Is commercial dog food killing my dog?

Question

I got an email saying it is. Now I am worried. I don't have the money to buy the book they wanted me too but is it true? I will make his food if it is or are there foods that don't use euthanized animals

Answer 1

Well, as typical, the previous posters do not know anything about the pet food industry. I hope you heed what I am going to tell you.

FIRST, MOST PET FOODS CONTAIN INGREDIENTS THAT ARE KILLING YOU PETS.

The majority of pet foods contain cancer causing chemical preservatives, animal by-products, and fillers. The major pet food companies like Iams, Science Diet, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Purina, Pedigree, Ol Roy, Walthams, and so on ALL contain ingredients that are probably harming your dog.

Take a look at this popular foods:

Purina Dog Chow Complete Nutrition:
-GROUND YELLOW CORN (should NEVER be in pet foods. Dogs CAN"T digest corn so you are paying for a cheap filler with NO nutritional value)
-POULRTY BY-PRODUCT MEAL (this is beaks, feet, feathers, organs, etc of the bird, NO MEAT. Dogs can't digest these so again you are paying for a filler)
-AMINAL FAT (this could be anything.....YES it can be roadkill, euthanized animals from the vet, etc. ANYTHING that is sent to the rendering plant)
-CORN GLUTEN MEAL (this is the sticky residue left over from processed corn)
-BREWERS RICE (this is a rice fraction and has no nutritional value. They should be using whole brown rice)
-SOYBEAN MEAL (this is a common allergen for dogs and really has no nutrition, just another filler)
-ANIMAL DIGEST (this is the stomach contents of ANY animal. Again, it is highly likely to be roadkill or euthanized animals)
-SALT (should NEVER be in pet foods)

*So there is NO meat in this food and NONE of the ingredient serve to make your dog healthy, they are all fillers.

Purina Dog Chow Indoor Formula:
-GROUND YELLOW CORN (same as above)
-MEAT AND BONE MEAL (this again is rendered animals, euthanized cats and dogs, cows, roadkill, horses, etc. This is normally preserved with cancer causing chemical preservatives and sent to the pet food company as a big mash of animal)
-CORN GLUTEN MEAL (same as above)
-ANIMAL FAT(same as above)
-SOYBEAN MEAL(same as above)
-ANIMAL DIGEST (same as above)
-BREWERS RICE (same as above)
-SALT (same as above)

This food again, has NO meat that your dog can digest and the other ingredients are disgusting and have NO nutritional value.

Science Diet Weight Control:
-GROUND WHOLE CORN (same as above)
-SOYBEAN MILL RUN (shell of the soybean, just another filler)
-CHICKEN BY-PRODUCTS (same as above)
-PEANUT HULLS (peanut shells, no nutrition, just a filler)
-CORN GLUTEN MEAL (same as above)
-SOYBEAN MEAL (same as above)
-DRIED EGG PRODUCT (egg shells or eggs not fit for humans)

Science Diet Weight Control (r/d) vet prescription:
-CORN MEAL (same as above)
-PEANUT HULLS (same as above)
-CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL (same as above)
-SOYBEAN MEAL (same as above)
-SOYBEAN MILL RUN (same as above)
-DRIED EGG PRODUCT (same as above)
-PRESERVED WITH BHT, BHA and ethoxyquin, (this is a CANCER causing chemical preservative)

*NO meat, peanut shells and cancer causing preservatives....and this is a VET diet!!!

Iams Adult Dog:
-CHICKEN (good but should say "chicken meal")
-CORN MEAL (same as above)
-WHOLE GROUND SORGHUM (filler, no nutrition)
--CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL (same as above)
-CHICKEN FAT (okay)
-DRIED BEET PULP (filler, many dogs are allergic to this)
-FISH MEAL (what type of fish? what are they hiding?)
-DRIED EGG PRODUCT (same as above)
-SALT (same as above)

Okay, these foods are ALL garbage. The have NO nutrition in them that will keep your dog healthy. Could you serve eating McDonalds every day? NO, your body eventually shuts down. It is the same with the majority of commercial dog foods. If the chemical preservatives don't kill your dog first, then the lack of proper nutrition will.

What is the most amazing, and the thing I can't stress enough is the WORST possible food you could give your pet is a vet diet. If you notice, of the foods that I should you, the Science Diet vet prescription diet is the ABSOLUTE worst. It is the only one that has BOTH BHA/BHT and ethoxiquin which have been PROVEN to cause cancer in animals. Next time your vet suggest you buy their food, tell them you will when they stop supporting companies that kill animals.

I tried to choose a random selection of some of the most popular foods on the market to show you that these foods are HORRIBLE and the companies and vets care nothing about the health of your pet.

Now, take a look at Innova Adult dog which is the HEALTHIEST pet food on the market. Innova has ONLY whole, fresh, human grade ingredients that are designed to provide your dog everything they should get in a diet as well as added ingredients to help fight disease.

