds. This means that they need more than just meat in their diet. Small amounts of meat-only wet foods can make tasty meal toppers for your dog’s complete and balanced dry food.
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Simply Nourish Beef Liver Freeze
Freeze dried liver treats are ideal for training, but they can be expensive. This five-ounce bag is available at a bargain price, making them a high-value treat at an affordable price. Even better, theyre made in the USA and are free of corn, grains, wheat, and soy.
Helpful review: Simply said, my dog loves these treats over ALL of her other treats. She gets one a day at night. If she could, shed eat them all day they are that good, so she says!
Different Types Of Special Diet Foods
Though all dogs have the same basic requirements for protein, fat, and essential nutrients, some dogs have special dietary requirements based on their age, their breed, or some kind of health condition. For example, if you are trying to get your dog to gain weight, you might switch him to a high-calorie or a high-protein diet. There is a dog food out there for every diet!
Here is an overview of the different types of special diets you may come across as you start shopping for the best dog food. Keep in mind that some of these foods are for specific health problems, so check with your veterinarian before switching your dog to one of these special diet foods:
In addition to shopping for the best food based on your dogs unique dietary needs, you can also shop based on his breed size. Keep reading to learn more about the nutritional requirements for dogs of different breed sizes.
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Food Shopping For Small
Unlike larger-breed dogs, smaller-breed pooches have tiny little mouths, so their kibble size tends to be smaller and easier to chew. Smaller dogs are also more prone to dental and gum diseases, and kibble helps in removing some of the plaque on your dogs teeth. Additionally, their food is more nutrient dense, since their metabolic rate is much higher than larger-breed dogs.
Best For Small Dogs: Wellness Pet Food
Just like larger dogs, small dogs have special nutritional needsthey burn more calories per pound than larger dogs, for instance, and of course, have smaller mouths which may make smaller kibble more comfortable for them to eat.
Wellness Pet Food makes food for both cats and dogs, and like many of the brands on this list, the company prioritizes using natural ingredients and doesnt include fillers on the ingredient list. They offer many optionsboth wet and dryfor small and toy breed dogs.
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Whole Earth Farms Grain
Top Ingredients: Pork Meal, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Pork Fat
Packed with lip-smacking flavors extracted from pork meal, lamb, and beef, the grain-free formula is one of the most famous picks of pet parents. This delicious blend by Whole Earth Farms is loaded with goodness for your pooch. Fill up their bowl with a savory meal exploding with nutrition that helps your little darlings grow, sustain, and stay active and happy.
Best For Large Breeds: Wellness Core Large Breed
Wellnesss CORE Large Breed recipe is crafted to support the dietary and nutritional needs of large breed dogs. This formula has higher levels of protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin to promote strong muscles and healthy joints. This recipe is also grain-free, with a larger kibble size to help encourage proper chewing.
The Wellness CORE Large Breed food contains deboned chicken as the first ingredient, followed by chicken meal, turkey meal, lentils, and peas. It also contains superfoods like spinach and flaxseed.
Of these ingredients, the chicken is a high-quality source of protein and fatty acids, the spinach is a great source of magnesium and iron, and the flaxseed is rich in omega-3. This recipe also offers probiotics to promote digestion, as well as optimal calorie levels to help your dog maintain a healthy weight.
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Preservatives Dyes And Other Synthetic Ingredients
Unfortunately, many synthetic chemical ingredients are used in cheaper formulas. These ingredients are used to prolong the shelf life of a product or make it more enticing. In most cases, these ingredients are unnecessary.
There are more natural alternatives to achieve the same results, but many manufacturers avoid them due to costs.
Best Wet: Hills Science Diet
Given the brands name, its no surprise that Hills Science Diet puts science at the heart of their products. They also rely on expert input: Hundreds of veterinarians and pet nutritionists are involved in the food development process, according to Hills.
Hills Science Diet offers wet food options based on the dogs size and age, and also offers options for dogs that need help with weight management, have limited mobility, and other lifestyle factors and health conditions.
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The Worst Dry Dog Foods
While most owners don’t realize it, bad dry dog food can make dogs sick and unhealthy over time. Cheap ingredients are used to make dog food more affordable.
Unfortunately, the inclusion of many unhealthy ingredients can lead to obesity, cancer, and much more.
Some ingredients are used as filler to replace natural proteins. They add empty calories without much nutritional content.
Other ingredients come from questionable sources and contain harmful additives or chemicals.
What Makes A Dog Food Healthy
Generally speaking, here are some qualities that identify a nutritious dog food:
- Its a good idea to know what type of meat is used in your dogs food. Look for foods that clearly name the meat proteins used chicken, beef meal, and duck fat are all superior choices. Vague titles like animal, meat, or poultry dont tell you much about the health value of the food, which is especially dangerous for dogs with allergies.
- Free of any artificial flavors, preservatives, or pesticides.
- Made without fillers like corn, wheat, and soy these offer minimal nutrition and may cause digestive issues.
- Minimally processed to maintain the natural nutritional value of the food.
