Health And Wellness

3 Ingredients That Could Silently Be Making Your Dog Sick

Photo: Patryk Kosmider / Shutterstock
dog sitting on toilet

As a dog lover, it’s awful to think about your dog suffering silently.

It seems like every day there’s a breaking news story warning us that this and that kind of food causes health problems. We know that eating lots of junk food increases our risk of getting sick, and we are told to steer clear of things like artificial coloring and preservatives as much as we can.

Unfortunately for our pets, their food carries the same risks.

As Dr. Marty explains in this video revealing what dogs really need in their diet, “even foods that claim to be ‘healthy,’ ‘organic,’ and ‘natural’” most of the time aren’t the best dog food for your furry loved one.

There is a long list of foods that are poisonous to dogs, and as a responsible pet owner, you are probably familiar with many if not all of them.

Garlic, avocados, grapes, cherries, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, rhubarb, wild berries, chocolate, and anything with caffiene are some of the most dangerous foods for dogs.

But even if your dog only eats "trusted" commercial dog food, they may be taking in ingredients that can harm their health and make them sick.

Luckily, there’s a new brand of dog food on the market that can actually help support your dog’s health. This new dog food is the result of many years of research by Dr. Marty, a practicing veterinarian of 45 years. He's used to helping the pets of both everyday pet owners and big Hollywood names.

RELATED: The 8 Best Human Foods To Feed Your Dog (That Have Added Health Benefits)

Dr. Marty’s discoveries in pet health started thanks to his own health issues that he began struggling with in his twenties. While in school, he explained that he discovered a book on macrobiotic diets, or diets that avoid refined foods and animal products. Once he started following its advice, he felt better. 

Since then, Dr. Marty’s advice to dog owners has been to feed their dogs “real food that is predominantly meat” — especially raw food, since that’s what dogs eat in the wild. According to Dr. Marty, the best dog food is that which you’ve prepared yourself, once you’ve vetted the ingredients.

Of course, not everyone has the time to go shopping for food, let alone prepare your own dog food every time your dog needs to eat. As much as you might love your dog, it’s just not realistic.

In an attempt to make things easier for dog owners, Dr. Marty has spent the last 15 years researching pre-made foods that would be good for dogs, and found that you could freeze-dry high-quality raw foods in a process that's “nearly equivalent to preparing your own raw food for your dog.”

He created a recipe that met his standards and, after being turned down by many dog food brands, brought it to an independent pet food manufacturing company run by a veterinarian and holistic pet food specialist.

All of that research and development led him to make this video to share with other dog lovers all over the world. His video details the optimal nutrients dogs would find in the natural world, and how you can offer those healthy nutrients to your pets at home.

RELATED: Dogs Actually Understand The Words We Say, Says Study

What makes Dr. Marty’s diet one of the best? It includes the three nutrients that are critical to your dog’s digestion.

“Many people tell me when they start to give their dogs just these three things, coats look shiny and thick, bathroom habits become more regular, and your dog has noticeably more energy, improved health markers, and a calmer but happier personality,” explained Dr. Marty.

So what are the ingredients you should steer clear of, and what should you feed your dog instead?

1. Preservatives

The same way manufacturers put preservatives in our food to help keep things fresh longer, they’re put in dog foods to prevent the food from going bad while they sit on the shelves at the store.

Preservatives act like “an invisible chemical casing” around the kibbles, according to Dr. Marty, which means your dog is eating a chemical that shouldn’t be in its body. This makes it harder for your dog to digest the food and ends up preventing them from actually getting any nutrients from the food they eat.

2. Fillers

According to Dr. Marty, fillers are “anything the food companies put into your dog’s food that doesn’t do good for your dog.”

Avoid grains like barley, oatmeal, white rice, corn, wheat, and soy, which companies use because they’re cheaper than meats.

3. Meat by-products

Sometimes labeled “byproduct meal,” if your dog’s food label has any version of this word, it really just means “slaughterhouse waste.” While that might contain the organ meat your dog needs, it could also include the unhealthy (and rather unsavory) things like feet, beaks, brains, tumors, and “intestines with the best effort to remove feces.”

No thanks.

RELATED: 10 Of The Most Paw-some Dog Birthday Cakes (Safe For Your Pup To Eat!)

That’s a lot to take in, and a little intimidating to think about. Even if you had the time to read the labels on every single dog food in the pet aisle at the grocery store, do any of them contain the three major ingredients your dog needs?

Luckily, Dr. Marty’s Premium Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food is available and the best choice for your furry friend.

It contains 72 percent human-grade raw meats and maximum nutrient and Omega-3 fat content and 28 percent veggies and fruits that are the most effective for a long life for your dog. It’s the only pet food on the market that meets Dr. Marty’s strict nutrition standards.

Unfortunately, the food can’t be made in large quantities and isn’t as low-priced as your typical grocery store dog food because it comes from an independent manufacturer. It would cost more than $100 a bag if it was sold in grocery stores and several hundred dollars a month in ingredients if you tried to recreate the recipe yourself at home!

Better yet, there’s a subscription program so you can get it delivered to your house once a month which makes your life a heck of a lot easier.

You’ve probably heard the quote, “your dog might only be part of your life, but for your dog, you are his whole life.” Make sure your dog gets the chance to live his best life with the right food and nutrition to thrive.

RELATED: 10 Signs You're A Total Dog Mommy (& Proud Of It!)

—Created in partnership with Dr. Marty's Premium Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food

Micki Spollen is an editor, writer, and traveler.