I started to get serious about health issues for dogs once mine started having them at the age of six. Instead of wasting time watching TV, lately, I have been studying ways to ensure my dogs have the longest lives possible.

For the ones that are familiar with my work and opinions, you will already know that I feel that commercial dog food is one of the main cause of health problems. For this reason I have become practically evangelical about the benefits of homemade dog food; I truly believe that it is the best dog food out there.

The fact is most people, even if they change to homemade food, they will need to add some type of commercial food. This is the reason why I dedicate as much time as I do to the topic of the best dog food.

During my research I come across many debates on different ingredients, and one such ingredient is meat by products. This could be listed as chicken, poultry, beef or just about any type of meat followed with the word by-product.

What does it contain and is it any good for your pet? If you really get into this matter, you will discover there are two different groups, one the feels that by-products are just fine, and the other that feels that they are unhealthy to feed your dog.

The answer is, it depends; we need to explore what it really means when we say there are poultry by-products.

The by-products taken from animals such as chicken and turkeys, consists of ground up, processed, and cleaned left over parts of the carcasses. These parts include the beaks, necks, feet, intestines, and other parts with exception of the feathers, though trace amounts may be present. The problem with "by-product" ingredients is that you don't know what you're actually getting and in what amount. Currently, no standard exists that specifies how many feet, quantity of intestines or makeup of nutritional content. Honestly, none of this is really fit for human consumption.

Some will debate that a wild dog will consume anything that is found on the by product ingredient list and this is why it is alright to give this to your dog. Although there is some truth to it, it is like saying that humans could eat from dumpsters and garbage cans if necessary.

Because I want the best possible nutrition for my dog, I'll avoid those foods that contain by-products and stick with the best dog food with natural ingredients.

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Written by Michael Considine using tags: best dog food, dog food, dog health, Dogs, pet food, Pets