Harmful Dog Food Ingredients

The metabolism and digestive systems of dogs vary, so what might be a harmful dog food ingredient for one, may be perfectly fine for another. While all commercial pet foods should be certified as safe and complete by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), this is not always a guarantee the food isn't harmful, as the melamine-tainted pet food recall demonstrated in 2007.

  1. Recalled Ingredients

    • Some dog food ingredients were thought at one point to be generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the AAFCO, but studies or evidence later led them to be recalled because they were harmful or even lethal. Recalled ingredients include melamine, vitamin D3, cadmium, aminopterin and cryomazine.

    Unidentified Animal Proteins

    • Ingredients such as "meat meal," "animal fat," or "animal digest" may contain road kill, euthanized shelter animals or restaurant grease, according to the University of Florida Interactive Media Lab. A study by the Food and Drug Administration's pet food division found pentobarbital (used for euthanizing pets) in 31 of 37 foods.

    Preservatives

    • Since dog food has to sit on shelves in warehouses and at the pet store for quite some time, it has to be preserved. While the better pet foods use natural preservatives such as citric acid and vitamin E, many cheaper pet foods are preserved with BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin. The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has recommended that pet food companies voluntarily reduce or remove ethoxyquin from pet food because of concerns. BHA and BHT are known carcinogens and have been banned in Japan and some European countries.

    Allergens in Dog Food

    • Roughly 10 percent of canine allergies are food-related. Allergies in dogs usually manifest in skin problems, itching and frequent ear infections. Some of the more common allergenic ingredients in dog foods are beef, poultry, and some grains like corn, wheat and soy. Determining the source of your dog's allergies can be tricky and usually involves doing an elimination diet with the help of your veterinarian. Once the harmful ingredients are identified, you can tailor a suitable diet for your dog.

    Ingredients in Home Made Dog Diets

    • A home-cooked or raw diet can also contain harmful ingredients or improper proportions. Optimally, you should research canine dietary requirements and work with a veterinary nutritionist or some other knowledgeable person to formulate a diet. Avoid onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, cooked bones, walnuts, chocolate and caffeine because these are harmful for dogs. While dairy products like yogurt can be a beneficial addition to a dog's diet, don't use any containing artificial sweeteners, particularly xylitol, because this is toxic to dogs.