The Protein Myth: Encouraging Poor Buying Choices In Dog Food

There is a long-standing misconception that greyhounds must have a low protein diet, but this is not the case.

There  are many myths and misconception around protein, for both greyhounds,  and dogs overall, which ties into a more widespread problem within the  pet food industry.  Such as how easily things can be taken out of  context, spread like wildfire and influence the production, marketing  and buying habits of dog food around the world.
Such  as the implication that grain free food causes heart problems (it  doesn’t, by the way), high protein causes kidney problems (only if they  already have health issues or are pre-disposed to kidney problems), that  low protein diets prevent obesity (they are more likely to cause  obesity), and that raw diets are dangerous and likely to spread bacteria  (bacteria contamination and recalls are substantially more common in  kibble diets).

The internet is  FULL of opinions, myths, and stories, as well as people and  organisations sponsored by pet food manufacturers to push certain  agendas such as prescription and breed specific diets.  Quite often  certain key points in scientific publications are cherry picked, out of  context, to further sway pet owners.  For example the idea that raw  diets prevent or slows down the spread of cancer.

When  it comes to providing for your hound, there is no one size fits all.   Every dog is individual in what works best for them, but they don’t have  the freedom to choose what that best is...and really, they’d just eat  anything presented to them!

So,  we, as their owners, must make informed choices to be able to provide  them with the best diet and care we can within our budgets and  lifestyle.  

In order to do that,  we must first break away from long standing myths.  In specific  relation to greyhounds, the myth that they must be maintained on a low  protein diet after retirement is so ingrained across the greyhound  community, further encouraged by rehoming centres and greyhound food  manufacturers, that it feels impossible to change it.

While  the original source of this concept is unknown, it likely dates back  well beyond any recent history, possibly even before the creation of  commercial kibble or the minimum nutritional requirements.  For  instance, in a publication about hunting called Livre De Chasse, written  in the 14th century, Gaston III, Comte de Foix wrote about the care of  his hunting greyhounds.  Stating that they were fed bread, and some meat  from the hunt.  Hardly a balanced diet…but it is, in effect, what they  are still fed today.

Greyhound  specific kibbles are cheap, very cheap, and this is because they are  made with low quality grains, and other fillers, with a sprinkling of  meat…at best!

For instance, a food labelled as exceptional quality for retired greyhounds, has the following ingredients:

Cereals,  meat & animal derivatives, derivatives of vegetable origin, oils  & fats, minerals, products from the processing of plants.

When  put through the AADF calculator, determined that this food contained  less than 1% meat.  Similarly, other greyhound kibbles that we  investigated had meat contents of 0.5%, 0.3% and the highest being 4.4%.   In comparison, a food marketed as a ‘greyhound and lurcher’ kibble had  a far superior 14.7% meat…but failed to meet the minimum legal  requirement in regard to protein, coming in at only 17%, and consisting  largely of wheat and maize.

If  this isn’t setting off any alarm bells, it should.  Yes, dogs are  omnivores, but they should have meat in their diet, they thrive on it,  and need it in far greater quantities than we are seeing in greyhound  specific diets.  

While a high  protein diet is not recommended in some instances, such as dogs with  pre-existing kidney issues, universally deciding that retired greyhounds  cannot have more than 20% protein is ridiculous.  Because if that 20%  is lacking in the essential amino acids, and the protein source overall  is not bioavailable during digestion, the dog will suffer in a state of  malnutrition.  It can present in different forms such as bald thigh  syndrome, dandruff, or digestive issues.

You  cannot standardise an entire breeds health; while low protein may work  for some, it won’t work for others.  Greyhounds can have more than 20%  protein.  While they don’t need to have a ‘high’ protein diet, they can  absolutely have higher than what is standardised in greyhound kibble.

By  encouraging this 20% limit, owners are restricted in the quality of dog  food they can buy, even if shopping outside of greyhound specific  kibble.

