Story at-a-glance
- Conventional veterinarians often give grain-free diets for dogs a thumbs down; holistic vets like me believe they represent optimal nutrition for most dogs
- Dogs have no biological requirement for carbohydrates, and grains are carbohydrates. Canines are carnivores whose bodies are designed to eat animal flesh and fat, not starch, which turns to sugar in your dog’s body
- Dry dog food can be grain-free, but it can’t be carb-free because carbohydrates are required to form kibble. Many grain-free foods have a higher starch content than regular foods.
- The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) does not require starch content to be listed on a pet food label, so I recommend calculating the amount of starch you are feeding with simple math
- The optimal diet for healthy dogs is meat-based and raw, grain-free, moisture-rich, living and fresh
