Pet Food Protein Content

What is the average protein content of dog food.

Pet food protein content. Pet food stores are packed with row after row of different brands of food all containing clever marketing slogans to convince you they are the best for your dog. Veterinarians recommend it should be between 20 and 30 percent. If the food contains more than 30 percent of it the meal is considered to be high in protein but it is also vital that it doesn t include less than 20. Novel protein ingredients that your pet has not eaten before are less likely to cause an adverse food reaction.

Also if your dog is putting on weight it might be worth examining the protein content of his food. Protein is the component in food that is the most common source of food allergies. A dog food s percentage that is either protein fat or fiber minus the water is known as its dry matter basis. Another danger is in feeding too little protein to your pup.

To choose the best dog food you need to know which amount of protein is typical for the average pooch. This allows for a reasonably high degree of variation too with food of 30 or any more than this being. Accordingly foods that feature a lot of plant based proteins may boast a very high protein content but much of this protein will remain inaccessible to your dog you can t always avoid plant based proteins when picking a dog food particularly if you are opting for a grain free option but it is wise to select one that relies on animal based proteins as much as possible. At press time the fda has notified pet food manufacturers about the issue but no changes have yet been made.

Dry matter basis is a much better way to compare the protein content of different dog foods. Many of these dog foods boast about containing extremely high levels of protein that claim to satisfy your dog s instinctual need for meat as well as make them healthier and live longer. Dogs need protein to provide energy and build strong muscles bones and joints.