This post is written by holistic veterinarian at "I and love and you", Dr. Angie Krause, DVM, CVA, CCRT

There is an abundance of misinformation about dog food and ingredient labels floating around cyberspace. While there are certainly some unsatisfactory practices in the pet food industry, it’s usually not as scary as some sources may claim. Meat meals are not always bad and if you want your pup to get all of the vitamins and minerals necessary, you may not be able to easily pronounce every ingredient on the label!

Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Food

Here are a few ingredients I do avoid and why:

  1. Corn/Wheat. I have found these two grain sources to be problematic for many of my patients. These two ingredients are heavily treated with glyphosate (toxic pesticide) and are heavily genetically modified. Yikes! If your dog does better with grains in their diet, consider using formulas with ancient grains like Naked Essentials.
  2. Chemical preservatives. Ingredients such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are chemical preservatives that have been shown to be carcinogenic (cancer causing). It’s important for your dog’s food to be preserved and safe, and this can be accomplished with safer, more natural preservatives like mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) and citric acid.
  3. Food dyes. These dyes have been linked to many health problems in humans and are completely unnecessary for dog food. Pets don’t care if their kibble is bright red, orange or yellow. When dog food companies incorporate these in their formulas, they are marketing to humans and don’t have the pup’s best interest at heart.

    Pet food labels are confusing, and some of the ingredients can sound worse than they are. Ultimately, you are trusting the dog food company to have integrity and to put your pet’s health first. A good test for any company is to reach out with questions you have about their ingredients. A reputable company will be happy to help!

    If you have any questions about an ingredient in your dog’s food, leave a comment below! I would love to hear from you!

    With love,

    Dr. Angie