Feeding dogs a complete, well-balanced diet that fully meets their individual nutritional requirements is essential for promoting and maintaining their good health. The energy and nutrient requirements of dogs can vary greatly depending on several factors, including age, gender, breed, activity level, physiological condition (such as pregnancy or lactation), and overall health status. Therefore, to ensure balanced nutrition and choose the right food for your dog, it is necessary to consider all of these factors.
When discussing dog food, it is important to first distinguish between high-quality and low-quality options. The term “high-quality” doesn’t necessarily refer to better palatability but instead to foods prepared with high-quality ingredients, such as premium protein sources and top-grade grains. These foods offer the correct balance of nutrients and calories and are tested for digestibility. High-quality dog food also contains fewer artificial colorants and flavor enhancers, using natural preservatives like vitamin E, vitamin C, citric acid, and rosemary instead of chemical preservatives like BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. On the other hand, low-quality dog food is often made from cheaper ingredients, such as meat and poultry by-products. It may also contain large amounts of low-quality fiber, which, although inexpensive, provides little nutritional value as dogs cannot digest it. Poor-quality foods may also include allergenic grains, such as corn, wheat, and soy, along with high levels of color additives, palatability enhancers, and chemical preservatives.
You Get What You Pay For When It Comes to Ingredients
As a general rule, price is a good indicator of quality, though there are exceptions. Low-quality, cheap ingredients can sometimes be found even in dog food from trusted brands. Therefore, when selecting a true quality dog food, it is crucial to read the label carefully, including the ingredient list and nutritional analysis. Remember that the cost savings from buying cheaper, low-quality food may ultimately be counterproductive. It can lead to various health issues for your dog, such as digestive disorders, food allergies, skin and coat problems, and even kidney disease. Spending more on high-quality food today can save on veterinary care tomorrow and, most importantly, preserve your dog’s health.
Regardless of quality, commercial dog foods are available in different formulations to suit different life stages, such as growth, adult maintenance, pregnancy, and lactation. They come in three main forms: wet (or canned), dry, and semi-moist. This classification is based mainly on water content and processing method, with the nutritional value on a dry matter basis being almost identical across these forms.
Canned wet foods contain approximately 75% water. Their basic ingredients include fresh or frozen meat, poultry, fish, animal by-products, grains, fats, and added minerals and vitamins. These foods are usually complete and balanced and are highly palatable due to their tender texture. The ingredients are blended, ground, and sealed into cans, which are then sterilized to eliminate food-borne pathogens. The benefits of canned food include high palatability and a higher animal protein content than dry food. However, canned food has its disadvantages as well. It must be refrigerated after opening and consumed within two days. Due to its low energy and nutrient density, it needs to be fed in relatively high volumes to meet your dog’s nutritional needs. Additionally, wet food can promote tartar formation, potentially leading to more serious dental problems.
Dry dog food contains about 10% water and is typically made through an extrusion process. In this process, ingredients are ground, mixed, and then exposed to high heat and pressure to vaporize water, sterilize the product, destroy toxins, and convert starches into more digestible carbohydrates. The main ingredients in dry food include cereal grains, animal or plant protein concentrates, fats, and added minerals and vitamins. Additional fats or other substances are often added to enhance palatability. The main advantages of dry food include a long shelf life in dry, cool conditions, even after opening. Additionally, dry food can be fed in smaller amounts than wet food due to its higher energy and nutrient density. Unlike wet food, dry food does not promote tartar formation and can even help clean teeth and gums as the dog chews. However, dry food tends to have a lower animal protein content, which is essential for a dog’s carnivorous diet, and a higher carbohydrate content from grains, which can contribute to gastrointestinal issues, obesity, and related health conditions when it exceeds a dog’s requirements.
Semi-moist food contains about 15% to 30% water, offering an intermediate energy and nutrient density between wet and dry food. These foods are produced using a complex process that involves adding humectants (like sucrose, dextrose, propylene glycol, and salts), which help bind water and prevent bacterial and mold growth. Other preservatives, such as sorbates and organic acids, may also be included to enhance shelf life. While semi-moist food is highly palatable and digestible and has a less pungent odor than dry and canned foods, its primary disadvantage is cost. Some concerns have been raised about the use of propylene glycol as a humectant after reports of anemia in cats, though it is still considered safe for use in dog food.
Given that each food form has its advantages and limitations, feeding a mixed dry/wet diet is often the best option to combine the benefits of different food types while minimizing their disadvantages. Regardless of the form (dry, wet, or semi-moist), the food must be formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of the individual dog, depending on its life stage. In other words, adult maintenance foods are not suitable for growing puppies, working dogs, or lactating bitches, and vice versa, regardless of whether the food is wet, dry, or semi-moist.