Innova:
Turkey
Chicken
Chicken Meal
Ground Barley
Ground Brown Rice
Potatoes
Natural Flavors
Ground White Rice
Chicken Fat
Herring
Apples
Carrots
Cottage Cheese
Sunflower Oil
Alfalfa Sprouts
Egg
Garlic
Taurine
Choline Chloride
Calcium Carbonate
Vitamins/Minerals
Viable Naturally Occurring Microorganisms

Innova is by far superior to any product on the market. Dogs fed this food have more energy, have healthier coats, have less trips to the vets for health problems AND live longer.

So, if you are going to feed commercial dog food DO NOT feed a brand from a major company like those I have mention at the beginning. find one that is made of fresh, human grade ingredients like Innova, Wellness, Solid Gold, Merrick, Canidae, Evolve, etc. These companies do not use any of those horrible ingredients mentioned above.

Oh and just to confirm what you have heard about euthanized animals...

YES they do use them in pet foods. There are many dog foods that have been tested for the chemical that is used to euthanize animals and it is found in MANY of the "popular" foods. It is well documented that this practice takes place but unfortunately pet owners do not take the time to do research before buying pet food and of course pet food companies are not going to willing tell you.

So, my suggestion to you is to do some more research and find a better food. In fact, most high quality foods cost the same as the low quality companies because they don't pump their profits into advertising...their good quality products sell themselves.

Answer 2

I saw an expose on "Inside Edition" about this a number of years ago. Since then I have been feeding a better quality holistic dog food, free of artificial preservatives or ingredients. There are many to chose from.

Plain and simple: I can afford better quality food for them. When it comes down to it, it's really not that expensive if you break it down to what it costs per day. People spend more on their morning newspaper and coffee. My dogs are counting on me to give them the best care possible. They can't choose the food they want to eat. That's my job. I need to make sure I'm doing it. I want them around as long as possible.

Bottom line, if there is any question about the quality of any food, I'd go for the more natural approach. I have been through seminars from some of the top dog food manufacturers in the country promoting their products for vets to sell. I think their food is still better than many of the other brands, and I still would recommend them over generic. However, I still chose to use a holistic food. I have nothing to lose and so much to gain if it adds years to my dogs' lives.

Answer 3

I don't know about "killing" but it definitely is not good for your dog. Commercial dog food is the equivalent of us eating McDonald's every meal. And to say you've had your dog live so-and-so years doesn't mean anything, because maybe they'd live even longer on a better food.

Some commercial foods don't have those absolutely disgusting ingredients, but there are no federal laws regulating the content of pet food (sadly) so those companies are free to use whatever cheap alternatives to real meat they can (ie. euthanized animals, expired meats from supermarkets, roadkill, etc.) ... and they do. For those of you who think this is a scam, it is not, unfortunately. It is the absolutely sad, disgusting, and horrific truth :(

It's best to buy a nice hollistic food for your dog, and try to avoid foods containing fillers, like ground corn, corn gluten meal, oatmeal, brewers rice, etc. as main ingredients. Many companies use these because they are cheaper than using meat, and they fill your dog. Unfortunately, they offer little to no nutritional value. Corn is especially bad because dogs can't even digest it. Some excellent brands of food are Timberwolf organics, Chicken soup for the dog lover's soul, wellness, innova, nature's variety, and Canidae. Those are all great foods, and contain human grade meat, which is the best quality you can get. These foods contain more meat than other foods, which means your dog doesn't need to eat as much. Never buy food from a grocery store, they are the worst ones out there. Please trust me on this.

Edited to add, of course companies don't list euthanized animals as ingredients, they are the components of what is famously known on the food label as "chicken by-product meal" ... which is basically any left over "meat" type things they can throw into their grinder. Also, most vets know nothing about the quality of pet foods (evidenced by the fact that they endorse science diet food, one of the worst out there), they are only required to complete one course in animal nutrition, very little of which focuses on actual foods, so you can't always rely on what they tell you is a good food. If you do some research you will quickly learn about pet foods.

Answer 4

dear kookie m,

The best dog food, is made from scratch. You control the ingredients. Low fat beef,chicken,turkey without bones and a variety of vegetables are best. Raw fruit is also good for treats.
Cook the meat thoroughly as well as the vegetables. This then should be either ground or cut into small pieces. When incorporating this into you animals diet;go half and half. This is to say half his old food along with the good.
Do this for two days, if the dog tolerates this well, decrease the old to one fourth, and so on.
Salmon and tuna can also be given,but only twice a week or so. The dogs diet should be supplemented with a vet recommended vitamin and mineral pill.

Answer 5

Most commercial foods are not that good for your dog, but you can see how good your dog's food is by looking at the ingredients. The first thing on the list needs to be a meat, not a grain. Grains should not be making up the majority of your dogs food, and the food should also have vegetables, vitamins and minerals added.

