Dog treats come in all shapes and sizes, and you likely have a variety of treats handy to give your pup as a reward, as a training tool, and for positive reinforcement. But do you know what’s really in them? Even popular brands sometimes contain questionable—or downright dangerous—ingredients. Be sure to check the food labels on your dog’s treats and look for quality ingredients, especially the first ones listed. Read on for ingredients you may want to avoid or limit when it comes to treating your furry friend.
Ingredients to Avoid
Synthetic preservatives
Synthetic preservatives are one of the worst ingredients lurking inside many popular dog treats. The most common preservatives you might see on an ingredient label include BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, and propyl gallate. While these chemical preservatives are added to treats to extend their shelf life, they come at a cost to your dog’s health. Some have been linked to serious health problems such as liver and kidney damage, various cancers, immune deficiency syndrome, and blindness.
Low-quality meat meals and by-products
Meat is a valuable source of protein in your dog’s diet. And while most dog treats do contain meat in some form, the quality—and protein content—varies immensely from product to product. When checking food labels, look for treats that list specific animals or animal parts, such as “poultry,” “beef,” or “chicken liver,” and consider the amount of protein and other nutrients in treats. Also, be aware that some meat meals and by-products are made from parts of diseased or dead animals or from difficult-to-digest portions of animals like hair, hooves, and intestinal contents. Tartar Shield never uses these parts in our products, and our treats are a nutritious source of protein as well as essential vitamins and minerals.
Refined sugar
We humans all know that we should try to keep our own sugar consumption to a minimum, which can be difficult because, simply put, it’s everywhere! The same is true for your dog. Refined sugars are added to dog treats as a preservative and to make them taste better. But just like us, our dogs don’t need that added sugar! Sugar is addictive, it causes their blood sugar to spike, and it is linked to obesity and diabetes. And, it’s bad for oral health!
Tip: Try Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews!
Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews contain only four ingredients: American beef hide, natural bacon flavor, sodium tripolyphosphate, and cetyl pyridinium chloride—the latter two of which are safe, FDA-approved additives clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar. You can feel good about rewarding your dog with these chews, which contain quality beef and none of the ingredients listed above, knowing your dog’s teeth are getting cleaner as he chomps down.
In fact, Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews have been awarded the prestigious Seal of Approval by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) after undergoing extensive testing to prove their efficacy at improving dog’s oral health. Read more about the VOHC here and and learn more about Tartar Shield Pet Products’ tartar-fighting ingredients here.
