Goldkress Shibas

Corn, wheat and soy can all cause skin irritation, hair loss, fever, ear infections, kidney faliure, liver failure, dental disease, obesity, chronic digestive problems, bloat, heart disease, hyperthyroidism and seizures in dogs.

Because manufactures need to ensure that dry foods have a long shelf life (typically 12 months) to remain edible through shipping and storage, fats used in pet foods are preserved with either "synthetic" or "natural" preservatives. Synthetic preservatives include: butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) propyl gallate, propylene glycol (also used as a less-toxic version of automotive antifreeze) and ethoxyquin.

"By-products" are ingredients used which are not fit for human consumption and are often floor sweepings from a rendering plant. "Animal by-product" is a rendered product from animal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide,manure,stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices. "Inedible by-products" such as bone, fat, heads, hair, feet and condemned offal are used in commercial pet food. These materials are sent to a rendering plant for processing into pet foods.

"Meat" is often rendered dogs and cats as well as other animals such as road-kill. When the source of the meat is known it will be listed as beef, poultry, chicken, turkey, etc. If the source of the meat is not known it is simply called "meat".

Rather than the wholesome pictures shown on the pet food packaging, rendering companies dispose of millions of pounds of inedible waste each day including heads, feet, stomachs, intestines, spinal cords, tails, restaurant grease, feathers, bones and dead or diseased animals rejected from slaughterhouses for use in manufacturing pet food. Amazingly, animals from research laboratories may be rendered into pet food as well.

The life span of your pet should be at least 15 to 20 years and diet strongly influences his or her life expectancy. Always look for a quality pet food which scores 10 out of 10.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ALONG WITH DOG FOOD REVIEWS GO TO: www.hubpages.com (see what's in YOUR pets food)