When one of my dogs started to have health problems at the age of six, I got pretty serious about dog health issues. I don’t watch TV much anymore, if I have any free time I’m usually doing research to try and improve and extend the lives of my dogs.
Those of you that know me also know that I believe the number one cause of health issues with dogs is commercial dog food. That is why I have been on a mission to spread the word about the best dog food, and I am a big believer in homemade dog food.
The truth is most people, even if they do switch to a homemade diet, will need to supplement with some brand of commercial food. That is why I spend so much time on the best dog food subject.
There is much debate about the addition of meat by-products as well as some other controversial ingredients. This can be identified as chicken, poultry, beef or just about any kind of meat with the phrase by-product behind it.
What exactly is it and will your dog benefit from it? If you investigate on the topic you will discover two groups, one group supports by products as positive, but the other group say it is dangerous for your pet.
The truth is, it depends let’s take a look at the definition of Poultry by-products.
The by-products taken from animals such as chicken and turkeys, consists of ground up, processed, and cleaned left over parts of the carcasses. These parts include the beaks, necks, feet, intestines, and other parts with exception of the feathers, though trace amounts may be present. The problem with “by-product” ingredients is that you don’t know what you’re actually getting and in what amount. Currently, no standard exists that specifies how many feet, quantity of intestines or makeup of nutritional content. Honestly, none of this is really fit for human consumption.
There are some who will make the argument that because some of the by-product ingredients are what the dog would actually eat in the wild, they are fine for them to eat in a dog food. Even if this is the case it is tantamount to saying that because homeless people eat out of garbage cans, dumpster food is great for everyone else, too.
Since I plan on feeding my dogs the best food possible, by-products will remain in the trash and won’t be found in any of the food I provide.
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