How many carbs are in raw dog food

How to Estimate the Carbohydrate Content of Any Dog Food

When comparing dog foods, the carbohydrate content of each product can be difficult to find.

Thats because dog food companies are not required by law to disclose the actual carb content of their products.

In fact, current Food and Drug Administration labeling rules require the inclusion of just four nutrients

• Protein
• Fat
• Fiber
• Moisture

How to Estimate the CarbohydrateContent of Any Dog Food

So, if knowing the carb content is important to you and it should be heres a quick and easy way to estimate the amount of carbohydrates in any dog food yourself.

Basically, all foods contain the same four major nutrients known as macronutrients:

• Proteins
• Fats
• Carbohydrates
• Moisture (water)

In addition, all foods also contain ash the non-combustible mineral residue remaining after burning away all the protein, fat and carbs.

Ash content can vary but typically measures about five to eight percent for most dog foods¹ .

So, for consistency, we routinely use 8 percent as a benchmark for this important variable (ash) throughout this site.

Making the Calculation

When making this calculation, its important to keep in mind the following scientific principle:

Protein + fat + ash + carbohydrate + water must always equal 100 percent of the total pre-cooking weight of any dog food.

So, you can use simple math to reveal the missing amount on any other variable which in this case of a pet food would be the carbohydrates.

Simply start with 100 percent and subtract the percentage for each of the known macronurients.

By the way, you can ignore the fiber content because fiber is a type of carbohydrate and would be automatically included in your carbohydrate calculation.

Heres an Example

Say a particular dog food contains 26% protein, 14% fat and 10% water.How much carbohydrate should we expect to find in that product?

To estimate the amount of carbohydrate present in this example, simply start with a total of 100 percent. Then subtract the protein, fat and moisture percentages.

And of course, dont forget to allow for an ash content of about 8 percent, too.

So, your math would look like this:

Carbohydrates = 100% 26% 14% 10% 8% = 42%

In other words, if you subtract all the known nutrients, youd be left with the missing variable carbohydrates which in our example would be about 42 percent.

An Important Caveat

Now, keep in mind, when using a pet foods Guaranteed Analysis as a products protein and fat content, youre not using the true percentages of those nutrients.

Youre using the minimums the amount each manufacturer is willing to guarantee to be the minimum protein or fat found in the recipe.

For example, if a label claims a food includes a minimum fat level of (say) 15%, it could and nearly always does contain a fat content notably higher than that stated amount.

So, by the laws of basic mathematics

Since protein and fat are nearly always understated on the label, the estimated carbohydrate figure must also be automatically overstated.

The Bottom Line

So, to estimate the percentage of carbohydrates in any pet food when that figure is not known, use the simple formula discussed in this article to obtain a reasonable estimate.

However, be sure to keep in mind that

The more a company understates a foods protein or fat content, the more overstated you should expect your estimate of its carbohydrate content to be, too.

In closing, on the rare occasion the actual amounts for protein, fat and carbohydrates are reported by a company on its website, its always better to ignore our estimate and go with those figures instead.

Dogs and Carbohydrates A Surprising Secret Revealed

Dogs and Carbohydrates A Surprising Secret Revealed

By Mike Sagman

Updated: September 27, 2023

Zero.Thats how many carbohydrates are nutritionally required by a dog to sustain life.The fact that a dog food doesnt need to contain any carbs at all seems hard to believe.

But its true.

You see, according to the National Research Council and compared to the other two major nutrients protein and fat no carbs are considered essential for a healthy canine diet.¹

Dogs dont need corn.And they dont need wheat, barley rice or potatoes, either.

Yet surprisingly, carbs represent the dominant nutrient found in most dry dog foods.

Why Dog Food CompaniesLove Carbohydrates

Since the early 1950s, dog food manufacturers everywhere have fallen head-over-heels in love with carbs because theyre:

• Abundant
• Durable (long shelf life)
• Essential to the kibble-making process
• Cheaper (per calorie than protein or fat)

Please notice that not one of these reasons has anything to do with nutrition not one.

Are Carbs Safe?

Carbohydrates arent bad for dogs.In reasonable amounts, they can actually provide a practical source of energy.

However, the problem lies in their quantity.

