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HOW TO READ AN INGREDIENTS LABEL
Dr. Deb Johnson has some answers when it comes to choosing the right food for your dog. Her main objection is that owners often make their choices based on fancy packaging, slick advertising campaigns and brand name foods they have known forever. "That's a mistake," Dr. Johnson advises, "Skip the glitz and go straight to the ingredients label. That's where the choices you make can make the difference in your pet's health and quality of life."
Dr. Johnson believes that commercial diets, no matter how high in quality, can not provide everything your pet needs to be at their optimum level of health, "When it says on the bag ‘AAFCO complete and balanced diet', all this really means is that the diet has been fed to eight dogs for six months without them losing more than a certain percentage of their body weight. I want more for my pets - I want them to thrive and be vibrantly healthy. So I recommend adding supplements on a daily basis based on their individual needs, among them a good multivitamin, a fatty acid supplement, and a digestive enzyme."
According to Dr. Johnson, there are several key things you need to know to decipher a food label, "First, ingredients are listed by weight, from highest to lowest. Since dogs are mainly carnivores, their diets should contain at least 25% protein. Of the first three ingredients listed, at least two should be protein sources, such as beef or lamb. They should be good quality proteins, such as chicken or chicken meal, and not chicken "by-products" or chicken "digest", which contain some pretty undesirable things. Avoid labels that do not specify the protein source, for example "poultry" or "meat" instead of "turkey" or "lamb".
"Next, let's look at the carbohydrate sources. They should be wholesome, complex carbohydrates like whole grains. It is a good idea to avoid corn or corn derivatives, since corn is one of the most common allergens for pets, and is not an ideal protein source for a carnivore. Also avoid fillers like beet pulp, peanut hulls, and wheat or rice flour, which are inexpensive ingredients added to make your pet feel full, but have little or no nutritional value.
"Third, while fat is a necessary and important part of your pet's diet, the quality of the sources should be considered. Avoid unnamed animal fats, rather, look for diets containing chicken fat, sunflower oil, or flaxseed oil.
"Finally, avoid several common preservatives that have been identified as potentially linked to cancer, such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. Look for diets using natural preservatives like vitamin E (tocopherols), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), or Rosemary. Natural preservatives may not last as long as synthetic ones, so be sensible and don't buy that 40# bag of food for your Chihuahua. As a general rule, I don't buy more than my pets can eat in two weeks."
Deborah L. Johnson, DVM, CVMRT, is currently the Head Veterinarian at the Toledo Area Humane Society. Dr. Johnson is a member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and certified in Animal Chiropractics by the AVCA.
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