The Veterinarian’s Guide to Dog Food

Anyone with a fur child these days knows the hottest topic to discuss is WHAT YOU’RE FEEDING YOUR DOG. Buckle up, y’all this one’s a doozy. 

The newest version of parent shaming out there, and it seems like you just can’t get it right. It’s also REALLY hard to cut through Dr. Google’s bullshit and know what to believe. So let me help you break down the back of that dog food bag, and let you know what REALLY matters.

First, let’s talk regulations and nutritional standards. Unfortunately, pet food is one of the most unregulated items on the market. Scary right? Pet food companies can put whatever they like on the front of the bag, but does it match what is inside? Let’s learn how to find out. 

AAFCO Statement- Stands for Association of American Feed Control Officials. Like we said, the dog food market is extremely unregulated and this is nearly the only food standard we have. If a dog food does not have an AAFCO label on the bag RUN AWAY. Considering it is the minimum level of compliance and food safety standard, a dog food without this approval is scary.

The AAFCO Statement tells you two things. First, if the dog food was created with or without feeding trials. Feeding trials involve a group of dogs being fed the product before it goes to market to ensure no long term health effects. If the AAFCO statement says it is “formulated to meet AAFCO standards” there have likely been no feeding trials performed on that specific diet. 

Second, it tells you which “life stage” the dog food is meant for. THIS IS IMPORTANT. The three main life stages are 1) Growth/Development/Puppyhood 2) Adult 3) Senior. Each of these life stages need a very different set of calories and nutrients in their diet. If the second part of the statement says “For All Life Stages” this means it is REQUIRED to meet the nutrient requirements for growing puppies as well as lactating or pregnant dogs. What it also means is that it is TOO HIGH IN CALORIES for Buddy- the lazy, naps the day away Labrador. When adult or senior pets are fed dog foods that are meant for “All Life Stages” it can quickly lead to obesity and the many diseases attributed to being overweight. 

Ingredient quality: 

Next, let’s talk about some of the taboo words you hear people whisper in hushed tones down the PetSmart dog food aisles.

1. By-product. If I hear one more person tell me they would never in their right mind feed their pup by product, I’ll scream. By product is anything that is not the muscle meat of the animal going into the dog food. This means liver, lungs, spleen, kidneys, etc. All of which are VITALLY important for providing minerals and nutrients for your pets overall health. By product is also found in basically every dog food on the market- even the ones that claim to “not contain by product.” It is re-labeled as “whole-prey” so that they can capitalize on the claim that their food is “by product free.”
   
2. Protein meal. Chicken being the most common ingredient listed with meals alongside the name. Protein meals are a ground down form of the meat, to create a densely packed protein source. Chicken meal especially is an amazing source of glucosamine, which is extremely beneficial for joint health. Meals in of themselves are not detrimental to a pet’s health. The only concern is that the company is sourcing their protein from a reputable place, and not including any sick animals in the diets themselves.
   
3. Corn and corn meal. Let’s settle this once and for all. Corn is NOT a hazard to your pets health. Actually, in fact, it is a huge benefit to have corn in your pet’s diet. Corn and corn meal contain Linoleic acid, an important contributor for omega 6 essential fatty acids to the body. As well as antioxidants and carbohydrates that are needed to fuel our pet’s bodies. Corn is not and will never be an unnecessary filler in pet foods.

The biggest concern when identifying what pet food you want to feed your adorable fur baby is the quality of ingredients sourced, who is actually behind the creation of the diet, and quality control. When a veterinarian recommends a food to you it is because they know that the company is sourcing protein from reliable and safe producers and farmers. As well as making sure the diet is created by a board certified veterinary nutritionist. As well intentioned as someone’s Auntie Debbie might be, without in-depth knowledge of companion animal nutritional requirements, the pet food will be lacking in likely very essential elements. Lastly, quality control protocols in any brand of dog food recommended to you by your veterinarian is as close to guaranteed as possible. These companies work to make sure their foods will keep your pet healthy for a very very long time, so that they can continue bringing you love and joy for years to come. Unlike some might want to speculate, veterinarians don’t all recommend the same brands of dog foods because we are incentivized to do so. We recommend these brands of dog food because we trust in the product and know these companies are putting the best food on the market given the science and research performed. 

Grain inclusive vs Grain Free:

Let’s start with simple facts.

1. Grain free diets have NO SCIENTIFIC BACKING. Years ago the pet food industry began capitalizing on the movement in human diets of moving to gluten and grain free, without actually making sure (through research) that pets either needed to or physically COULD go grain free safely.
   
2. Dogs (and cats!) NEED grains in their diets. Full stop. A pet’s diet is not adequately balanced without grains, and if we want to talk about dogs “in the wild” being carnivores (by the way Karen, you Shih Tzu’s ancestors were not wolves but that’s another topic), wild dogs DO eat grains. They come from their prey’s stomach contents mainly, most of which are herbivores, and is one of the first things they eat when hunting prey.
   
3. Grain allergies are RARE in dogs and cats. SUPER DUPER RARE. Not saying impossible, I’m just saying without a diagnosed grain allergy, your pet needs grain in their diet. The most common allergens in dog’s diet’s are the protein source, and regularly chicken or beef. 

So you say “Well my pup has been on grain free for YEARS and never had an issue. They never vomit, and their hair coat looks great.” Well whoop-di-do for you. The detrimental effects we have scientifically proven in long term use of grain free diets generally don’t show up as vomiting. It shows up as Diet Related Dilated Cardiomyopathy. What on earth does that mean? It means as a direct result of a grain free diet, your pup’s heart get’s abnormally enlarged and ends up resulting in Congestive Heart Failure. Also known as death. How do we know it’s related to the diet? Because if caught early enough, this version of DCM is reversible by placing the pet on a AAFCO approved, grain inclusive diet. DCM also shows up as a genetic disease in several breeds, which is NOT reversible through diet change. This version of DCM is also showing up in pets not genetically predisposed to this disease. 

Now here is what we DON’T know. We have yet to identify the exact “why.” In 2019 the FDA released the results of their diet study which showed 90% of diet related DCM cases had been fed a grain free diet, and 93% of the diets fed had peas, legumes, and potatoes as the main ingredients listed. It also showed that it’s not exclusively grain free diets, but that BEG style diets (boutique, exotic protein, and grain free) are the culprits in all of the diet related DCM cases. 

So what SHOULD you feed your pup? I’m so glad you asked. If you are looking for dry or wet dog food, I highly recommend Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet, and ProPlan. These three companies go above and beyond in quality control, they own their manufacturing plants, source their protein from reputable sources, perform feeding trials, and most importantly their diets are created by veterinary nutritionists. 

Looking to spend hours a day home cooking your pets food because you have completely lost faith in all dog food brands? I encourage you to look into Just Food For Dogs or Farmer’s Dog. Both companies have veterinary nutritionists on staff creating their diets and have created fully balanced “whole food” diets. They ship to your door and do the heavy lifting for you. If you are set on literally cooking food at home, it is imperative you do so at the guidance of a veterinary nutritionist. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation or check out www.BalanceIt.com to get started.