Posted on 15th Mar 2010 @ 1:29 PM

Veterinarians warn that carbohydrates, particularly grains and starches, cause primary health problems for dogs and strongly recommend diets high in protein and fat but low in carbohydrates including grains and starches.

Commercial dog food, even premium "healthy" brands, are not healthy because:

1. Many Commercial Dog Foods use preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and Ethoxyquin that can be deadly to your dog's health. The company does not have to list it in the ingredients though if the previous manufacturer of an ingredient used them.

* According to Dr. Gloria Dodd, DVM in her letter to the FDA, Due to the lack of additional testing by the FDA Ethoxyquin is still legally used as a preservative in our pet's food and ours. However, while only a small amount (5 to .5 ppm) in human consumed foods, a high amount (150 ppm) is allowed to be used in our pet and live stock food. She states, "In the case of the dog, pound for pound, a dog weighs 1/5 to 1/10th the weight of a human (except for giant breeds of dogs) yet is consuming 300 times more Ethoxyquin than allowed for people."

2. High concentration of carbohydrates reduces metabolism efficiency, nutrient absorption, and immune system functioning.

3. Carbohydrates, which metabolize into sugar and convert into fat, can result in hypoglycemia, hyperactivity, diabetes, and other serious illnesses and, also, decrease the ability to fight them.

4. Carbohydrates require more energy than protein for digestion, increasing hunger and leading to weight gain.

5. Since grain is not entirely digested, it may accumulate in the colon and lead to serious illness. Grain-based foods may also lead to kidney failure that may not be detected until there is over 75% damage.

6. Dog foods contain a large quantity of grains to boost the protein level, but these proteins lack important amino acids, reducing the protein quality. Some foods contain Soy protein that also increases the amount of protein in the food but is indigestible by the dog.

7. Commercial dog food that are low in fruits and vegetables, weaken the immune system.

8. Chemicals and animal-grade products are usually found in dog foods and labeled human-grade, for example:
* Grain by-products tend to be used as grain.
* Spleens, feet, ligaments, intestines, high percentage of bones, and other sources, not generally used, for human food are labeled "meat" in dog food.

9. Nutrients are lost through the manufacturing process. Commercial foods lose most of their vitamin and mineral content in processing.
* The anti-oxidant Vitamins are most important: Vitamin E, Vitamin C and the Water Soluble B Vitamins.
* The most important minerals to supplement include Calcium, Zinc, Selenium, Iron and Phosphorus. The vitamins and minerals play key roles in ALL cells in the body - from the B vitamins necessary for brain function, to Selenium, a vital antioxidant that protects your dog's organs from damage.

10. Grains and starches contain phytates, blocking absorption of minerals that lead to deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, iodine, and other elements required for healthy diets.