Using a dogs ancestral diet as a model, the total amount of carbs consumed by a dogs evolutionary predecessor is dramatically less than whats become the norm for todays kibbles.

One sensible source estimates natural carbohydrate consumption for a dogs ancestors at around 14 percent of total diet.²

Yet on average, todays dry dog foods contain somewhere between 46 and 74 percent carbohydrates.³

Comparing the Numbers

Todays kibbles contain as much as four times the carbohydrate content historically found in the canine ancestral diet.

Wouldnt it make sense for a dogs food to be more like the species ancestral diet with more protein and fat and fewer carbs?

The Bottom Line

When choosing dog food, its reasonable to favor products lower in carbohydrates.

However, since most dog food manufacturers fail to disclose the percentage of carbohydrates contained in their products, the Dog Food Advisor provides an estimate of this important figure inside every review.

So, look for dog foods rich in meat-based protein and lower in carbs.You could be adding years of better health to your best friends life.

Calculating a Dog Food Diets Protein, Fat, Carbs, and Fiber

[Updated July 19, 2017]

It is not easy to figure out how much fat and other nutrients are really in the food you feed, whether its kibble, canned food, or a home-prepared raw or cooked diet. Here are some tips that can help.

Methods of Nutrition Measurement

There are three different ways of measuring amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber in foods:

1.Percentage of dry matter

2.Percentage of calories (does not apply to fiber)

3.Grams per 1,000 calories

Dry matter percentages are easiest to use for commercial foods. Grams per 1,000 calories or percentage of calories are simpler ways to measure nutrients in a homemade diet.

When Feeding Your Dog Commercial Foods:

Pet food labels give you some, but not all, of the information you need in order to really know the nutritional composition of your dogs diet.

-The percentages of protein, fat, and fiber shown on dog food labels are guaranteed minimums and maximums, NOT actual amounts. The real amount of fat in particular may be much higher than what is shown on the label of some canned and raw diets. If your dog needs a low-fat diet, look for products that are lower in calories than similar foods.

For more accurate information, contact the company that makes the food youre interested in and ask them for a nutritional analysis showing the actual amount of protein, fat, fiber, ash, and moisture, as well as the number of calories in the food. Editors note: Some pet food makers (particularly small companies) may not have a complete nutritional analysis of their products. In our opinion, this reflects a lack of adequate research and investment in the product. When feeding a special needs dog, wed look to a company who has this current information on hand.

-The percentage of carbohydrates is not included on most labels or nutritional analyses. To calculate the percentage of carbohydrates in a commercial diet, subtract the percentages of protein, fat, moisture, crude fiber (an indigestible part of carbohydrates), and ash from 100. This percentage may be shown as nitgrogen-free extract (NFE) on a nutritional analysis.

-Total dietary fiber is likely much higher than the crude fiber shown on the label. If dietary (soluble plus insoluble) fiber is not shown on a complete nutritional analysis, there is no way to calculate it.

When Feeding Fresh Foods:

When feeding a home-prepared diet comprised of fresh food ingredients, it can be a bit more challenging to calculate some of the nutrient values that youd like to know when feeding a diabetic dog.

-To calculate the caloric content of the food, look up the ingredients or enter a recipe on NutritionData.com. The number of calories from protein, fat, and carbohydrates, along with the total calories, are given in the calorie information section, and the calorie percentages are shown in the caloric ratio pyramid.

-To calculate the grams of protein, fat, etc., per 1,000 calories, divide grams of any nutrient by total number of calories, then multiply by 1,000 to get grams per 1,000 kcal. For example, raw skinless chicken breast contains 6.5 grams of protein, 0.3 grams of fat, and 30.8 calories per ounce:

6.5 30.8 x 1,000 = 211 grams of protein per 1,000 kcal

0.3 30.8 x 1,000 = 9.7 grams of fat per 1,000 kcal (GFK)

As Fed versus Dry Matter

The percentages of protein, fat, etc., shown on a pet food label are expressed as fed meaning, as the food is delivered in its package. Some percentage of the food is comprised of moisture (water), which of course contains no protein, fat, fiber, or other nutrients. Kibble generally contains about 10 percent moisture; wet foods (canned, frozen, or fresh) contain as much as 80 percent or more moisture.

