With so much conflicting information available, it can be challenging to determine what food is best for your dog. Canned food or kibble? Raw or cooked? Grains or no grains?
In this article, we’ll discuss whether dogs can eat grains safely, if grain-free food is better for dogs, and whether some dogs might be allergic to grains.
Can Dogs Eat Grains?
Dogs can safely eat most grains, including kibble that contains grains. Human foods that contain grains may be unsafe depending on the food.
Human foods like bread and cereal are generally unhealthy for dogs, but they are typically not harmful when fed in small amounts. Dogs often have trouble digesting bread, especially when eaten in large quantities. These foods may also contain excessive amounts of salt, sugar, and other additives.
Like all human foods, those containing grains may contain other toxic ingredients. It’s important to know every ingredient in the food before giving it to your pup. Common toxins include chocolate, xylitol (a sugar replacement), onions, and garlic. This includes powdered onion or garlic.
Is Grain-Free Dog Food Better for Dogs?
There is still a prevalent myth among pet parents that grain is bad for dogs. However, there is no indication that this is true.
Likely, the myth stems from human diets that eliminate gluten. People believe they’re healthier without grains and want their dogs to be healthy, too! Both humans and dogs can eat grains safely so long as they’re not gluten intolerant and don’t have a grain allergy.
Grains should also not make your dog fat, so long as you’re feeding them the right portions. If you have questions about how much to feed your dog, talk with your veterinarian during their next check-up. They can tell you whether your dog is at a healthy weight now and whether it’s worth feeding them smaller meals.
It’s also possible that grain-free foods grew in popularity due to the contamination of imported wheat gluten from China in 2007. Chemicals in the wheat gluten caused kidney damage in thousands of pets. However, it was the chemical contamination, not the grain, that was the problem.
The Problem with Grain-Free Dog Food
Unfortunately, grain-free dog food has its own problems and may be linked to a type of heart disease called canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still studying this issue, so we don’t have definitive answers yet.
However, it seems that excess peas and legumes, often used to replace grains in many grain-free foods, may be the culprit.
There is also a theory that exotic meats, such as kangaroo, buffalo, duck, and salmon, may contribute. However, many foods containing these meats are also grain-free, so it may be a correlation rather than the cause of the problem. More research is needed to know for sure.
Although a properly formulated grain-free diet may be safe for dogs, it is generally recommended to avoid them until more is learned. The exception, of course, is if your dog has a grain allergy or is gluten intolerant.
Are Dogs Allergic to Grains?
A common misconception is that if your dog has allergies, you should switch them to a grain-free diet. However, this will only help if your dog is allergic to grains.
While dogs can be allergic to grains, it’s much more likely for them to develop allergies to proteins such as beef, chicken, dairy, or eggs. Like humans, dogs can be allergic to a wide range of things, so they may also have less common allergies.
Environmental allergies are also very common in dogs and cannot be controlled by changing your dog’s diet.
Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs
The following are some common allergy symptoms in dogs, whether they have environmental or food allergies:
- Itching, hair loss, or red, irritated skin
- Irritated, red, or goopy eyes
- Inflammation
- Sneezing, coughing, or wheezing
- Excessive licking
- Vomiting, diarrhea, or other digestive problems
- Frequent ear infections
- Difficulty breathing
If your dog is showing signs of allergies, talk to your veterinarian about treatment options. They may recommend an elimination diet to determine exactly which foods your dog is allergic to, a change in your dog’s routine or environment, or a prescription allergy medication.
Are Grain-Free Diets More Natural For Dogs?
A common marketing trend for pet foods is to advertise their foods as more natural, akin to what wolves would eat in the wild. The problem with this is that dogs aren’t wolves. They’ve been domesticated for tens of thousands of years, and in that time, they’ve evolved into their own species.
Long before kibble was invented, dogs were sharing table scraps with humans. The first commercial “dog cakes” were sold in 1860 and were made of wheat, vegetables, beetroot, and meat. Purina would later come onto the market in the 1950s with the world’s first commercial dog kibble.
That is to say, domestic dogs have been eating grains for a long time, and their bodies have adapted accordingly, just as ours have. It’s thought that we developed genes to digest grains together.
For instance, individual dogs may have anywhere from four to 30 of the gene for amylase, which helps to break down starch. By comparison, wolves have only two of these genes! Similarly, human cultures that eat more grains have more of the genes, while those with less access to grains have fewer of them.
With these genetic differences, some of which are yet to be fully understood by scientists, it could be unhealthy or even dangerous to feed a dog the same diet as a wolf might eat in the wild.
The Best Food For Your Dog
All of that said, it’s better to focus on foods that have been tested thoroughly in domestic dogs than to consider what sounds most “natural” or closest to what wolves eat.
When choosing a dog food, look for one that follows AAFCO standards for a complete and balanced diet. You may also choose to look for a food that follows WSAVA guidelines, which include being formulated by a certified veterinary nutritionist and undergoing feeding trials.
We also recommend avoiding raw diets, as they pose a variety of risks to both humans and animals in your household. If you have questions about the best food for your pup, especially if they have allergies or other dietary restrictions, consult your vet.