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Best Raw: Instinct Raw Bites
Instinct makes it simple for you to feed your dog raw food safely they offer frozen recipes that you store in the freezer until its meal time. Their Instinct Raw Bites are available in three recipes chicken, beef, or lamb all of which are never cooked, 100% raw, and minimally processed.
Each recipe consists of 85% protein and 15% veggies, fruits, and other ingredients. Instinct Raw Bites never contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and generally have limited ingredients. Plus, this raw food has no grain, corn, wheat, soy, or fillers.
Instead, Instinct Raw Bites contain natural oils, omega fatty acids, as well as whole-food ingredients that support digestion.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection
Budget-friendly grain-inclusive dog food
This formula features lamb as the #1 ingredient and includes healthy whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal while leaving out the corn, wheat, and soy.
- LifeSource Bits. The Blue Buffalo Life Protection brand offers LifeSource bits. These are specially formulated bits of dog food that contain a blend of the healthiest ingredients, with whole grains, antioxidants, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals all blended precisely to create a healthy food option for dogs.
- 30 Pound Bag. Blue Buffalo offers a 30 pound bag of food for owners who want their dog food to last. It also comes in smaller bag options if you dont want to commit to the 30lb bag.
- Breed and Size-Specific Offerings. One big thing that sets Blue Buffalo apart is their wide array of choices and customization for different dog breeds and sizes, from the best food composition for senior dogs, to the best chow for puppies. You have many options to choose from with Blue Buffalo, and youll probably be able to find the perfect blend of dog food for your individual dogs needs.
- Lamb and Brown Rice. One of the best options for ingredients is the lamb and brown rice. It pairs a lean meat choice with a whole grain option. There is also a healthy weight chicken and brown rice option, as well as other lean meat choices.
Pros
Cons
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The Best Dog Food Brands
Every dog has its own needs, and the best diet for dogs will vary depending on size, breed, and more. If you just got a new pup, or your dog is refusing to eat their dinner and youre in the market for a new brand, check out the best dog food brands below. If you need to replace other items for your dog as well, like toys, treats, or accessories, make sure to check out the holiday sales.
Best For Seniors: Diamond Naturals Senior Dog Formula
When your four-legged BFF is getting older, youll want to look for formulations that help boost his energy. Just like puppies, senior dogs require special formulations of nutrients, says Dr. Robinson. Thats why I always suggest buying a senior-specific dog food, as they have things like probiotics to ensure a healthy gut and healthy fats to help your older dogs joints and skin. Higher protein levels are also needed to maintain muscle mass.
This option from Diamond Naturals contains chicken, egg, and oatmeal. Its also packed with probiotics and fiber for better digestion, glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, and selenium and vitamin E for a serious dose of antioxidants. The right food is just one of the things that can help your pet live longer.
Highlights:
via chewy.com
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Best Dog Food For Digestive Problems: Pet Plate
Veterinary Nutritionist Dr. Renee Streeter, DVM, DACVN, believes that nutrition for pets is highly individualized, but Pet Plate, which she helped develop, is a win for many very picky dogs. Some of my most difficult-to-feed patients will routinely eat Pet Plate very well, she says. These dogs also tend to have digestive issues and these are the same dogs that usually benefit from this type of highly digestible diet. Pet Plates dog meals are made using fresh chef-cooked meals with high-quality, human-grade ingredientsincluding chicken, beef, lamb, lentils, sweet potatoes, and string beansat a USDA-inspected facility that follows the same food safety protocols as Whole Foods. The meals are flash-frozen to preserve the nutrients, then shipped directly to your door. Pet Plate meals are personally tailored for each pooch , and arrive in a frozen, insulated box similar to Blue Apron. Talk to your veterinarian or board-certified veterinary nutritionist to help determine the best foods for your fur baby.
Worst Adult Dry Dog Food: Iams Proactive Health
The primary ingredient in IAMS Proactive Health Adult Chunks dry dog food is chicken.
Though chicken is a quality item and raw chicken comprises about 80% water, but when cooked, most of the water is lost, which reduces the meat content to just a portion of its initial weight.
After processing, these ingredients would probably account for a smaller fraction of the whole content of the finished food.
The second ingredient is cornmeal which is coarse ground flour made from the dried corn. Corn is a controversial and inexpensive cereal grain of low nutritional value to a dog.
For that reason, it is not a preferred part of any dog food.
The third ingredient of this product is sorghum , a starchy cereal grain with a similar nutrient profile to corn.
Because it is gluten-free and claims a smoother blood sugar performance than other grains, sorghum may be considered a satisfactory non-meat ingredient.
The fourth ingredient is chicken by-product meal, which is a dry product of the slaughterhouse waste.
This meal is made after all prime cuts have been separated, which includes almost anything left, including beaks, feet, and even undeveloped eggs, anything except the feathers.
But on the bright side, these portions are meat concentrates and comprise protein approximately 300% more than the fresh chicken.
The fifth ingredient is beet pulp, a controversial ingredient, as it is a high fiber by-product made of sugar beet processing.
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