Blood and blood products. Sometimes we simply have to stop and think… are these dog food ingredients for real?
Actually, they are. On pet food labels it’s not unusual to find items like…
- Animal plasma
- Blood meal
- Dried blood
In dog food, blood products can be controversial.
Although some argue blood is a natural part of a dog’s ancestral diet, many are disturbed to find these items listed on a label.
By-Product of the Meat Packing Industry
You see, although some companies would like you to believe blood meal is a high quality “protein booster”… this pet food ingredient is actually considered a by-product of slaughterhouse waste.
What’s worse, you never know from where this waste comes. Is it horse? Or cow? Or maybe the blood from a diseased or dying farm animal?
Because blood products can carry BSE (mad cow disease), the FDA has banned their use in making feed for livestock.
However, so long as these products come from pork (or horses), blood can still be used to make cattle feed… and dog food.1
Thankfully, no cases of BSE have ever been reported in dogs.
However, cats are susceptible to their own version of the disease… a deadly disease known as FSE.2
And that’s what worries opponents. If blood can spread mad cow disease, what other diseases could these products also carry?
Blood Meal
Feeding Dogs… or Plants?
The truth is, blood meal is more commonly used as a fertilizer to feed crops. Not dogs.
Just the same, some dog food companies insist animal plasma and blood meal add legitimate nutrition to a properly designed dog food.
In any case, even though they’re most likely safe…
Blood products are certainly controversial enough to qualify them for inclusion on the Dog Food Advisor’s list of Red Flag Ingredients.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Yuck. What dog food has blood meal?
Hi Omar… some dog foods can have blood meal. Our Red Flag scan will detect ingredients like these and turn them bright red on the list. Keep an eye out for future reviews.