With all the latest and hot pet food recalls, it is no wonder that pet owners have ended up making homemade dog food for their furry friends in lieu of commercial and, quite possibly, bad dog food and cat food known as contaminated. So what's all the fuss about? What unlikely result can bad contaminated dog food do to your pet dog, and more importantly, what can you do to avoid it? Just what is in these supposedly nutritionally balanced meals that has got pet lovers in an uproar?

We humans are discouraged from consuming too much canned goods for various health reasons. The same is considered a reality for dogs.

Moist dog food is packed in cans. You can just imagine all the unnatural ingredients injected into the whole package, mostly to add flavor, enhance palatability, and even improve appearance.

What's very discouraging is the reality that animal by-products, the main components of pet food, are already bombarded with chemicals long before they reach the processing plant. So even if the can's label provides a different information, there really is no such thing as a 'No Preservatives' guarantee.

Dry dog food is even worse. Since canning in itself is already a preserving process, moist dog food contains less of the unhealthy ingredients used to prolong shelf life compared with its dry counterpart.

A different predicament is the ingredients themselves, usually meat, poultry, and grains. Anything that is known to be harmful for us to ingest, such as innards, blood, and bones, make up the by-products that are ground and blended into what we know as pet food. The truth is, they are bad dog food.

The thing is, it is not always slaughtered animals that make their way into these meals; but oftentimes, double dead animals are included also. And the drugs and bacteria, like Salmonella and Escherichia coli thriving in these meats, do not always die during product-making.

Furthermore, when moldy grain is thrown in, as well as all the other manufactured extenders the numbers of which are too many to count with both hands, you then have a lethal canine cocktail. It doesn't take someone who knows a lot about nutrition to know that this spells disaster for the end user, i.e., innocent Fido.

Harmful effects of bad dog food include vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. But that's just for starters. The more dangerous toxins, like cf1 butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and ethoxyquin, which are all permitted in small doses, can cause cancer, organ failure, and ultimately, death when ingested after sometime.

So what can you, the dog owner, do about all this? Voice your concerns. Let pet food makers know and call for better quality products so you get what you've paid for. Or try making your own homemade dog food. At least then, you can be sure about what your dear canine friend is actually eating and you will have peace of mind. If you think something may be wrong with the dog food your pet is eating, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Your loving and dedicated pet deserves more than just possibly contaminated dog food. Don't you think it's time you showed him just that?

Author's Bio: 

Know the life-saving secrets that most dog-lovers will never know about detecting bad dog food and solving dog health problems at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/dogs-exposed.htm