Printable View
I finally got my mom to agree to try a corn-free food for her dog, Wallace, who is allergic to the world at large. She bought Nutrisource adult chicken and rice. I've personally never heard of it but I see it has three stars on dogfoodanalysis just because it may not have enough protein. Has anybody tried it?
I've not heard of it.
I hope it helps her Wallace! Often, food allergies in dos will include chicken. :( So this may be a step in the right direction, but she may need to try a bison / venison food. I just opened the first bag of Taste of the Wild High Prairie, which is bison, venison, and sweet potatoes (among other things) and totally grain free. The struggle to find a food which agrees with my Sugar continues. :rolleyes:
The ingredients don't look too bad until you get down into the nitty gritty stuff.
menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity)
This is something very bad you don't want to see in any of your dog foods. Nutro uses it.
This is what it is
Menadione, also known as vitamin K3, is a synthetic version of vitamin K. The natural occuring compounds are vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone, from plant sources) and Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone, synthesized by bacteria in the digestive tract and absorbed by the body). Technically menadione isn't even a vitamin, but a precursor that is converted in the body after ingestion. Natural vitamin K is fat soluble, while menadione derivatives (pure menadione can not be processed) are water soluble and bypass the natural pathway of utilization by the body.
This is why it's bad:
As a non-native speaker (German is my native language), it has been difficult for me to compose this article in English, since I had to translate most of my information from literature originally written in German. My search for relevant, unbiased sources in English was not very successful, with exception of some obscure references and texts that provided some information but do not include all the facts. There were also many articles written by authors who didn't even have the basic knowledge to differentiate between vtiamin K1, K2 and K3.
Here is a list of negative effects of menadione on the body. It is incomplete, since my English medical terminology is lacking and I was simply not able to translate the more complicated scientific phrases into proper English:
causes cytotoxicity in liver cells
causes formation of radicals from enzymes of leucocytes, with the consequence of cytotoxic reactions
considerably weakens the immune system
possible mutagenic effects
damages the natural vitamin K cycle
has no effect on coumarin derivatives, which are often present in commercial food due to mold contamination (toxic when ingested)
causes hemolytic anemia and hyperbilirubinemia, not just linked to large doses
disturbs the level of calcium ions (Ca2+) in the body, which is an important factor fibrinolysis
is directly toxic in high doses (vomiting, albuminuria), unlike natural vitamin K
builds up in tissue and has been detected in eggs, meat and milk of animals supplemented with menadione derivatives
causes irritation of skin and mucous membranes
causes allergic reactions and eczema
This is from The Dog Food Project. I would recommend that site instead of dogfoodanalysis. We don't really know who writes the analysis on that website and some of the reasons the dog food is not good or is good are sometimes stupid reasons. (Like you said, not enough protein. Sometimes dogs need low protein)
Anyways, cancer has been linked to the menadione. A lot. On my nutrition web site, I know people refuse to feed foods because of this ingredient alone, so I don't take it lightly.
EDIT: And I just realized something. I always fed Honda Nutro... and sometimes I feel the need to blame them for Honda's cancer... but I don't. But I just read the problems and one was irritation of mucous membranes. Honda had a large mass on the side of her head that the vet said was probably in a saliva gland... a mucous membrane. :-/
I just started my dogs on a bag of it. Now I wonder? :eek: