The Hidden Dangers of Dry Kibble: What Every Dog Owner Should Know

Kibble might be bad for your dog. Here are the top seven concerns with dry dog food. If you’re keen on learning more about natural pet health and wellness, you’ve come to the right place. Click the link to subscribe to Veterinary Secrets.

Despite common advice from veterinarians, feeding your dog exclusively dry kibble or limiting your diet to the middle aisles of the grocery store, which often consist of canned and bagged foods, is detrimental. Just as such a diet would make you seriously unhealthy, it affects dogs similarly. This leads to questions about why dogs frequently suffer from sickness, allergies, and cancer.

Major Concerns with Dry Dog Food

1. Harmful Ingredients: Dry dog kibble often contains byproducts, fillers, artificial colors, and preservatives to keep costs low. This includes ingredients like grain, corn, barley, and soybean meal. Artificial ingredients have been linked to various diseases, including cancer. Byproduct meals are likely derived from diseased animals rather than healthy slaughtered ones, transforming potential human food waste into dog food.

2. Processed Foods and Cancer Risks: Highly processed foods are associated with an increased risk of obesity, metabolic diseases such as diabetes, and cancer. Studies indicate that a 10% increase in consumption of processed foods correlates to a 12% increase in cancer risk.
3. Toxins in Dog Food: The level of potential toxins in dog food, especially dry kibble, is alarmingly high. Research by the Clean Label Project testing over 80 brands revealed excessive amounts of heavy metals like cadmium and lead, which are potent neurotoxins, and arsenic, a lethal toxin. The presence of Teflon chemicals (PFCs) and the pesticide glyphosate (Roundup) in dog food raises significant health concerns.
4. High Carbohydrate Content and Health Risks: Dry dog foods often contain high levels of simple carbohydrates, such as white rice, potato, and wheat flour, which lead to rapid blood sugar spikes and subsequent health issues like obesity and diabetes.
5. Low Moisture Content: Dry kibble contains little to no moisture, which can lead to chronic dehydration in dogs. This can cause urinary tract infections, excessive strain on the kidneys, and an increased likelihood of respiratory diseases.
6. Contamination Risks: Dry dog food is susceptible to contamination with bacteria, fungal mycotoxins, and storage mites. These contaminants can lead to serious health issues and degrade the quality of the food.
7. Poor Digestibility and Bloat: Many veterinarians observe a correlation between excessive kibble consumption and bloat, particularly in large, deep-chested breeds like Great Danes. The kibble can cause excessive gas production, leading to a distended stomach, which may twist and create a life-threatening emergency.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Dry dog food poses several significant risks to your dog’s health. To mitigate these risks, consider reducing the amount of dry kibble and supplementing your dog’s diet with more raw and canned foods. Tonight, for instance, I’m feeding Tula no kibble at all. Thanks for watching this edition of Veterinary Secrets on the dangers of dry dog food. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell for notifications. Click the link below to receive a free copy of my book.