It has been relatively well established that packaged pet food is far from perfect.
More than that, actually, many people already accept that packaged food is bad for pets.
When the subject of why and how it is bad for pets is brought up, people often talk about the contaminated gluten, the use of corn, the use of dangerous preservatives, and the use of sub-standard ingredients.
Not often do you hear them mention the problem with fats!
This often forgotten problem is now being brought to light, and pet owners are being taught how to find and feed low fat dog food.
Almost every brand of packaged dog food will have a list of ingredients on the back label.
“Fats” is often listed among these ingredients.
Most people know that their pets need a certain amount of fat in their diet, and so this ingredient often goes unnoticed.
What they don’t know, however, is the common source of this ingredient or how it is added to the pet food.
On more than one occasion, investigators have discovered that the sources of fat used in pet food are actually discarded bits of fat, grease, or lard, not fit for human consumption.
They are added to pet food for two reasons.
First, in order to make the food more appealing to dogs, fat always smells good after all!
Second, in order to act as glue or as a binder for the other ingredients.
Often these fats are directly added to the food, which means they often get added in excessive amounts.
This, of course, is not ideal for dogs.
In fact, this unhealthy distribution and consumption of fat has been linked to both obesity and diabetes in dogs.
It is these healthy problems that have alerted pet owners to the problem with fats and the need for low fat dog food.
Ideally, dogs should be consuming fats that are already in the meat or protein source they are eating.
These sources have to be of good quality and fresh, which often means they are fit for human consumption.
Lean meats, the kind served in the raw dog food diet, will often have just the right amount of good fat to keep a dog healthy.
In order to make sure their pets eat low fat dog food, pet owners have to scrutinize the type of pet food they give.
The best way to make sure a pet’s diet is low in fat is to serve lean meats through the raw dog food diet.
Some pet owners have also turned to packaged raw food, which often is not as good as fresh raw food, but is somewhat easier to keep in stock.
Home-cooked lean meats are also a common alternative when wanting to serve meals low in fat.
If you have noticed that your pet is heavier than usual or seems to be gaining weight, be sure to check the label on your dog food.
If it lists “fats,” you might be on your way to having weight problems with your dog, or diabetes.
Try to switch your pet to a low fat dog food diet before it affects their health!
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