Having a dog means keeping them healthy and safe, and it should be our top priority. When it comes to feeding your dog, always make sure he gets the best food. If you are feeding commercial dog food, always choose the best and safest brand.
Choosing the best pet food must be difficult, especially if you don’t know what to avoid and what to look for. When selecting a food, always look at the ingredient on the list because these ingredients are the factor that will decide on the safety of dog food.
If your dog’s food contains any red flag ingredients, you should avoid choosing that food. If you want to know what are the red flag ingredients in pet food, read this article.
1. MEAT BY-PRODUCT
Many people think that meat by-products are not harmful to their dogs, but they are wrong. In the meat by-product, there are all kinds of undesirable ingredients. Then these ingredients are ground up and mixed together. If the ingredients in the meat are taken from an animal that suffers from a contagious disease, your dog runs the risk of sickness.
Here are some common meat by-products used in dog food, such as:
- Meat and bone meal
- Poultry meal
- Blood meal
- Beef and bone meal
- Animal diges
2. GRAIN AS THE MAIN INGREDIENT
Your dog does not need grains in their food. Food without grains is the best food for your dog. Most dog food companies offer meat sandwiched between two carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are not all bad for your dog, but they should be used in moderation because they contain sugar that can upset your dog’s digestive system.
3. ARITIFICIAL COLOURS
Artificial colours are used in dog food to make it more eye-catching. But these artificial colours are related to various biochemical processes and hyperactivity within the body.
4. ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Many vets recommend avoiding dog foods that contain artificial sweeteners because they can be dangerous. The most common artificial sweeteners are saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose.
Similarly, do not use those human foods containing xylitol because it is extremely dangerous and toxic to your dog and can cause seizures, hypoglycemia, and liver failure.
5. ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES
Chemical preservatives are used in dog food to increase their shelf life. There are many natural preservatives available that can be added to pet food, but artificial preservatives are used by pet food companies because they are cheap and long-lasting.
Some common artificial preservatives to look for in your dog’s food are:
- Ethoxyquin
- Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
- Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
- Tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)
- Propyl gallate
NATURAL OPTIONS FOR YOUR DOG
The CEN product range for dogs does not contain any harmful additives, preservatives or artificial colours. All ingredients are of the highest quality and do not contain meat-by products or grains.
CONCLUSION
As we love our dogs and want them to live a healthy life, we must choose a healthy and balanced diet for them. By avoiding all of the red flag ingredients mentioned above, you can select the perfect food for your dog to live a long and happy life.