Artificial Preservatives In Dog Food

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Have you ever wondered what you’re feeding your dog? The formulas in each bag of dog food vary anywhere from natural, organic, preserved, and holistic ingredients. The world of dog food is actually very confusing and if you’re anything like me what you feed your fur baby is very critical. In this paper I will discuss the differences from dry to canned, natural to preserved, dog food marketing and how cost sometimes really isn’t the biggest issue.
Many dry dog food products contain artificial preservatives. Considering all the pros and cons of artificial preservatives can scare some people a bit because it is a well-known fact that common preservatives include ethoxyquin, butylated hydorxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). These chemicals will prevent fats found in dog food from becoming sour and extend the shelf life, however, large amounts of these can cause serious health problems. Most pet owners should try to avoid high levels of artificial preservatives in dry dog food for their pet’s health and well-being. Adding natural substances such as vitamins E, vitamin C and plant extracts to dry dog food can also prevent fats from becoming rancid. Unfortunately, natural preservatives are not as effective as artificial preservatives because natural preservatives are effective for shorter periods of time compared to artificial preservatives, which means it can also shorten the shelf life of the product. When looking at the ingredient list on the bag of food, remember the description “all natural” can almost mean anything. Ethoxyquin, BHT, and/or BHA in the ingredient list means that the food is not naturally preserved. Canned food is also another way to avoid artificial preservatives because the can...

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...for your pet today to have a healthy diet, it may be better in the long run for your wallet as well. If it costs a couple more dollars when you buy your dog’s food, you may be saving yourself hundreds later on by not having to take your dog to the veterinarian.
In assumption, all dog food products will either include natural ingredients, preservatives or even parts of an animal that you wish you never would have heard about. With the birth of the dog food product industry came the dog food product marketing and advertising propaganda. The job of the marketing industry is to try to convince the consumer that they are making a wise choice for their beloved pet. Don’t believe everything that is advertised. I hope that by reading the information in this paper, you will be a more knowledgeable consumer and aware of what you feed and buy for your dogs.

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