7 MYTHS of pet food

by Purina One

Read on to learn out the actual facts of general myths such as: By products are bad inedible & discarded animal parts, corn is a filler and is sickly digested, raw food is better than dry food, corn causes allergy, dry food induces bloating, extraordinary protein induces hot spot and etc.

MYTHS of pet food

Myth 1: By-products are bad, uneatable & discarded animal parts Fact 1: By-products are sometimes included in pet food as it is a very good source of protein. It is not bad and spoilt meat but actually comprises of animal body parts like feet, neck, kidney, stomach etc. These are common animal body parts that are commonly eaten by Chinese (Eg. Kway Chap & Pig Stomach soup).

Myth 2: Corn is a filler and poorly digested Fact 2: Corn can be badly digested if given in its physical form. In fact, if you give your pet a piece of fresh corn, it would most likely be indigestible and reappear in its stools. However, the corn seen in pet food is “Ground Corn” which means that it is finely grounded and handled carefully to help determine digestibleness. Ground corn can be more than 98% digestible. Corn is an greatest root of complex carbohydrates, contains linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat, provides for essential amino acids and has fiber.

Myth 3: Corn Gluten meal is bad Fact 3: Corn gluten meal is not corn. It is a well source of protein (60%-64%) and also it is a good urine acidifier to prevent/help urinary tract troubles in our pets

Myth 4: Animal origin proteins are better than proteins from plants and grains Fact 4: No single source of protein is perfect and no one source contains all essential amino acids. Animal and plant sources are good sources of protein. For instance, soyabean meal (high in methionine) complements chicken (low in methionine). The deviation is that true meat is a highly palatable protein source. The first ingredient for all PRO PLAN cat and dog products (except urinary tract health formula for cats-first ingredient is corn gluten meal as it is a good urine acidifier) are true chicken, turkey, lamb or salmon. This is why PRO PLAN is highly palatable and we assure that your dog/cat will love it.

Myth 5: BARF (Raw Food) is better than dry food Fact 5: Raw food diets Commonly are not perfect and well-balanced Danger of infection and pollution – Salmonella is very hazardous to both pets and humans and can be seen in the stools of pets. Bones can get stuck in your pets mouth

Myth 6: Cooking destructs enzymes and nutrients Fact 6: Cooking is advantageous. Cooking: Changes the digestibility of nutrients Changes structure of amino acids Breaks down non-nutritional components to increase digestibility Kills bacteria and parasites Dogs construct their own enzymes needed to digest food and utilize nutrients like protein. Also manufacturers of high quality pet foods sustain safety tolerances developed into formulations. Any nutritional loss in PRO PLAN during preparation and storage is reported for and will always be added back to assure high quality in our pet food.

Myth 7: Corn drives allergic reactions Fact 7: 10 different studies, representing 253 dogs Roundebush, Guilford , Shanely(2000) Adverse Reactions to Food, Small Animal Clinic Nutrition (4 th edition) Beef, dairy products and wheat account for 65% of all reported events of food allergies Chicken, egg, lamb and soy answer for for 25% of all reported cases of food allergic reactions Only 6 confirmed (2.4%) cases of allergies to corn

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About the Author: PURINA MALAYSIA