So, think about it: When a label says that a food contains (for example) 4 percent fat, in order to really understand how much fat you are about to feed your dog, you also have to know how much moisture is in the food. What you really want to know is how much fat (in this example) is in the food part of the food the dry matter. Any serious discussion of nutrition, or comparison of dry and wet diets, then, requires the conversion of the nutrient values from as fed to dry matter. Dont worry; it sounds technical, but its easy to do.

-To calculate dry matter (DM) percentages, first determine the amount of dry matter by subtracting the percentage of moisture from 100. Then divide the as fed percentage by the amount of dry matter to get the dry matter percentage. For example, if a canned food has 75 percent moisture and 4 percent fat:

100 75 = 25 percent dry matter

4 25 = 16 percent fat on a dry matter basis

Raw dog food the big questions

Raw dog food diets have been around as long as dogs and their ancestors have been around. Until the creation of dry dog food and canned dog food, dogs lived off raw meat, scraps and anything they could scavenge.

You may have heard of the old English expression as fit as a butchers dog, which implies that a dog living off meat, bones and offal is likely to be in fine fettle.

However, after the creation and growth of mass-market dog food, domestic dogs diets changed and the feeding of raw dog food became less common. That is until recent years

Raw food for dogs has increased in popularity in recent years; some of it homemade, some produced by cottage industries, but increasingly provided by medium to large companies for a national market.

What are the best raw dog foods?

Some work on the prey model, which is an 80% meat, 10% ground bone, 10% organ meat (offal) blend. Others use the recipes akin to the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) model, which includes a small percentage of vegetables.

Both kinds profess an authenticity based on dogs evolutionary diets.

It being something new (but also very old) it has generated a lot of doubt, cynicism and questions alongside its popularity.

We put some of the questions we most frequently get asked by readers to Amy Zalneraitis, the CBO at 5-star-rated We Feed Raw.

Is raw dog food safe for dogs?

AZ: Raw dog food is not only safe for dogs, its what is most biologically appropriate for them. Dogs have thrived on a raw, meat-based diet since the dawn of their existence. While weve domesticated dogs and bred them for their appearance, behavior, and temperament, in form and function, their digestive system is identical to their ancestors. With highly acidic stomachs, sharp, pointy teeth, and short, simple digestive tracts, a dogs biology tells us what they should be eating.

So any raw food will do?

Not all raw pet foods are created equal. We use only high-quality, USDA, human-grade meats. We produce our recipes in a USDA-certified facility and all ingredients must comply with rigid incoming quality assurance specifications. Most importantly, to ensure safe raw feeding in the home, we use HPP (high-pressure processing) a non-thermal pasteurization technology that uses extreme cold water pressure (up to 87,000 psi) to ensure our food is free of pathogens such as Listeria, E. coli, and Salmonella.

While not all raw companies in the U.S. do this, we incur the extra cost because it ensures a safe product. Because the process uses pressure rather than heat, there is no change in product taste, texture, or nutritional value.

Is raw dog food safe for humans?

It depends if you mean to eat or handle. While our food is sourced from USDA, human-grade meats, our recipes are not intended for human consumption. Our formulas contain the correct ratio of muscle meat, organ meat, finely ground bone and a high-quality vitamin and mineral mix for full and proper canine nutrition, not full and proper human nutrition.

As for handling, dogs can cope with bacteria in ways that humans cant, but HPP offers extra peace of mind while feeding raw in the home. HPP is used by many reputable raw pet food companies because its a natural way to reduce harmful bacteria while preserving nutrients.

When youre purchasing raw pet food from a reputable company, its easy to feed raw food safely you use the same basic hygiene practices you use when preparing your own raw meats to cook, like washing hands, surfaces, and bowls.

Its more expensive than kibble why should I spend extra?

Because the quality of the food our dogs eat has a direct impact on how well they live. Eighty percent of immune capability is in the gut and low-carb raw diets help to promote healthy gut microflora. Raw food will always be more expensive because quality costs more. Hands down, raw costs more to source and make and its not packed with cheap fillers. While youll pay more upfront with raw, youll save money down the line because youll have a healthier, happier dog and far fewer vet visits.

Why wouldnt I just make raw food at home?