Canned dog food is probably the worst culprit, as it is mainly salt and water, with a few chunks of processed meat that is of low quality. The soft texture is not natural to dogs and is usually the cause of most dental problems.

Basically, as long as you have a good brand of dried food and you add variety in the form of bones (RAW ONLY), fish, and a couple of eggs every now and then, your dog will be more than fine. Just a hint- garlic is good for your dog, it helps them in the same way as it helps us, but onions are BAD, they cause digestive upsets, and can also poison your dog if fed over a period of time. Chocolate is also bad, but carob is good.

If you want to make your own food for your dog (I have to as my dog is allergic to all of the commercial diets available and gets an irritable bowel very easily), this is a recipe that works well for my German Shepherd-

1kg chicken or mutton mix (some dogs, mine in particular are allergic to beef)
About a cup of pasta or rice
Mixed frozen vegetables
Vitamin and mineral supplement
Calcium

Cook the rice or pasta and rinse to remove starch- add to mince and vegies. You can also mix it up with tinned fish (the oilier the better- it improves their coat), and throw an egg or chopped garlic in there. It's worth noting that pasta is very easy for your dog to digest, while rice takes longer. So if your dog has runny poos, you might want to change to rice for a bit, and vice versa.

It's great that you want the best for your pet, I hope it all works out for you.

Bestoluck

Answer 6

i think commercial foods are not the best thing for dogs,

i learned that some of them use filler like saw dust. and othr things to make them fat,, and full but not necessarily the best for dogs,

i had a dog die last year from cancer a tumor in the head, and i do believe it could have been from the food i gave him..
because animals in the wild do not get cancer,
wolves, lions tigers ect
and they do not eat processed foods..
i am still researching but check out the ingredients in your dogs food,
i amm starting to change a lot in the way i feed my dog, i have anothr dog and i am not always always buying the right things but more often i do than dont

good luck

Answer 7

www.spoiled-rotten-pets.com
Look under the Payton IA section for a table on how to rate your dog food.
It will tell you how good or poor the dog food you feed is.
They sell dog food and have some of the best on the market today. It can be orded from them or purchased in your area.
They carry many brands but they are all very good and rate as excellent feeds.
None have things like euthanized animals or stuff like that.

Answer 8

ok BHT and BHA are cheap preservatives used in some lower quality foods - you want foods preserved with Vitamin E (tocophelopherous or something like that spelling wise)
also by-products are beaks feet and feathers but the problem with them is they are preserved with a dangerous chemical pesticide known as Ethoxyquin..

BHT, BHA, and Ethoxyquin are all known to be dangerous and can lead to any number of problems including, but not limited to, cancer.. also liver and kidney problems etc...

ok as far as Euthanized animals go - most low quality foods can and do use them - even higher priced foods can and do - what you have to look for is foods that say
HUMAN GRADE MEAT ONLY - this would eliminate all previously euthanized animals from a food

also you shouldnt ever get a food that says "MEAT MEAL" this is a mystery meat that could be any dead animal always make sure your food specifies chicken, lamb or whatever....

ok the other problem with the lower quality foods is to much filler - like the by-products I mentioned above - filler is often undigestable or lower digestabilty so your pet has to eat much more food to get nutrition - this often creates a fatter pet, more poops, and is harder on their stomach and digestive system over alll

even some costly foods are crap though so be aware.. Science Diet for example PAYS for vet endorsement but the food is junk (vets receive very little or NO training in regards to pet foods except from reps who promote their own food).. Iams and Eukanuba are linked to cruel testing and either are good quality anymore since Proctor and Gamble bought out the company...
in general NO food from grocery or Wal Mart is good.. and only some from pet stores are good... next time say the country you live in so people can suggest good foods (but remember many people here are not educated and will suggest crap)

Answer 9

Sounds like you got spammed and you believed it. If you have any questions on the food you are feeding your pet, please visit the website of the manufacturer where you can learn more abuot the food, and READ THE INGREDIENT LABEL to know what you are feeding your dog. I have NEVER heard that dog food uses euthanized pets as an ingredient in their food. Most dog foods use vegetables and chicken, beef, lamb, and other ingredients. Read the labels. And know that there are higher quality foods that are better for your pets. just like people food, there is good stuff and there is junk.

Your vet is another good resource to help you understand what types of foods your dogs needs in the different stages of its life. Good luck!

Answer 10

I'm not sure what you're talking about, but there are plenty of good dog foods out there that you can buy, without going to the trouble of making his food.
I have given my dog Nutramax for most of his life, and he's almost 16 years old, so go figure.
The best thing you can do is talk to his vet about it. He'll steer you the right direction.

Answer 11

I haven't heard anything about that. I imagine some of the lower quality foods are using crap that shouldn't be in a dog's food but the more reputable companies are perfectly fine. My dogs are currently eating Science Diet and they aren't being poisoned, that's for sure. Definitely don't believe everything you read on the internet.