Pet Food Myths
There is a lot of bad information out there in regards to pet food. Some of it was once believed to be true and continued to be spread, while others are outwardly deceptive and never grounded in facts. As with much of our lives, the truths about pet food and our pets health is something we must always be critical about in order to find the truth.
Myth #1: Veterinary Brand Dog Food is the best for your pet.
This is an easy debunking. Just looking at the ingredients panel shows everything we need to see. Veterinary diets are full of inappropriate ingredients for our cats or dogs, such as poultry by-products (which can be an variety of non-meat based parts), corn gluten meal, brewer’s rice, wheat, and other sources of highly processed vegetable-based proteins which do not support our pet’s needs. Cats and dogs are carnivores and require diets rich in meat in order to thrive.
Myth #2: Dry food helps to clean pets’ teeth.
This has always been one of the funnier myths, claiming that the crunchy nature of kibble cleans teeth. Kibble is a starch rich diet, which ultimately feeds bad bacteria in the mouth. This is almost like crunching on potato chips, expecting them to clean your teeth. This actually contributes to further plaque and tartar buildup. As carnivores, dogs and cats anatomy is made to rip and tear flesh, not “chew.” So not only is kibble aiding in bacterial growth, but also can’t really scrape at their teeth, as they swallow most of the small kibble pieces. Naturally, raw diets encourage growth of good bacteria while avoiding the starchy pitfalls of kibble. Raw chews introduce these same good bacteria while also scraping away plaque and tartar that may build on their teeth. Live enzymes in raw foods also help predigest food and break down plaque, keeping the mouth entirely clean. We have more on dental health here.
Myth #3: Pets require life stage and breed specific diet formulas.
This is a tricky one because there can be different requirements in nutrition between breeds and age ranges, but this mostly is regarding elderly dogs. Some breeds can be more prone to certain health conditions later in life which may require different dietary needs, but this can be easily done through supplementation and not required to have a “breed specific” food. As for life stages, a healthy pet should have no need for low fat diets, senior diets, etc. Most general age related ailments can again, be dealt with through supplementation. Puppys don’t even need puppy specific foods, as many quality diets include these vital building blocks such as DHA into the diet for all ages. Puppies simply need to eat more food more often. While the amount of food a dog or cat requires will vary based on size and age, their nutritional requirements remain the same, no matter what their size, age, or breed. All dogs and cats require fresh, meat-based proteins, fats, and little to no carbohydrates. Senior animals tend to slow down as they age, so while their calorie requirements may shrink, their need for the healthiest food you can provide is never greater.
Myth #4: Raw food is dangerous to feed to pets due to the risk of Salmonella and E. Coli.
Unlike omnivorous animals, like us humans, cats and dogs have evolved to eat fresh raw meat which their bodies are equipped to safely process. Their short digestive tract and highly acidic stomachs ensure safe and swift digestion of their ancestral diet while destroying most dangerous bacterias.
“Raw food moves through your pet’s system in less than half the time it would through a human’s system, and the high acidity kills most bacteria. Even if the food was contaminated, it is likely that the microbes would not enter the animal’s bloodstream. Commercially prepared raw food manufacturers take measures to control against the presence of unwanted organisms such as salmonella and e. coli, so if you’re concerned about contamination, frozen raw diets are a good option.” (1)
The precautions taken in feeding raw food to pets are no different from preparing raw meats for human consumption. Dr. Karen Becker asks, “What’s the difference between preparing raw ground beef to barbeque on the grill, and preparing raw food for the family cat or dog? Why are there no policies discouraging humans from handling raw food purchased at the grocery store? …The implication that raw pet food is somehow more dangerous than raw food intended for humans has absolutely no basis in fact.” (2)
In fact, most brands of raw food go through extensive testing to ensure there is no contaminations of the diets, making them even safer than ground beef as this is intended to be cooked. There is a zero tolerance policy for Salmonella and E. Coli in raw food because of the perceived handling risk. Steps taken with raw food are not required for kibble, with contaminated foods hitting the store shelves every day. This makes feeding kibble a much higher risk vector than raw food ever would be. You can learn more about raw food safety here.
Myth #5: Ash content is a major factor in choosing a cat food.