The highest rated  kibble, with the 20% limit, on the AADF directory is still classed as  low in meat and primarily made up of grains.

The  reason pet food manufacturers use large quantities of these plant-based  protein sources, is to ensure their kibbles meet the legal minimum  protein requirement (18%) while keeping the product as cheap as possible  to produce and sell.

Why is this an issue?  When it comes to protein, it isn’t about the quantity, but the quality!

While  greyhounds can digest plant-based protein sources to a degree, a lot of  the nutrition is lost.  Much of the product is passed from the body as  waste, after building up quite a bit of gas within the digestive system.   Basically, high grain diets result in a lot of poo, and farting.  Lots  and lots of poo and farting.  

There  are 20 amino acids, the different combinations of which make up the  proteins that dogs utilize.  10 of them are naturally produced within  the body. The other 10, which are referred to as the essential amino  acids, must be provided in a dog’s diet.  Unlike other nutrients, like  fat or carbohydrates, the 10 essential amino acids are unable to be  stored within the body.  If even one of them is missing from your dog’s  diet, their body cannot work efficiently.

Grain  is primarily a carbohydrate, and better utilised as a quick energy  source than a protein source, as not all grains contain all the  essential amino acids or have them available to the dog during  digestion.  Meat and other animal-based protein sources are far easier  to digest, are bursting with the essential amino acids and are readily  available to the dog.

While there  is a minimum requirement for protein in dog food, it is not a goal, and  there are numerous advantages to feeding more high-quality protein:

-  Protein is an energy source that can limit the need for other nutrients  such as fat, so facilitates weight loss in overweight animals.
-  When provided in an easily digestible format (meat), it provides  benefits to senior and aging dogs such as helping maintain muscle  condition, joint health and a healthy weight.
-  It’s beneficial for skin and coat health, reducing dandruff and bare thigh syndrome in greyhounds.
-  Maintains muscle condition, growth, and repair, which is important for  heavily muscled dogs like greyhounds, whether working or not.
-  As protein, or rather amino acids, are essential building blocks in the  body, they help ensure the constant and efficient replacement and  replenishment of cells within the body to maintain overall health.

We  need to throw out the old wives’ tale about how high protein causes  kidney issues, or other health concerns, there is no evidence to support  this in healthy dogs.

While  there is a minimum requirement for protein in dog food, there is no  maximum.  Studies have shown that dogs are fully capable of digesting  and utilising diets containing more than 30% protein (on a dry weight  basis).

While capable of living  on a very high protein diet…we’re not necessarily suggesting that you  need to go to such extremes for your greyhound, we are simply saying  that you should not let the protein myth hold you back from providing  the best for your hounds.

Greyhounds  are dogs (even if they don’t act like them!) and don’t need to be  restricted to ‘greyhound food’. Broaden your horizons!  

In removing the 20% protein restriction, you can go from the food described above to foods like this:

Freshly  Prepared Duck (29%), Sweet Potato (29%), Freshly Prepared Wild Boar  (15%), Dried Duck (14%), Chickpeas, Tapioca, Duck Stock (2%), Minerals,  Tomato Pomace, Joint Pack (Glucosamine 177.5 mg/kg,  Methylsulfonylmethane 177.5 mg/kg, Chondroitin Sulphate 125 mg/kg),  Yucca Extract, Mixed Herbs, Dried Apple, Burdock Root, Dried Chamomile,  Dried Carrot, Dried Cranberry, Dried Dandelion, Aniseed, Fenugreek,  Dried Seaweed, Dried Peppermint.

Only 26% protein, a near 50% meat content, packed with joint supplements and botanicals that better your hound’s health!

Yes,  it comes with a higher price tag.  Nothing is going to be as cheap as  greyhound kibble, but for your hound’s health, isn’t it worth it?   Frankly we think it’s worth it just to live without the farting!

Do  your research, read the labelling on the back of the dog food bags, and  consult websites like the All About Dog Food directory, and make  informed decisions about what the best food is for your hound!