Does your dog eat better than you?

[rmci]

First, I'd like to start off by saying thank you to Kazkirkpatrick for providing the thread "The Dogs Diner- All you wanted to know about food for Fido." This thread really got me thinking about what's in my dogs food. The following ingredient, Meat By-products, being included as an automatic no go has been nagging me.

Originally Posted by kazkirkpatrick

A non-meat first ingredient is an automatic no go.

Meat by-products: By-products can vary ... they can consist of the internal parts of animals such as necks, heads, undeveloped eggs, feet, intestines, lungs, spleen and liver. Although by-products are used by many manufacturers, are these ingredients you would knowingly feed your pet?

Yes, I guess I would. Don’t animals in the wild eat the items listed?
These items are considered edible meat by-products and are consumed by humans in America and other countries:

Necks: Beef, lamb, & pork are used in recipes. So are chicken necks, which is why the neck & gizzards are provided when you purchase a whole chicken.

Heads: In parts of Texas you can order barbacoa, which is made from cow head, cheeks, brains and even eyes.

Undeveloped Eggs: Not sure about this one, haven’t found any reference to this being considered a meat by-product by any source such as AAFCO, USDA, etc.

Feet: I’ve seen Pigs feet in supermarkets, but cow, chicken & sheep feet are considered edible and there are recipes available.

Intestines: Cow and Pork intestines are used for sausage casings.

Lungs: Cow, sheep & pork lungs are eaten in Asia.

Spleen: Can be eaten fried or used in blood sausages.

Liver: Liver is commonly eaten & is a high source of protein.

Everything I have read so far states that meat by-products do not include hair, horns, teeth and hooves.

*Since the thread mentioned this topic wasn't up for "debate" I felt as though I couldn't bring up the following as part of that thread so I started this new thread. Sorry for the length.*

[Boleyn]

I wondered about this once before, too, and looked in to. There is a big difference between feed grade by-products from questionable sources (as far as their health, species, etc.) and questionable handling methods, and fresh raw by-products from organic sources. Meaning, I'd rather have my dog eat a fresh raw neck of a human grade chicken, than get who-knows-what in a kibble where the animal may have been diseased or decaying, and left rotting in the sun.

It's those non-specific ingredients - "meat" or "animal". I remember reading an article with a comment from someone who worked at a pet food rendering plant. In one day they processed a baby zoo elephant, police horse killed in the line of duty, and racoons scraped off the road. Any of those can be in meat by-products, animal digest, etc. No thanks.

JMHO. I tend to ramble on nutrition topics, LOL. But that was a good topic, as I and probably many others have wondered the same thing!

[rmci]

Originally Posted by Boleyn

It's those non-specific ingredients - "meat" or "animal". I remember reading an article with a comment from someone who worked at a pet food rendering plant. In one day they processed a baby zoo elephant, police horse killed in the line of duty, and racoons scraped off the road. Any of those can be in meat by-products, animal digest, etc. No thanks.

I thought AAFCO regulated things like this. Guess it's kind of like eating at a restaurant. You never know what you're going to get, even with all of the regulations, and you don't want to think about it.