What Dogs Are Designed To Eat
Historically, cooked foods have never been a part of the canine and feline diet, rather they have subsisted and thrived off live prey, fermented carrion, and they foraged for any scraps they could obtain. They have only been introduced to cooked and processed foods within the last 80 years.
Looking back at the historical diets of dogs and their wolf ancestors, it is clearly evident that they are carnivores. Their teeth, gut and digestive physiology strongly support this.
Dogs have hinged, powerful jaws along with canines and triangular shaped carnassial teeth for the ripping and tearing of flesh and crushing of bone. (While they may snack on the occasional wild berry here and there!)
They don’t have the typical molars for the grinding of plant material or a four chamber stomach for the slow digestion and fermentation of complex carbohydrates (starches from plants and grains).
They have a large stomach, short digestive tract and very small cecum, indicative of consuming large amounts of high protein food in a short time period and for fast digestion and rapid absorption of nutrients. 1 In the wild, these canines could typically go many days between their meals.
So, is kibble bad for dogs? Let’s take a look …
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Food glorious food. Food is an important aspect of the daily lives of humans and dogs. However, dogs don’t get to choose what they eat. We choose what we think is best for the health, energy level, and enjoyment of our canine companions.
With the growing popularity of freshly prepared food for dogs (like Ollie, who makes human grade fresh dog food,) our options have increased, and choosing what is best can be challenging. The first step is to consult your veterinarian. Here are some points to consider when you choose a food for your dog:
Feeding dogs a diet made with natural, real ingredients, such as beef, chicken, lamb, peas, spinach, carrots, and blueberries, can do wonders for their overall well-being — promoting heart health, increasing energy level, making coats shiny and breath smell better, improving eyesight, and even impacting a dog’s stool.
However, cooking for your pet is a process that’s demanding on your time, space, and finances. Merck Veterinary Manual warns, “Most homemade diets do not undergo the scrutiny and rigorous testing applied to commercial complete and balanced diets. If pet owners wish to feed their pets homemade diets, the diets should be prepared and cooked using recipes formulated by a veterinary nutritionist. ”
Fresh dog food delivery services, such as Ollie, work with canine nutritionists to develop cooking methods and personalized formulas that include the vitamins and minerals that meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials standards for dog food. They calculate the exact number of calories needed based on weight, breed, age, activity level, and body composition and take any allergies your pup has into account.
Ollie’s food is made with human-grade ingredients sourced from reputable farms and approved by veterinarians. They never use fillers, by-products, artificial flavors, or preservatives. Each recipe is cooked by hand at low temperatures in small batches in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USDA)-regulated kitchen. All the prep work is done for you, and the food is pre-portioned and stored in the freezer. They even offer all-natural, single-ingredient treats that dogs love.
Why are processed carbohydrates bad in kibble?
Recently, there has been a shift in the kind of kibble pet owners are buying for their fur babies. Many owners invest in “grain-free” dry dog food because they claim their dog does not need carbohydrates. This statement is half true—dogs can follow diets that do not have any carbohydrates, but kibble that claims to be “grain-free” does, in fact, still contain carbs in the form of potatoes, tapioca, peas and sweet potatoes. Grain-free does not mean carbohydrate-free.
Highly processed carbohydrates that are found in commercial dog food include:
Today, dry pet food is created using a process called extrusion, and this process cannot work without a small level of starch (carbohydrates) to hold the kibble’s shape. 95 percent of dry pet food is manufactured using extrusion. During this process, the kibble dough is exposed to high temperatures (around 400 degrees Fahrenheit) for less than five minutes, resulting in chemical and physical changes to the ingredients. After this process, very few nutrients and vitamins remain, further diminishing the value of the kibble that was created with low-quality ingredients from the get-go. The final product is a bag of dry kibble with preservatives and little to no nutritional value.
From dementia to obesity, there are many ways poor ingredients and over processing in commercial pet food negatively affect our pets. It terms of dry dog kibble, up to 60 percent of the food is starch/carbohydrate, even though meat may be listed as the first ingredient. Several of the harmful health effects include, but are not limited to:
Obesity: High glycemic index (GI) carbs found in commercial dog food recipes cause spikes in blood sugar levels which can initiate a chronic inflammatory response. This kind of inflammation can be a catalyst for a number of different diseases including arthritis, diabetes and obesity.
Allergies: Dry kibble with high carbohydrate levels can lead to allergic reactions because of chronic inflammation. When a dog attempts to digest high GI carbs, there is a change in T-cell population that shifts to the proinflammatory Th2 cells, causing a decrease in helper T-cells.
Inflammatory bacteria: Lactobacillus, also known as “good bacteria,” is found naturally in our digestive system. When your pet consumes dry kibble that is high in carbohydrates, the bacteria changes from the anti-inflammatory lactobacillus to proinflammatory pathogenic bacteria.
Erosion of mucosal lining: Chronic inflammation in the gut eventually begins to erode mucosal lining. This erosion causes disaccharides to flow into the small intestine, and if they are not absorbed properly, water is pulled into the intestine resulting in loose stools, diarrhea, gas and general discomfort.
Cancer: Non-healthy sources of carbohydrates increase your pet’s risk of developing cancer, specifically foods with a high glycemic index. Cancer cells depend on glucose to grow, and elevated levels of glucose feed tumors and cancer cells.
Is Kibble Bad For Dogs? (Stop feeding kibble to dogs!)
I have been using Food Therapy, which is feeding specific fresh foods to dogs and cats, for the last 3 years of my 14 years as a veterinarian. Changing my patients to fresh food has been the single greatest improvement in their health I have seen in my career.