This is a long lasting myth, originating in the 70s & 80s when it was believed that ash content contributed to feline UTIs. It is now known that ash is not a major contributor to UTIs, but rather dry cat food and the lack of moisture in a diet. Processed cat kibbles contribute to an increased pH level in cats urine, creating an alkaline environment that allows crystals to form. (3)
A high protein, meat-based, canned or raw cat food helps to flush the bladder and kidneys and reduces the pH level of urine, making it more acidic, which prevents the formation of crystals. High quality, meat-based wet food is essential to the prevention of UTIs and to a cat’s overall health. You can learn more about UTIs and pets here.
Myth #6: Changing protein types or brands of food is hard on your pet’s digestion.
It is entirely safe and natural to feed our pets a wide variety of proteins and foods, even from meal to meal. It is incredibly beneficial to feed a variety of foods, providing them with a wide range of nutrients and preventing boredom or pickiness. While it is true some individual pets may have particularly sensitive systems, the general statement cannot be supported. Naturally, our pets would be eating completely different foods throughout the year. There of course would be seasonal variations in prey availability throughout the year, but most individuals would be hunting different prey fairly often.
Also, many poor digestion issues our pets deal with ultimately come down to the quality of their health which is often impacted by the quality of food. Pets that eat the same food or protein for years sometimes develop sensitivities or allergies to specific ingredients in that food. This is just one more great reason to offer a variety of fresh foods. (1)
Myth #7: Foods with grain are better for my pet. Grain-free foods can cause heart disease.
This is a newer myth that has been circulating based on a relatively recent study (2018) on rising cases in Dilated Cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease. There have been a myriad of misleading headlines and poorly researched news articles in relation to the topic. After years of research and study, this case has been settled. There is no substantial evidence to support the claim that grain-free diets, or any diets for that matter, cause DCM. Many pet food companies stand to benefit from this myth, pushing pet owners to cheaper lower quality foods filled with grains.
Dr. Karen Becker speaks on the potential motives behind this debate in one of her articles in which she states, “As we know, big pet food loves non-animal meat, plant-based ingredients because they’re plentiful and cheap. The industry spends lots of money looking for new, ‘innovative,’ biologically inappropriate dog and cat food ingredients, and doing research to determine how much of those ingredients pets can tolerate before they develop digestive issues or other changes in their health. Needless to say, pet food industry journal articles written in defense of their much-loved ingredients have been increasing in number since mid-July [2018] when the FDA issued its warning.” (4)
Grains and other starches must be used as fillers and binders in kibble. These fillers help to bring the cost of production down. All dry foods will always have these starches to bind the kibble together into their shapes. Dogs and cats do not need these ingredients and they commonly lead to health issues.
“Unfortunately, some processed pet food advocates are using the link between grain-free dog foods and DCM to try to push pet parents back in the direction of grain-based diets. However, the problem with grain-free formulas isn’t the lack of grains. At a minimum, it’s the high level of starchy carbohydrates coupled with the extreme high-heat processing methods used to produce these diets.” (4)
The debate surrounding grain free or grain friendly diets are ultimately a misdirection. Most kibbles are inappropriate in their use of peas, potatoes, rice, oats, tapioca, etc etc. The amount that these food items are present in kibble is entirely inappropriate and can cause many health issues not limited to diabetes and obesity. They key component to general quality of a food and health of our pets as a result is and always will be the meat content of the food. The more meat, the better the food, regardless of grain or grain-free. We have a more in depth article relating to DCM here. We also have a further article discussing grain free or grain friendly here.
Myth #8: High protein diets are hard on your pet’s kidneys, especially senior pets.
“This myth is a result of poor quality food manufacturers using plant proteins in pet foods. The truth is that high plant protein diets are hard on your pet’s organs; high animal protein diets aren’t only healthy for your aging pets, but essential.” (1)
Dogs and cats require high-quality, meat-based proteins as their number one nutrient in order to thrive at all ages. As stated above, diets high in plant protein can be hard on the body, not meat. Fresh meat provides amino acids that are vital to your pet’s health and well-being. We have many articles that touch on this, but most pertinent is our article on vegan diets here.
Resources
1. Dr. Jean Hofve DVM, Myths of Pet Food and Nutrition
2. Dr. Karen Becker DVM, Raw Food and Pet Health
3. Dr. Jean Hofve DVM, Ash in Cat Food
