What is the primary purpose of food? Most of us agree that the primary purpose of food, even though there are other purposes, is to provide essential nutrients for the body’s growth, repair, and maintenance.
Water, minerals, vitamins, and proteins are all essential nutrients. These nutrients are necessary for the body to function correctly.
The body is more likely to develop a disease if it does not get enough of a particular nutrient.
Although grain-free dog food is trendy and expensive, that doesn’t make it nutritious for your pet. When deciding whether grain-free dog food is healthy, several factors must be considered. Some could even be harmful. Continue reading to find out more. Let me know at the end if you still have questions.
Dogs are not people.
It is surprising how often we forget this when it comes time to feed our pets. We tend to want to give them the same food we eat, but we must remember that their nutritional requirements differ.
Many people have different diets that they follow. We assume that these diets will benefit our dogs because they work for us. Only sometimes.
In 2007, several recalls were made of pet food products that contained melamine, an industrial product. These foods were recalled after pets developed severe health problems.
During that period, the human diet had a trend away from gluten and grains.
In this period, grain-free diets became more popular. Many pet owners switched their dogs to these diets because they were advertised as better for dogs with gluten sensitivities. They also contained exotic proteins and beans and closely resembled the dog’s original diet.
The Truth About Grain-Free Food
In the United States, grain-free dog foods account for more than 40%. Sales in the USA increased by 221% between 2012 and 2016.
If a dog food is marked as grain-free, it means that the product is free of the following:
- Wheat
- Corn
- Rice
- Soy
- Oats
- Barley
- Rye
Replacements for carbohydrates: Because dogs still require carbohydrates to provide energy, they are substituted with various types of potatoes (white or sweet), beans, lentils, and chickpeas.
Gluten sensitivities. Grain-free foods are marketed to dogs who have gluten sensitivities. Wheat allergies in dogs are rare. The number of dogs with wheat allergies is about 1/10,000.
Grain-free foods are promoted as being better for dogs who have hypersensitivity to certain ingredients, such as barley, corn, rice, rye, or oats. These sensitivities, like wheat allergies, are rare.
Grain-free diets claim to be healthier as ‘fillers are not present.’ Whole grains are rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. They also provide fiber.
Low carbohydrate diets: Low-carb diets for humans were popular in the 1990s and 2000s. Many pet owners assume that grain-free foods are low-carb. Truthfully, alternative carbohydrates (potatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and peas) can be higher in carbohydrates, which may lead to weight gain. These alternatives can also be more expensive and provide less fiber and nutrients than whole grains.
Grain-free diets with lower carbohydrate content can have higher fat and calorie levels. It can cause weight gain in dogs with a history of pancreatitis or hyperlipemia.
Dogs eat both meat and plants. They are often mistakenly referred to as carnivores. They need (and eat) a balanced diet that includes both meat and plant products. Many pet owners believe that grains are difficult for their dogs. It’s good to know that dogs use and digest these grains efficiently.
Alternative sources of carbohydrates may not be better. They may do more than cause stomach problems.
Quality control: Finally, all pet food producers’ quality control and nutritional expertise are different. These variations may cause some health problems for dogs.
Can Grain-Free Diets (BEGs) be harmful to dogs?
All diets classified as ‘BEG diets’ – boutique, exotic, and grain-free – appear linked to diet-associated cardiomyopathy.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
DCM is characterized as an enlargement of the muscle walls of the heart. This causes it to become a less efficient pump for moving blood throughout the body. You can imagine that this is not good! Dogs with DCM have a high risk of developing heart failure. This article by the Cardiology Department at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine will give you more information about this condition.
In 2018, the FDA began an investigation after receiving reports that dogs (including breeds with no genetic predispositions) developed DCM from grain-free diets. The FDA started a study in 2018 after receiving messages of dogs (including species without a genetic predisposition) developing DCM after consuming diets labeled as grain-free.
The FDA found that of the 515 DCM reports received between January 1, 2014, and April 30, 2019, 90% of the dogs consumed grain-free diets, and 93% consumed peas or lentils. Minerals, metals, and amino acids were not found to be abnormal.
What is the cause of diet-associated DCM?
In the vast majority, it is not known what causes the disease. What has been found is that the causes are complex scientifically and involve multiple factors.
Scientists have developed several hypotheses regarding the cause of diet-associated DCM. Therefore, research continues.
Some connections between BEG and DCM diets have been found so far.
In some cases, low taurine has been observed. The theory goes that legumes can interfere with the ability of a dog to absorb taurine. The hypothesis has yet to be proven, but research is ongoing. In these cases, improvements were seen with a change in diet and taurine supplements.
According to research findings, the diet associated with DCM has lower levels of B vitamins. B vitamins are essential for the metabolic reactions that occur in the heart.
Diets associated with DCM contain higher levels of amino acids, amino acid derivatives, and plant-derived substances, all contributing to the deficiency in molecules crucial to heart function.
Peas are the main ingredient. Reports indicate that diets with peas in their main components showed “the greatest association with higher levels of compounds found in DCM-associated foods.”