Dogs: Omnivores or Carnivores?

Our feline friends are classified as true carnivores because they must consume meat in order to survive. Canines are just slightly different from cats in their conversion of foods for life maintenance; dogs are classified as omnivores. They can survive on a diet of either plant or animal origin if it is balanced and diverse. But to thrive and not merely survive, dogs should have a source of animal protein - MEAT - in their diets. There is a huge difference between survive and thrive! Nature made the rules of biochemistry and nutrition and we mortals have no power (and no business, for that matter) to try to bend those rules. For that reason there are truly no adequate vegetarian diets for cats. For that reason dogs thrive on diets based on meat.

There are so many topics to be discussed that it is difficult to select where to start. The Internet has many informative places to visit for background on how to read pet food labels, what responsibility the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has and even a web site about the Pet Food Institute. Many of these sites have factual information and are not slanted by pet food manufacturers' marketing strategy, profit margins, or advertising agencies' creative design departments. Other sources of information available to the pet owner looking for good advice may not be quite so objective. The Golden Rule you should keep in mind is "Does the advice make sense?"

For example, if some pet food "expert" tells you that eating animal fat is bad for dogs and cats and that a plant source of fatty acids is much better, your common sense should tell you that dogs and cats successfully evolved over the eons by consuming animal fat in their diets. So does it make sense to say that animal fat is bad for dogs and cats? Another example is the common notion that lots of protein in a pet's diet will cause kidney damage. Again, looking at the nature of the dog and cat as primarily a meat-eating animal and having evolved by capturing and consuming other animals, we know their diets have always been high in protein. Think about what makes sense IN NATURE. If you hear about a nutritional product that "just doesn't make sense"... be cautious about it's factual basis.

Here is the biggest and most common misconception of all... the promotion of some low priced, grain-based foods as being a Complete and Balanced diet for dogs and cats!

Having done physical exams on tens of thousands of dogs and cats and learning from their owners what these pets are being fed has taught me that dogs and cats look, feel, and perform better if they are fed a meat-based diet rather than if fed a corn, wheat, soy or rice-based diet. This does not mean that grains are bad for dogs and cats; they surely can contribute certain limited nutrients to a good diet (mainly calories in the form of carbohydrates). Nevertheless, many veterinarians believe that grains should not be the foundation of a diet intended for a dog or cat.

By-Products...
Are they getting a bad rap? As you read various pet food producers' advertising material you will often find such statements as "No By-Products Added!" or "Our food contains no animal by-products so you know it's top quality". I will let you decide if By-Products aren't good for dogs and cats after you learn what they are. To most people the term "by-products" congers up images of whatever is left over after the animal is processed, or maybe whatever can't be used for human food, or maybe even what's cleaned up off the processing floor at the end of the day. (I hear this misconception all the time!) It's time you learn what by-products are; so here is the legal definition as described by the official agency in charge of directing animal feeding practices in the U.S....AAFCO: Association of American Feed Control Officials.

By-Product... Secondary products produced in addition to the principal products. Well, there is nothing here to indicate good or bad quality of product. Maybe we should look at what the principal product is to find out what the secondary products are; then we can decide if the secondary products would make good food for meat-eating dogs and cats.

If Meat is the primary product (meat refers to the skeletal muscles of the slaughtered mammal) then ...
Meat By-Products - the non rendered (uncooked), clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low-temperature fatty tissue and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hooves.

Think about this for a moment... in a free roaming and natural state, wouldn't dogs and cats feed on exactly these parts of a killed prey animal? Wouldn't a meat-eating animal consume the liver, stomach, lung tissue, and intestines of the prey? These tissues are what we call by-products! They happen to be very nourishing for meat-eating animals like the canine and feline! My conclusion is that Meat By-Products are a good source of nutrition for dogs and cats; what's yours?

Comments

[free advertising]

I conclude just like you. Meat by-products are a good source of nutrition for dogs and cats.

[eddie alfaro]

thank you i had a nice time reading your site.

eddie

[JESSIE]

THIS IS A GREAT ARTICLE! IT REALLY CLEARED UP MY MISCONCEPTION OF BY-PRODUCTS. BUT AS YOU SAID IT'S WHAT MAKES SENSE IN NATURE'S POINT OF VIEW. THANKS!