If youre a DIY raw feeder, amazing! Great job! But weve found that many pet parents dont have the time, energy, interest, or resources to make properly balanced raw food at home. Thats where we come in. We plan, portion, package, and deliver. All you have to do is thaw and feed. No concern that your dog is missing important nutrients, no trips to the pet food store, no guesswork.

Do dogs need vegetables?

Our recipes are based on the Prey Model Raw diet: approximately 80% muscle meat (with connective tissue and fat), 10% organ meat (all of which is secreting organ), 10% finely ground raw meaty bones plus a small amount of a high-quality vitamin and mineral mix.

Some of our customers will choose to add veggies to the meals, and thats great, as long as they dont overdo it. If your dog does well with a bit of extra fiber, our Ph.D. nutritionist suggests around a 5-8% veggie inclusion. With dogs, plant matter usually passes out as part of the stool, undigested because their bodies have to work much harder to break it down.

We usually recommend pureeing veggies: dogs do not have natural cellulase, an enzyme that helps to break down fiber, so pureeing them will help aid in digestion.

Do I need to add supplements?

Not with our food. Our food is complete and balanced as is. No need to add supplements. That said, its totally fine to add a small amount of your preferred probiotic, prebiotic, fish oil or omega-3 oil, etc. We just advise that pet parents dont add a multivitamin, as we already include a high-quality vitamin and mineral mix to our recipes.

When it comes to adding other whole foods, like canned pumpkin, phytoplankton, sardines, green-lipped mussels, etc, these can be wonderful, healthy additions and we totally support those as toppers to our meals.

Are there any proven benefits to a raw diet?

A dogs digestive system is identical to its ancestors. They didnt lose the ability to digest their evolutionary diet just because kibble was invented mere seconds ago in geologic time. Therefore, isnt it prudent to imitate what nature provided as a guideline?

As for specific studies, were excited about the work being done at the University of Helsinki on the benefits of a raw dog food diet. Led by veterinary scientist Dr. Anna-Hielm Bjrkman (DVM and PhD), The Dog Risk Study is a university-led, cruelty-free study using 16,000 dogs of all breeds and ages.

The program has already proven that puppies fed raw (vs kibble) have fewer environmental allergies as adults and a reduced risk of developing IBD later in life. Some of the other specific studies its exploring include hip dysplasia, GI issues, chronic ear infections, cancer and tumors.

How do I transition my dog to raw food?

Our intro plan helps to gradually introduce dogs to raw food over a 10-day period. The detailed directions instruct pet parents on how to mix their pups current food with We Feed Raw and increase the percentage of We Feed Raw over the course of 9 days until theyre feeding 100% raw.

What are the best raw dog foods?

Will there be side effects?

While some dogs transition to raw with no issues, other dogs with sensitive stomachs may require a bit more TLC and time. Its all normal. The long-term effects of a healthy, species-appropriate diet make it all worth it: smaller, less smelly stools, shiny skin and coat, cleaner teeth, improved digestion, stronger immune system, better weight control the list goes on.

Can I mix raw food with cooked food?

Yes, absolutely. We encourage pet parents to feed what works for their budget and lifestyle. Adding even 25% raw food to your dogs diet can have life-changing health benefits. Raw feeding isnt an all-or-nothing approach. Using it as a base, mixer, or topper with cooked food or kibble can still have amazing overall health benefits.

Why are some vets anti-raw food?

Were seeing a real shift with conventional vets becoming more raw-friendly. In fact, we work with many conventional vets who not only recommend raw to their clients but feed it to their own pets.

So while the tide is changing, here are some reasons that conventional vets may not be pro-raw: 1) Theyre not taught about raw diets in vet school; 2) Theyve seen homemade raw diets go wrong (imbalanced, missing important nutrients, incorrect ratios); 3) They think its a danger to the humans feeding it. However, serious and reputable raw brands in the U.S., like our company, use HPP to neutralize pathogens for safe feeding in the home.

Is raw dog food human-grade?

Raw dog food is meant to be fed raw and usually contains bone, and therefore cannot technically be labeled human-grade as a whole. So while our food is sourced from high-quality human-grade meats and produced in a USDA-certified facility, we do not make the human-grade claim on our labels.

Are bones and offal actually good for dogs?

Not only are they good for dogs, theyre essential to a complete and balanced raw diet. Organ meats, particularly liver, are packed with vitamins and minerals. Bones are an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus.