What is All the Buzz About Low Purine Pet Food?

It usually surprises pet owners to hear that their pets can suffer from kidney stones, same as humans. But it is very possible for pets to have these complications courtesy of a poor diet. Some dog breeds are more susceptible. They include the Dalmatians, Bulldog, Scottish Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Dachshund, and Newfoundland. The biggest culprit of this condition is high purine foods.

Purines are organic compounds found in meats and meat products. Internal organ meats like the liver, beef kidneys, brains, and the pancreas have high concentrations of purine. Animals including pets and human’s breakdown purine to form uric acid. Feeding pets on high purine diets comes with health risks. They include cholesterol, joint problems, and uric (kidney) stones.

Organ meats are number one choice for making cheap pet food because many abattoirs do not care to pack the lower quality meats. Unscrupulous pet food products go a step further and use grain filler to lower pet food production costs. The end product is unhealthy food that is of little nutritional value.

Can there be nutritious pet food without cheap offal and meat off-cuts? Innovative pet food manufactures have found alternatives in low purine ingredients such as insects, sea food and select vegetables. Premium low purine dog food is affordable but equally or more nutritious than conventional meat-based pet foods.

A few years ago, few people would have taken the idea of insects as pet food seriously. But now, pet owners are discovering how good insect protein is for their pets. Insects are a viable alternative to the traditional offal-based and grain rich pet foods. They are ingredients in a low purine diet that pet health experts are touting because of better nutritional value and environmental sustainability.

Insects such as the black soldier fly larvae provide a high dose of protein without the risk of high cholesterol such as found in organ meats. There is an added advantage in that insects are affordable to breed.

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) says rearing livestock contributes almost 7% of the total greenhouse gas emissions. While the pet food industry is not the sole benefactor of the livestock industry, it is a powerful motivator of the business. Finding friendlier pet food alternatives is a big step towards environmental sustainability.

FAO also reports that it takes 10 kilos of livestock feed to produce one kilo of beef. But it takes 1.7 kilos of feed to produce one kilo of insects of equal protein content. Environmentalists are very excited about this role that insects would play in making the pet food industry sustainable.

Other nutritious ingredients in low purine dog food include seafood such as salmon, and vegetables such as peas and potatoes. There is also fruit such as mango and banana, and herb extracts such as basil and thyme. There are natural vitamins and minerals. The food is also available in several flavors. The total package is balanced to provide all nutrition that a pet need.

A low purine diet comes with several benefits for a pet. It is highly digestible, allowing a pet to extract as much as nutrition as possible from the food. The probiotics in the food promotes good gut health. Low purine food is excellent for sensitive and older pets.

Low purine pet food is not a fad but a long-term alternative as more nutritious and healthier pet food. It promises to shake the pet food industry in a big way as a product that delivers a win for everybody. Pet owners will have an affordable product which is also friendly for the environment. It is a game changer in the pet food industry.