The consumer uproar concerning dog treats made in China, “pink slime,” and the multitude of FDA recalls throughout the years, including the present time, has shown not only the power of social media and word-of-mouth, but also the consumers’ desire to know what is in the products they are feeding their pets, and from where it came.
THE DIRTY DOZEN
- Wheat – The number one allergen in dogs and a contributing factor to canine obesity.
- Corn – Useless filler that is a known cause of allergies and is difficult for dogs to digest. This is a GMO (genetically modified organism) food...very toxic! Not healthy for you… and not healthy for your precious pet.
- Corn gluten meal – Even worse than corn. Patented as a weed killer in 1991.
- Soy – Considered a low-quality, incomplete protein well known to create food allergies in pets and can cause cancer.
- By-product meal – Bones, blood, intestines, lungs, ligaments, heads, feet and feathers.
- Animal digest – The most disgusting ingredient of all. A combination of many animal parts: dead, dying, diseased or dying prior to slaughter.
- Ethoxoquin – Used in the production of rubber and banned for use in human foods.
- Egg product – Eggshells, eggs that may have gone rancid or spoiled.
- Brewer’s rice – The broken shells of rice that lack nutrients and have been discarded by other food manufacturing processes; floor sweepings.
- Cellulose – Just another name for sawdust. Very harsh on the digestive system.
- Sugar in any form – Useless, unnecessary and adds empty calories.
- Propylene glycol – Added as a sweetener. Used in antifreeze solutions which is "deadly", in hydraulic fluids, and as a solvent.
Special Mention:
- Common coloring agents – include Red 40, Blue 2, Yellow 5, Yellow 6. These artificial colors are believed to cause allergic reactions and tumors in the brain (Blue 2) and adrenal gland and kidneys (Yellow 6).
- Preservatives – There are two classifications of preservatives: artificial and natural. Artificial preservatives like butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) or ethoxyquin are considered to be unhealthy preservatives for pets, yet they are still allowed in small doses in pet food. In addition, it is believed these preservatives may cause cancer when consumed over a long period of time.
What Does "Rendering" Mean?
Rendering is the process where various ingredients are emptied into a large vat and boiled for several hours. These high temperatures can damage proteins and destroy natural enzymes.
From a health standpoint, denatured proteins from high processing temperatures can lead to food allergies and intolerance's and inflammatory bowel disease.
But here's what's so controversial:
In addition to food animal scraps, rendering, by law, can include:
Pet food companies claim they no longer process dead dogs and cats (insiders admit they previously did), but the FDA has found pentobarbital, the most common euthanasia drug, in rendered meat-and-bone meal and animal fat.
Check the ingredients list on the food you buy for your pet. If homemade food for your pet is not feasible for you, one of the relatively safe pet food to buy is "organic" (if they're telling the truth on the label).
- grocery store expired meat (Styrofoam wrapping intact),
- road kill
- diseased and disabled (and dead) cattle
- euthanized pets
Pet food companies claim they no longer process dead dogs and cats (insiders admit they previously did), but the FDA has found pentobarbital, the most common euthanasia drug, in rendered meat-and-bone meal and animal fat.