JESSIE

[Sundar]

Hello
I am a strict vegetarian planning to buy a German shepherd dog very soon. I cannot let my new member feed on meat. At the same time I am worried about the well being of my dog if it does not have meat. Can you suggest me a way out of this.
Thanks

[Dr. Christine Agro, ND. MH, MIr]

Your article started off really great, but I'm not convinced about your conclusion. The term 'By Product' is ambiguous when listed in food ingredients. The AFFCO's definition leaves a lot of room for what is considered a 'by product'. People who consider 'by products' a bad thing and know them to be scrapings off the floor, diseased parts, or the parts not suitable for human consumption are not 'crazy'.

For example feathers removed from carcasses are considered a by-product. The feathers are pressure cooked with steam until they become an edible gel making them an acceptable feed grade ingredient (Canine Nutrition. William D. Cusick)

You state that in the wild a dog would naturally eat the feathers, bones, intestines etc. but they also would have their natural instinct to steer clear of anything that is diseased or unhealthy for them. Additionally, never would they eat, for example, feathers that have been pressure cooked into a edible gel.

When we are looking at 'by-products' there are many many unknowns as to what is included and I think it is wrong to tell people out and out that by products are a good thing.

If your argument is that there is necessary nutritional value in bone and organs, then diets should provide those needs by supplying bone and organs. It is impossible to assign nutritional value to by products if the composition is unclear.

The point of the problem with 'by product' labeling is that we as consumers do not know what is making up the 'by product'. Some companies are creating really great foods for our dogs others are not. It becomes our responsibility to determine the difference as the AAFCO leaves a lot of room for the companies to determine what their by products are comprised of.

As guardians for our dogs and as their voice,
it is our responsibility to research and gather information. We look to our vets to guide us and too often I find misinformed responses.

My conclusion is that your article has not gone deep enough and it has not demonstrated that all sources labeled as 'by products' are a source of nutritional value.

[Lee C]

There is a lot of confusion about a species appropriate diet for dogs. The "why" is that we have crossed the line between science and prolific industry propaganda. Since the 1950s vast sums of money have been poured into shaping public perception because the profits are enormous. Not to mention that “we the people” have a tendency towards anthropomorphism, and convenience is a driving force.

For unbiased scientific information see the article:
http://achinook.squarespace.com/journal/2008/8/11/ol-sheps-plight.html

[Marcy]

The unhappiest, most food-stressed dog I ever met in my life, was one owned by vegetarians who would not allow the dog anything other than vegetarian food. I would seriously advise anyone unwilling for personal reasons (that apply only to oneself) to properly feed a specific type of pet, to select instead a pet that matches more closely that personal philosophy. Have a rabbit or guinea pig. Just because YOU choose to not eat meat, doesn't make that correct or proper for an animal that is an Extant Carnivore.

[Kim]

Contrary to Marcy's post, the happiest and healthiest dog I ever knew was vegetarian. I completely disagree with this "logic". Dogs are omnivores, therefore if you choose not to feed meat to your dog, then so be it. They make vegetarian dog food for this reason. When you take on a pet, you are dictating their life anyway, so you're going to impose a certain diet on them regardless. I would rather feed them vegetarian dog food than all the other stuff on the shelves.

[hanna]

I'm vegetarian myself and own an english bulldog who loves to eat! I feed him meat and lots of veggies, including raw veggies. I have a family: husband and kid. I do not impose my philosophy to my family or dog. I understand when vegans and veges want to have a "cruelty and blood free" house, but I do think this is a personal choice.
I try to cook just healthy food, no "white" rice or pasta, lots of veggies, nuts, etc. However I don't want to force anyone to follow my path. I don't know if I am right or not, but my personal experience is that whatever is imposed is not long lasting.
But I am proud to say that my bulldog is in great shape. He used to eat just "dog food" and was overweight, and now with a diet super rich in raw veggies he's just pure muscles!
I do believe though, whatever you decide for your dog, meat or no meat, you should always feed them fresh food instead of "dry food". Fresh food is Life!

[Cherice]

Contrary to Kim, dogs are OMNIVORES meaning they need BOTH meat and plants. Not one or the other. Have you ever seen a wild dog picking berries? Everything about a dog's anatomy screams 'I NEED MEAT!' from the shape of their teeth to their natural hunting instincts. And your logic about commercial vegetarian dog food is about as valid as people who say Purina is healthy because the bag says so. Just because they sell it doesn't mean it's actually healthy for your dog.

If you're a vegetarian and oppose feeding meat to a creature that needs it then go buy a rabbit or a hamster. Dogs are too good for you.

By the way, I'm a vegetarian and my dogs eat raw meat every day because they couldn't be healthy without it.