10/08/2022
what we put in our treats is... actual FOOD words. no preservatives, no color, no salt, no dyes, BUT.....
many dog foods and treats do this:
Happy Wednesday.
In today's email, I'll show you why you may find "ash" on a dog food label.
And I'll share 2 situations where the amount of ash in a food can be critical to the health of your dog.
But first…
Last week, while shopping at a local store, I overheard one pet parent warning another NOT to buy a particular brand of dog food.
She seemed angry.
So my Spidey sense kicked in.
What made her words so alarming to me was her claim that her dog had been "poisoned" by something in the food.
She believed the "ash" she found on the label was a "toxic ingredient".
And a "cheap filler" that was added by the company to "bulk up" the recipe.
She was certain the ash was what made her dog so sick.
But how could that be?
After all...
Ash is NOT an ingredient. It's not something that's added to ANY pet food… by any company.
Truth is…
Ash is a natural part of every living thing. Or anything that was even once alive.
Food contains ash. Plants contain ash. Animals contain ash. Your dog contains ash.
Heck… even you and I contain ash.
Ash is simply all the minerals (like calcium and phosphorus) that exist in a plant or an animal.
It's the residue that remains after you burn away all the protein, fat and carbohydrates… in any food.
Even when you're no longer alive, your "ashes" remain. Ash is what's left of you or any other animal AFTER cremation.
However, minerals are NOT evenly distributed around the body. They're concentrated in the hard parts of an animal. Like the bone and the teeth.
Which is why some meat meal ingredients contain more ash than others.
Knowing exactly how much ash is present in a particular dog food can be difficult.
That's because…
The FDA does not require the amount of ash present in a recipe to be printed on the label. Which is why some dog foods include this information. And why many do not.
Bottom line...
The amount of ash in any pet food is NOT important... UNLESS you're feeding a dog that's been diagnosed with kidney disease… a condition which may require a food with a reduced ash content.
If so, be sure to check with your vet for suggestions.
Here's another situation where high mineral content (ash) can also suggest high calcium levels:
If you're feeding a large breed puppy, you'll need a dog food that contains less calcium... which can help lower your dog's risk of developing a crippling and permanent form of hip disease.
