5 Risks of Canned Dog Food Pet Parents Miss

While canned dog food might seem like a convenient choice for your pup, it carries several hidden risks that could impact their health. Understanding these concerns will help you make better decisions about your dog’s nutrition and consider healthier alternatives.

1. Poor Ingredient Quality Despite Marketing Claims

Most wet foods still contain by-products and rendered meat, despite premium positioning. When you examine labels, you’ll often find potassium chloride, choline chloride, and other unpronounceable ingredients. Many brands include non-specific animal parts like liver or heart without identifying the source animal, plus artificial sweeteners that add no nutritional value to your dog’s diet.

2. Artificial Meat Chunks Aren’t Real Meat

Those appetizing meat chunks in your dog’s canned food often contain binding agents like wheat gluten or gum to create the appearance of natural meat pieces. These binders can cause digestive issues, including diarrhea, and pose particular problems if your dog has gluten sensitivities or allergies.

3. BPA Exposure from Can Linings

After eating canned dog food for two weeks as part of a biomedical study, dogs had higher levels of the controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in their blood than when the research began [1]. University of Missouri researchers found that BPA increased nearly three-fold after being on the either of the two canned diets for two weeks [2].

BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical linked to health issues including increased blood pressure, neurological problems, and potentially cancer. The amount of BPA in pet dogs’ bodies nearly tripled when they switched from bagged dog food to canned dog food [3], raising serious concerns about long-term exposure.

4. Complex Processing Destroys Nutrients

Canned dog food manufacturing involves extensive high-heat processing that can destroy beneficial nutrients and enzymes. The process combines raw ingredients with thickeners and gels, then subjects everything to intensive cooking methods that compromise nutritional value.

Unlike traditional canned foods, fresh dog foods are gently cooked at lower temperatures. So, they avoid the damage to delicate vitamins and nutrients during processing [4].

5. Misleading Health Benefit Claims

While canned food is often recommended for dogs with kidney problems or dental issues due to moisture content, these benefits aren’t exclusive to canned products. Fresh, gently cooked meals provide the same hydration and ease of eating while offering superior nutritional quality without processing concerns.

Healthier Alternatives for Your Dog

Fresh Dog Food Options

Instead of relying on heavily processed canned food, consider fresh dog food delivery that offers:

• Human-grade ingredients you can recognize and pronounce
  
• Gentle cooking methods that preserve nutrients
  
• BPA-free packaging to eliminate chemical exposure
  
• Veterinary nutritionist assisted formulation for complete nutrition
  

High quality, human-grade ingredients that do not contain fillers, preservatives or additives [5] make fresh food a superior choice for your dog’s health.

Why Quality Matters

Fresh food companies claim the most important difference between their offering and highly-processed alternatives is its increased nutritional value and the signs of improved wellbeing you’ll see in your dog after they’ve been on the diet for a while [6].

Ready to give your dog better nutrition? Discover how Ollie’s fresh, human-grade meals can support your pup’s health without the risks associated with traditional canned food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is fresh dog food really worth the extra cost?

Yes, because you’re paying for higher-quality ingredients, better processing methods, and avoiding potential health risks from BPA exposure and artificial additives found in many canned foods.

How can I tell if my dog is affected by poor-quality canned food?

Watch for digestive upset, changes in energy levels, or coat quality issues. These can be signs that your dog isn’t thriving on their current diet.

What should I look for when choosing healthier dog food?

Focus on whole, identifiable ingredients, minimal processing, and transparent sourcing. Avoid products with lengthy ingredient lists full of chemicals you can’t pronounce.

Citations

[1] https://www.petfoodindustry.com/safety-quality/pet-food-safety/article/15463347/bpa-found-in-dogs-fed-canned-pet-food-says-study

[2] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161219134416.htm

[3] https://www.ecocenter.org/our-work/healthy-stuff-lab/reports/pets-beware-toxic-chemicals-pet-food-cans-test-results/pets-0

[4] https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/fresh-dog-food/

[5] https://citizenshipper.com/blog/freshpet-vs-the-farmers-dog-two-fresh-dog-food-brands/

[6] https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/canine-nutrition/fresh-dog-food-cost/