Is dog food bad for humans? Here’s the Answer

Risks of Humans Eating Dog Food

There are a few risks to consider before you start snacking on Fido’s food.

One is the nutritional content of dog food. Dog food is designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of canines, not humans. So, if you’re eating dog food as your sole source of nutrition, you’re likely not getting all the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

Another risk to consider is a foodborne illness. Just like with any food, there is a chance that dog food can be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

Most dog food does not meet the same strict standards as “human-grade or people food,” so the risk of contamination is much higher.

Another potential problem with eating dog food is a vitamin imbalance. Dog food is often fortified with vitamins and minerals that are essential for canine health but not necessarily for human health.

If you’re consuming too much of these vitamins, it can lead to an imbalance in your own system. For example, dogs synthesize their own vitamin C, so they don’t need it in their diets. However, humans need to get vitamin C from food or supplements. So if you’re eating a diet of nothing but dog food, you’re not getting the vitamin C you need.

There are better options out there that will do a better job of meeting your nutritional needs. Plus, why eat something that’s designed for someone else when you don’t have to?

But that doesnt necessarily mean these foods are any healthier. A few years ago, some grain-free boutique dog foods were linked to a form of canine heart disease, leading the United States Federal Drug Advisory (FDA) to caution against that type of diet for dogs.

“As we have shown in previous studies, the faecal microbial communities of healthy dogs fed fresh diets were different than those fed kibble,” says nutritional scientist Kelly Swanson from the University of Illinois.

For thousands of years, humans have been feeding their scraps to canine pets who have slowly evolved to digest them. Commercial dog food, on the other hand, is only a century-and-a-half old and it probably arose as a way to make food waste more profitable.

Those words certainly sound healthier, but does that mean they are the best choice? The truth is, we simply dont know yet.

Besides, apart from the health of our pets, theres also an environmental impact to consider. If every pet dog is fed human-grade meat, fish, and vegetables, the consequences for carbon emissions and climate change would be immense.

Can humans eat dog food long term?

Dog food is not toxic to humans so a nibble here and there is not a problem in terms of nutrition. However, due to the differences in nutritional requirements of dogs and humans, it is not recommended that humans consume commercial dog food long term.

After a month of eating only dog food, Muenster man sees drastic change in health

There are plenty of examples of human foods that are unsafe for dogs to eat, but how about the other way around? Can humans eat dog food? Or are there ingredients in your dog’s bowl that would lead to health problems?

Aside from the fact that your doggo probably doesn’t want to share their meals with you (especially not their high quality lightly-cooked meals), the question of whether you can is a bit more complicated. It all depends on the type of food you give your dog, how it’s been stored, and, well, why you’re choosing to chow down on your dog’s chow in the first place.

In this article, we’ll answer all the questions you never knew you had about whether humans can swipe a few bites of their dog’s food. (And why you probably shouldn’t make it a regular habit.)