Is Low Protein Dog Food A Better Alternative?

By Author: Ted Batron
Total Articles: 14
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Not too long ago, dog experts began saying that too much protein in a dog's diet could be harmful for their health. As a result, many dog owners began seeking low protein dog food thinking that they were doing their dog a favor. But in actuality, low protein dog food could actually be harmful to a dog, because it fails to address the large amounts of protein most normal dogs need. As with humans, the protein balance needs to be in a range. Either too much or too little can be harmful.
In fact, with so many dog food companies cutting corners, it wouldn't be completely ludicrous to classify many traditional brands as low-protein. Of course, they're not officially advertising themselves that way, but when you start breaking down their ingredients, there's more carb content than anything else. So, technically speaking they could be considered a type of low protein dog food.
But if one did do that, it would discredit the few brands of low protein dog food that are genuinely healthy. Yet, the catch is that most of these brands are not intended for normal dogs. Instead, they are geared for dogs who have kidney ...
... problems.
Now, would a normal dog's health become significantly ruined with low protein dog food? Well, if the protein is more animal-based, low protein dog food could actually be healthier than traditional brands. But that doesn't mean it is an optimal diet. True, even normal dogs will need a certain amount of carbs, but they will need a greater amount of protein. So, the main key is getting dog food that has an appropriate balance of both. This will help lessen the chance that a dog may have kidney problems later in life.
In conclusion, if your dog is healthy, you probably should avoid low protein dog food. However, if a particular brand of dog food contains 0% carbs, you should probably look elsewhere as well. Balance is what really matters, especially when a little bit more emphasis is placed on high-quality animal protein.