Part 1 – Derivatives
A derivative in dog food is a term used to describe animal or vegetable parts that are not commonly consumed by humans but are used in pet food:
Animal Derivatives
These are parts of animals that are left over after the human food industry has taken the “good bits”. This can include offal, such as lungs, spleen, and heart, as well as beaks, feathers, and hooves.
Vegetable Derivatives
These are parts of grains, vegetables, and legumes that are ground into a pulp and cooked. They are used as bulking agents in low quality foods.
Derivatives can be listed on pet food labels under a category description or as a full ingredients list. However, the term “derivatives” can be vague and make it hard to know what’s in the food. For example, a manufacturer can change the animal source at any time and use any combination of meat and animal derivatives. This can result in poor quality ingredients that are unpredictable and not ideal for dogs.
The food we feed our dogs can have a massive impact on their health. If your dog is itchy and scratching, biting their feet, has smelly/yeasty ears, tear staining, soft stools, check the label on the food you are feeding your dog. Could they have an intolerance to something in their food? Look for a food that clearly lists the ingredients so that you can start eliminating common allergens like chicken and beef.
It might surprise you to know that some behavioural issues have been fixed by changing the food a dog is given. (Who remembers the issues with blue smarties when they first came out?)
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Wonderful post!